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Psychological Testing & Evaluation
Orchard Mental Health Group offers comprehensive psychological assessment and evaluation services for children, adolescents, and adults. Our locations are in Rockville, MD and Frederick, MD.
We offer a wide range of assessments and evaluations.
Our professionally administered psychological evaluations consist of validated measures of intellectual functioning, personality dynamics, and/or educational achievement.
Learning Disability Determination
Determining a learning disability involves assessing an individual’s cognitive abilities, academic skills, and learning processes. This assessment aims to identify discrepancies between a person’s potential and their actual performance in specific areas, such as reading, writing, or math.
ADHD Diagnosis
This involves assessing an individual’s symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity, as well as the impact of these symptoms on their daily functioning.
Giftedness Assessments
These identify individuals who demonstrate exceptional intellectual abilities or talents, and may include observation, as well as evaluation of creative or problem-solving abilities.
Fitness for Duty Evaluations
Fitness for duty evaluations assess an individual’s mental ability to perform their job duties safely and effectively. These evaluations may be required after an injury, illness, or other medical or psychological issue.
Private School Admissions Testing
Private school admissions testing typically involves assessing a student’s academic abilities and readiness for the school’s curriculum.
Pre-adoptive Screenings
Pre-adoptive screenings assess the suitability of prospective parents to adopt a child.
Letters for Gender Confirmation Surgery Clearance
Letters for gender confirmation surgery clearance are written by mental health professionals and assess an individual’s readiness for gender-affirming surgery. These assessments may evaluate the individual’s gender identity, mental health, and understanding of the risks and benefits of the surgery.
Forensic Evaluations for Court
(With the exception of custody evaluations), our evaluations may be used to determine competency to stand trial, assess the impact of mental health on criminal behavior, or evaluate the need for treatment or supervision.
Special Education Eligibility (IEP or 504 Plan)
Eligibility for special education services is determined based on a student’s documented disability and its impact on their academic performance. This determination involves a comprehensive evaluation and collaboration between educators, parents, and professionals.
Testing Accommodations (SAT, ACT)
Testing accommodations for standardized tests like the SAT or ACT are provided to individuals with documented disabilities to ensure they have equal access to the test.
Vocational (Career Interest) Assessment
This type of assessment helps individuals identify their interests, skills, and aptitudes to make informed decisions about their career path.
Emotional and/or Behavioral Concerns
Understanding emotional and behavioral concerns involves assessing an individual’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors to identify underlying issues such as anxiety, depression, trauma, or behavioral disorders.
Readiness for Bariatric Surgery
In addition to physical health, readiness for bariatric surgery is also determined by psychological readiness, as well as an understanding of the risks and benefits of the procedure.
Occupational Health Contracts
Occupational health contracts typically include assessing an individual’s mental health in relation to their job duties.
Immigration evaluations for refugees, those seeking asylum, fleeing domestic violence, etc.
Immigration evaluations assess an individual’s mental health and well-being in the context of their immigration status. These evaluations may be used to support applications for asylum, refugee status, or other forms of immigration relief.
Spinal Cord Stimulator Surgery Clearances
Spinal cord stimulator surgery clearances include an assessment of the individual’s mental health in relation to their suitability for spinal cord stimulator surgery.
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Intellectual Functioning Assessments
Intellectual functioning assessments are psychological assessments that measure a person’s cognitive abilities in areas such as reasoning, problem-solving, memory, and processing speed. Recognizing cognitive strengths and weaknesses can lead to greater self-understanding, personal growth, and success in life.
Intellectual functioning assessments have many uses.
- Identifying intellectual disabilities or developmental delays in children
- Assessing cognitive functioning in individuals with neurological conditions or brain injuries
- Identifying giftedness or high intellectual potential in children and adults
- Providing information for educational planning and accommodations
- Evaluating changes in cognitive functioning in older adults
Personality Dynamics Assessments
Personality dynamics assessments are psychological assessments that aim to measure and understand an individual’s personality traits, patterns of behavior, and underlying psychological processes. These assessments can provide valuable insights into an individual’s personality structure, interpersonal style, emotional functioning, and coping mechanisms.
Personality dynamics assessments serve many purposes.
- Understanding personality traits and how they influence behavior.
- Identifying thinking or behavioral patterns that may be contributing to psychological difficulties.
- Informing treatment planning and intervention strategies.
- Providing insight into interpersonal relationships and communication styles.
