Autism & ADHD Diagnostic Evaluations for Teens

Our autism, ADHD, and combined AuDHD evaluations for teens (ages 13-17) are all about helping you understand yourself better. (We’re talking to you directly, because we respect you and know you can make your own choices!) We’ll work together — with support from the adult(s) in your life, whether that’s parents, guardians, or someone else — but you are the focus of this.

We know that standard tests and evaluation processes can miss the real you, especially if you're great at masking (which means covering up or hiding your traits), have learned to blend in, or are considered “too” empathetic or smart to be autistic or ADHD (which is an inaccurate stereotype!). This is why we focus on and look at the full picture of who you are.

Using a non-judgmental approach that focuses on your strengths as a person, we’ll sit down to talk and explore how your brain works and what makes you you. We’ll also have a chat with your adult(s) to understand their observations. (Check out the paragraph to the right for more info about what this process includes.) During our time together, you are invited to stim, use fidgets (our office has plenty!), take breaks, and care for your needs. By the end, we hope that your evaluation and written report — which we’ll review together with your important adult(s) — will give you clarity and helpful resources.

We use an equitable sliding scale pricing model, which means we try to offer inclusive rates. (Have your adult check out “Our Pricing” below for more info about this approach and to determine your evaluation rate.)

  • Accessible rates:

    • Autism or ADHD evaluation: $900 (or 2 payments of $450)

    • Combined AuDHD evaluation: $1100 (or 2 payments of $550)

  • Sustainable rates:

    • Autism or ADHD evaluation: $1100 (or 2 payments of $550)

    • Combined AuDHD evaluation: $1300 (or 2 payments of $650)

  • Inclusive rates:

    • Autism or ADHD evaluation: $1300 (or 2 payments of $650)

    • Combined AuDHD evaluation: $1500 (or 2 payments of $750)

The diagnostic interview session for your evaluation (which is when we sit down to talk and learn about you) can be in-person or via video. It is typically 2.5-3 hours for the autism or ADHD evaluation and 3.5-4 hours for the combined evaluation. Most of the session will be with you, since you know yourself best! However, we do typically have a conversation with your adult(s) to get extra info; you can participate in this conversation too! We can also provide questionnaires to teachers or other important adults for extra info; these can be helpful for future college accommodations. When we meet to review your report, it is 25-minutes via video with both you and your adult(s). The overall evaluation process takes your clinician an average of up to 10 hours.

Our Process

The questions in this section and the next are best reviewed by an adult in your life!

    • Diagnostic evaluation is the process of determining if someone meets the clinical criteria for a diagnosis, like autism and ADHD. We treat the DSM-5 criteria as an adaptive framework, applying it with nuance and care through a neuro-affirming lens.

    • In our country, diagnostic evaluation typically uses the DSM-5 criteria, and there are many tools based on this criteria that can be used for diagnostic evaluation. Most of these tools are rooted to neuronormative perspectives and evaluate based on deficits. However, there are tools that center the neurodivergent experience; we designed our evaluation process using these. If you’re curious about what specific tools we use, just ask!

    • We follow the Lived Experience Informed Practice model, meaning lived experience is the foundation for our diagnostic exploration. We then blend this with an understanding of your teen’s life circumstances, an intersectional lens, clinical best practice, and evidence-based research to make meaning.

    • We engage you and your teen collaboratively during this process, which includes: gathering developmental and social history; completing self-report questionnaires; conducting a diagnostic interview session with your teen and a collateral interview with you; writing an evaluation report; and finally, reviewing the report, evaluation outcomes, and recommendations.

    • Yes! In the Commonwealth of Virginia, under Virginia Code §54.1-3500, licensed clinical social workers (LCSW) can provide diagnostic services at the autonomous practice level and use the DSM for diagnostic evaluation. (Learn more here.) We map our diagnostic reports back to the DSM-5 for this reason.

    • While LCSWs cannot conduct full neuropsychological testing — which is typical for the normative process of evaluation — autism and ADHD evaluations do not require this testing for diagnosis, and our process is intentionally designed to be neuro-affirming.

