Services

NHS offers a variety of evaluation services for individuals across the lifespan. All evaluation services at NHS include a clinical interview, followed by direct assessment procedures, and a feedback session. The feedback session entails an in-depth review and discussion of assessment findings, clinical impressions, and recommendations.

As part of each evaluation, a review of the individual’s or child’s records is conducted—such as prior testing (psychoeducational, neuropsychological, etc.,),—to assess whether the child is getting services that meet his or her needs, or what kind of classroom or school would be most appropriate for him. Reviews of a child’s records can also be used to recommend activities for gifted children as well as college and vocational planning purposes.

Developmental Evaluation

This type of consultation is helpful in clarifying the diagnostic picture for an individual across the lifespan via assessment of behavioral, emotional and social functioning. This consultation will identify therapeutic services and strategies as well as various community resources and services that may be of benefit to the individual. As part of this assessment, a comprehensive clinical interview is performed along with formal or informal observations of the child via play observation or standardized assessment procedures such as the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition (ADOS-2) or the Autism Diagnostic Interview, Revised (ADI-R). Rating scales are also utilized in order to understand the child’s functioning across home and school settings.

The total time for this evaluation is six hours. This includes direct as well as indirect time (i.e., record review, scoring, interpretation, and report writing).

Neurodevelopmental Evaluation

The purpose of the neurodevelopmental evaluation is to understand the developmental status of the very young child ages 2 through 6. This type of evaluation is instrumental in the identification of a neurodevelopmental disorder such as an autism spectrum disorder, developmental language disorder, ADHD, intellectual disability, etc. A neurodevelopmental evaluation may include standardized assessment procedures such as the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition (ADOS-2) or the Autism Diagnostic Interview, Revised (ADI-R). This type of evaluation is instrumental in clarifying the diagnostic picture, identifying therapeutic and educational services and strategies in order to optimize the young child’s learning and successful development.

A neurodevelopmental evaluation typically may assess the following areas:

  • Cognitive and developmental abilities
  • Play Skills
  • Language and Communication abilities
  • Adaptive functioning
  • Gross and Fine motor skills
  • Social skills
  • Emotional and behavioral functioning
  • Pre-academic or academic skills

The total time for this evaluation is twelve hours. This includes direct as well as indirect time (i.e., record review, scoring, interpretation, and report writing).

Psychological Evaluation

A psychological evaluation focuses on the social-emotional and/or behavioral functioning of school-age children and young adults and includes assessment of intellectual and academic functioning. Psychological evaluation can serve as a guide for treatment and educational planning. This is different from a school-based assessment, which is usually performed to determine whether a child qualifies for special education programs or therapies to enhance school performance. Generally, school psychologists do not diagnose learning or behavior disorders.

The total time for this evaluation is approximately eight hours. This includes direct as well as indirect time (i.e., record review, scoring, interpretation, and report writing).

Neuropsychological Evaluation

A neuropsychological evaluation is essential in understanding how different areas and systems of the brain are working and assists in the diagnosis of learning, cognitive, or behavioral disorders caused by altered brain function or development. It involves the analysis of an individual’s performance on standardized tests using both normative and individual comparison standards. This type of evaluation can detect the effects of developmental, neurological, and medical issues such as autism, epilepsy, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyslexia, or others.

Neuropsychological evaluations can also be helpful when it is possible that behavioral, social, or psychological struggles (e.g., anxiety, depression) are interfering with cognitive and/or academic functioning. This type of evaluation is commonly indicated for children, adolescents, or adults in whom the reason for functional difficulty is largely unclear and/or further educational planning is needed. It may explain why a child is having school problems, assist with diagnostic clarification, and serve as a guide for educational/treatment planning. It is different from school-based assessments and a psychological evaluation, which typically do not entail formal assessment of complex cognitive functions. Following the neuropsychological evaluation of your child, a parent feedback session is scheduled in order to share the information and data gathered with you in a personal meeting, as well as with your child, so a plan of action—a road map for successful learning can be determined. The fine points of your child’s strengths and weaknesses are provided in a written report that is easy to understand.

A neuropsychological evaluation may assess these areas:

  • Intellectual functioning
  • Achievement skills, such as reading, writing, and math
  • Executive function skills, including organization, planning, inhibition, and flexibility
  • Attention
  • Learning and memory
  • Language
  • Visual-spatial skills
  • Motor speed and coordination
  • Behavioral and emotional functioning
  • Social Skills

The total time for this evaluation is sixteen hours. This includes direct as well as indirect time (i.e., record review, scoring, interpretation, and report writing).

Please contact Neurodevelopmental Health Services for questions or further information at (315) 507-7150 or dbronk@cnyneuro.org

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Address:
110 Lomond Court
Utica, NY 13502

Phone: (315) 507-7150
Fax: (315) 732-1059
Email: info@cnyneuro.org