PSYCHOEDUCATIONAL Assessments
ADHD Assessments
CHILDREN, TEENS, YOUNG ADULTS
EDMONTON & SHERWOOD PARK, ALBERTA
Imagine a clear, in-depth, holistic picture of your child to help guide their success and allow you to build common understanding with them.
WHAT IS A PSYCHOEDUCATIONAL ASSESSMENT?
An assessment uses multiple standardized measures to create an in-depth profile of your child and how they are doing across a range of domains, including their cognitive, emotional, and academic functioning, in order to help clarify specifically where they are struggling. We do in-person testing with the child, as well as gather data from the parents and teachers. Our assessments are tailored to the child’s presenting challenges and concerns. At the end of the assessment process, you will receive a detailed report that provides detailed insights into your child's strengths, their areas of need, and personalized recommendations for support or accommodation.
An assessment can provide answers and guidance for families and school staff related to:
Intellectual and cognitive functioning
Contributing behavioural or emotional issues
Learning needs or learning disabilities
Individualized program planning (IPP/IEP support)
Planning for upcoming school or life transitions
Thrive’s approach to assessments is that they should not be cold, medical-oriented documents - we are painting a holistic picture of a child or teen, and we are doing a deep dive into the individual’s strengths, abilities, and resources; we are looking to pinpoint specific areas of need and provide responsive and personalized strategies and interventions for home and school.
WHEN MIGHT A CHILD NEED AN ASSESSMENT?
Any child can benefit from having an assessment done, however there are times when our kids experience major challenges or disruptions in different areas, such as:
Struggling with academic concepts and material, especially when they were previously doing well
Struggling with reading, writing, spelling, or mathematics (such as computation or problem solving)
Displaying atypical or maladaptive behaviour at school, home, and/or in the community
Challenges getting along with peers or school staff
Experiencing high levels of anxiety, school refusal, or avoidance of homework or learning
Taking a significant amount of time to complete academic work, or quickly running out of energy during work periods
Thrive is proud to be able to offer dyslexia specific assessments for ages 10-21.
WHO BENEFITS FROM AN ASSESSMENT?
In short - everyone! While an assessment is primarily about the individual and their abilities, the people on the person’s support team also benefit from assessments. Parents, teachers, and community members all benefit from having a clearer understanding of the child or youth’s strengths and weaknesses. Psychological assessments help identify areas of strength and weakness; they can also provide strategies and ideas for supporting the child in the school, home, and community.
Early intervention can lead to better outcomes academically, socially, and relationally.
Formal evaluations can help students and families access resources and specialized programming or interventions to support their success and wellness.
WHAT IS INVOLVED IN THE ASSESSMENT PROCESS?
A 1 hour parent meeting/consultation with a psychologist to gather background information to identify the appropriate assessment tools. We ask that parents complete an intake form before the meeting. School staff can complete the school form after the consultation.
3-5 hours for in-person testing with the child/teen at our office.
We gather data from the parents and school report questionnaires along with the testing results to create a comprehensive report that provides detailed, specific, and relevant recommendations and strategies for both home and school.
We then schedule a 1.5 hour meeting to debrief the assessment results, where you will also have opportunities to ask questions. Debriefs are focused on teaching you more about your child’s strengths and areas of need, and provide individualized strategies and recommendations. School staff/administration are also welcome to attend the debrief as well. The report can also be submitted to the school to be kept with the child’s cumulative record.
The entire process takes approximately 6 weeks from intake to debrief.
WHAT IS THE COST OF A PSYCHOEDUCATIONAL ASSESSMENT?
The price for a full assessment depends on the number and type of instruments needed, this is based on what you share with us in the consultation and clinical interview. The price reflects the costs associated with completing all aspects of the assessment, including clinician time. The cost can range from $2200-$3000 CAD.
CAN THE COST OF THE ASSESSMENT BE COVERED?
Psychological assessment may be covered by an employee health benefits plan or through other health insurance/extended health care coverage, depending on your coverage provider. Please review your coverage. It is the client’s responsibility to contact their insurance company to determine their coverage under their insurance plan.
Payment is due on the first day of in-person assessment.
You may also be able to claim the fees for psychological services under tax deductible health services on your income tax return.
We provide direct billing options for the following:
ASEBP
Alberta Blue Cross
For other insurance companies, You will receive a receipt the day after the assessment, which you can then submit for reimbursement from your benefits provider.
The Alberta Student Grants program may help cover part of the cost of an assessment. Please see the Alberta Grants website for more information.