    • This section contains a lot of info, but we include this for our fellow autistic/ADHD folx who benefit from clear, detailed expectations.

    • You and/or your teen will complete our client inquiry form to let us know you would like to schedule. We will then email you with date/time options, and you will be expected to reply to schedule.

    • Once you schedule your session, you will be emailed a link through Carepatron, our HIPAA-compliant portal. You are expected to establish your portal for ongoing communication. If your teen would like, they can also receive their own portal link!

    • In the portal, you will receive consents and questionnaires, as well as your invoice. (This includes signatures from your teen if they are 14-17 years old.) These need to be completed and the invoice paid at least 72 hours prior to their scheduled session.

    • During the diagnostic interview session, your teen is invited to stim, take breaks, and care for themselves in the ways they need. If in-person, our office has lots of comfy seating, plenty of fidgets to choose from, and natural lighting. Here is a picture of what it looks like! (We have the option of an office with no windows for light sensitive folx.) Your teen can bring whatever they need to feel supported (fidgets, comfort items, food, drinks, etc.) and wear comfy clothes — we model inclusivity by doing the same!

    • Though the diagnostic interview session will mainly be with your teen, you must be on-site for the whole time. As part of the evaluation process, we will do a collateral interview with you, too; we usually start by interviewing whoever initiated the process.

    • Once your teen’s evaluation report is ready, we will reach out to you to schedule the 25-minute report review session; this will be via telehealth (video session). If you chose the split payment option, the final payment will also be due 24 hours before this session. During the review, we invite questions, as well as feedback to ensure the report feels aligned and affirming.

    • We provide services both in-person and virtually via telehealth.

    • Our office for in-person sessions is in Richmond, VA near Bryan Park (address provided after scheduling). This space is owned by The Properties of Light, an intentionally neuro-inclusive practice.

    • We can also provide virtual services throughout Virginia, as long as the client is in the state at the time of the session.

Our Pricing

We are committed to cost transparency.

    • No — all of our services are out-of-pocket to ensure autonomy over diagnostic disclosure; if we took insurance, any diagnosis would become a part of your teen’s medical record/history. This feels especially important in this social and political climate.

    • Our equitable sliding scale model helps to distribute wealth and ensure accessibility to services for clients of all financial statuses.

    • We use a self-determined sliding scale model for our services, with three rate tiers: (Learn more about identifying your rate here.)

      • Inclusive rate: above the cost of providing these services, offering mutual aid; for those with more financial resources

      • Sustainable rate: at the cost of providing these services (our “regular” rate); for those with average financial resources

      • Accessible rate: below the cost of providing these services, engaging mutual aid; for those with less financial resources

    • Self-determined means we do not require any disclosure to select your rate, as we believe in the integrity and self-awareness of our clients. Simply select your rate when you schedule.

    • We understand that, even with our equitable sliding scale pricing model, the cost of private pay autism and ADHD evaluations can be prohibitive. We are working to identify grants and other opportunities to cover some or all of our accessible rate for a few clients each year. If you would like to be added to our waitlist for these reduced fee and pro bono sessions, please email us.

    • We evaluated market rates for evaluations, which can range up to $3000. We then set our rates well below this, while attending to the work involved and our financial sustainability as a business. Here is the typical time commitment for an evaluation:

      • 1-1.5 hours of prep, reviewing self-report questionnaires

      • 2.5-3 hours for the diagnostic interview session with the client (3.5-4 hours for combined evaluations)

      • 3-4 hours of session analysis and writing of diagnostic report and recommendations (4-5 for combined evaluations)

      • 30-minute session to review report, evaluation outcomes, and recommendations

      • Total: up to 10 hours (up to 12 hours for combined)

    • Our sustainable rate averages to $110/hour, which is below the market rate for private pay therapy services ($182/hour in 2022).

    • Payments are due in advance, made securely through our portal.

    • We have two payment options: (1) In-full, up to 72 hours prior to their diagnostic interview session, or (2) Two equal split payments, with the first half due up to 72 hours prior to the diagnostic evaluation session and the second due up to 24 hours prior to the report review session. We understand if you need to space these two sessions out to make the payments more manageable; you can do so up to 2-months post-initial session.