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How Do Psychological Evaluations Work?
While brain imaging (MRIs, CT scans) can show the structure of the brain, the tests in a psychological evaluation show the function of the brain.
Psychological evaluations are not invasive. Our evaluators will simply ask the client to answer several questions and complete a variety of tasks, in order to determine if there are any diagnoses needed, as well as what the recommended treatment may be moving forward.
The client is always welcome to ask any questions before, during, and after the evaluation. Assessments are usually conducted over the course of one to three sessions per client.
Results are delivered in a professional report with recommendations, and are discussed with the client and their family (if applicable) during a feedback session.
Dr. Vanessa Buonopane wrote these insightful blog posts to further elaborate on the process:
Do you have a psychological evaluation coming up? Here’s what we suggest you do to prepare.
- Get a good night’s rest. We want you at your best.
- Eat some breakfast before your appointment. Even if it’s something simple, like a smoothie or some fruit, eating helps with energy retention.
- Pack snacks. As we mentioned, eating helps maintain energy levels, which is why some evaluators will allow you to snack during testing.
- Bring a full water bottle. It’s important for you to stay hydrated throughout the evaluation.
- Pack lunch. Some appointments will only last for the morning, whereas other appointments may run through the duration of the afternoon. Check in with your evaluator to see if you will have a lunch break, and how long it would be. Lunch will usually be between 30 minutes to an hour. However, if you prefer not to pack a lunch, you’re welcome to visit food places nearby during the lunch break. That being said, consider using Google Maps to see what’s around.
- Bring any requested documentation. If your evaluator has asked you to bring prior evaluation reports, medical records, and/or completed questionnaires, make sure to bring these along to your appointment.
- Plan your route. Use Google Maps or another app to figure out how far you are from our clinic. Consider what time you should leave to arrive at your appointment on time, and try to account for traffic along the way.
Neuropsychological testing can benefit those experiencing cognitive or behavioral difficulties.
Individuals with neurological conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injury, stroke, epilepsy, and other neurological disorders.
Individuals with suspected cognitive impairment, such as memory problems, attention difficulties, language difficulties, executive dysfunction, or other cognitive symptoms that may indicate a neurological condition.
Individuals with developmental disorders, such as autism spectrum disorder or ADHD to assess cognitive functioning.
Individuals undergoing medical procedures that may impact cognitive function, such as an organ transplant or bariatric surgery, to assess baseline cognitive function and monitor changes over time.
Individuals involved in legal cases involving suspected brain injury or cognitive impairment, to assess an individual’s cognitive and behavioral functioning.
Our Neuropsychologists evaluate brain function
Our assessment services extend to neuropsychological testing, which involves a comprehensive assessment of cognitive and behavioral functions using a set of standardized tests and procedures. These tests are designed to evaluate various aspects of brain function, including memory, attention, language, executive functioning, and visuospatial skills.
In-Network with Carefirst/BCBS
Many insurance plans do have coverage for psychological assessment if a diagnosis is found. However, at this time, our assessment services are only in-network with Carefirst/BCBS insurance.
We always want to accommodate those interested in our services. If you have questions about coverage, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. You may call us at 240-750-6467 ot email us at billing@orchardmentalhealth.com. We’re also happy to send you our reasonable private pay rates
Please note that medical insurance coverage excludes services for private school admission testing and academic testing accommodations.
Related Articles
What is a Psychological Evaluation?
If you are a parent or an adult wondering if you have some sort of neurodivergence, a psychological evaluation might be able to help you find answers. An assessment psychologist conducts a series of “tests” to understand an individual’s cognitive and emotional functioning.
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How to Understand Your Psychological Evaluation Results and Recommendations
Psychological evaluations can be very scary for many individuals and can invoke a lot of anxiety as individuals wait for their test results. It can also bring relief to many individuals, as they confirm diagnoses they thought might be present.
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Getting Older — Memory and Cognitive Concerns
As we get older, it is inevitable that we are going to experience memory and cognitive concerns. So, when should you start to worry that something more serious is going on? If you, a family member, or a loved one believes that significant memory and cognitive concerns are present, it is best to talk with your PCP.
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Assessments & Evaluation
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Orchard Mental Health Group
Contact Us
M-F, 9am-5pm Eastern Time
Phone: 240- 750-6467
Fax: 240-912-7835
contact@orchardmentalhealth.com
9707 Key West Avenue, Suite #100 Rockville, MD 20850
