Psychological Diagnostics
New Service
At TheraTree, our mission has always been to help children grow minds, bodies, and spirits. We are excited to now offer psychological evaluations for children and teens, giving families answers and guidance when questions about development, learning, or behavior arise.
Why This Matters
This program is even more crucial due to recent insurance companies tightening of requirements for services related to Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Many insurance plans, including almost all Medicaid MCOs, now require a formal Autism diagnosis specifically from a Clinicial Psychologist. In many cases, families cannot begin ABA therapy—or even continue it—without this. Even after making those sacrifices, many families discover that their insurance will only accept an autism diagnosis made by a clinical psychologist or licensed psychological practitioner. If the evaluation was completed by another type of provider, claims can be denied, forcing families to start the process all over again.
Across Kentucky and surrounding areas, families often sit on wait lists for a year or more for psychological testing appointments. This often includes driving hours to larger cities just to get an evaluation.
This creates extra stress for parents and can leave children waiting for care at a critical stage in their development. By offering psychological evaluations right here at TheraTree, we help families meet these insurance requirements quickly and smoothly. This means your child can begin therapy without unnecessary gaps or delays, giving them the best chance to thrive.
TheraTree created this program to remove those barriers. By offering evaluations locally in Owensboro with qualified clinicians, we shorten wait times, reduce travel stress, and provide the kind of documentation insurance companies require.
Why get a Psychological Diagnostic Evaluation?
In addition to the above factors, Parents often tell us they are looking for answers about their child’s development, learning, or behavior. Sometimes a child struggles with focus, routines, or schoolwork. Other times, parents notice differences in communication, social interaction, or emotional regulation. A psychological evaluation can give families clarity, relief, and a clear plan forward.
A psychological evaluation is a thorough process that helps us understand how your child thinks, learns, and behaves. Evaluations may explore:
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
- Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
- Learning or cognitive difficulties
- Complex emotional or behavioral factors
What To Expect
- Referral Coordination:
- The process begins when you contact TheraTree and request to be placed on out priority list for psychological evaluations.
- Our Client Services team will then coordinate with your child’s:
- Physician to obtain a physican's order (PO)
- Insurance to verify coverage and request insurance authorization
- Our Client Services team will work with you to:
- Complete required paperwork and parent questionaires.
- If your child is enrolled in school we will request your child’s school records and teachers to fill out questionnaires.
- Schedule a series of evaluation appointments
- If you are questing an Autism Diagnostic evaluation, we require the following additional evaluations to assess impacts on communication and sensory processing in order to make a correct diagnosis:
- Occupational Therapy
- Speech & Language Therapy
- If your child is currently in OT or ST at another clinic, we are happy to accept a recent evaluation report from that provider as long as the report:
- (1) Includes standardard testing results of communication and sensory processing
- (2) Was completed within the past 12 months and represents current level of functioning in these areas.
- Initial Appointment:
- Standardized Assessment: Your child completes inital IQ testing required for most diagnoses.
- Skilled Observation: The clinician observes your child’s behavior, social interaction, and responses during activities.
- Family Interview: A clinician meets with you to learn about your child’s development, history, behaviors, and your concerns.
- Testing Appointment:
- Standardized Assessment: Your child participates in follow up standardized testing based on areas of concerns and data gathered in initial appointment. These activities may look like puzzles, answering questions, or play-based tasks depending on their age.
- Result Appointment:
- A comprehensive report is generated, including diagnostic impressions, functional implications, and recommendations. This report will be available to you on our parent portal to keep and share with schools, doctors, or other therapists.
- The clinician meets with the family to explain the results, answer questions, and share recommendations.