Example of Reports Demo report

History Form for Parents/Caregivers to fill out: please click this form link, and fill out the online form as soon as possible prior to the appointment.  (You will need a password from us to complete this form which you can receive by calling us.)  Completing this form greatly helps us get to know the client better.

How Evaluations are conducted:
There are primarily 3 to 4 steps:

1. In depth interview of client’s history (this helps clarify patterns or situations in the client’s life that may be affecting their current behaviors).  Typically, the family completes our online form in advance and Dr. McCray reviews their answers during the evaluation at which time the client is in the room and can become comfortable with the setting and the examiner.  This is also a good time for the examiner to observe how the client explores a new environment and interacts with others on their own initiative.
2. Psychological testing: – the type of tests administered depends on the type of evaluation, the clients age, prior assessments, etc.  Typically, the examiner wants to evaluate the clients intelligence and adaptive skills. The examiner may also use some quantitative and or qualitative measure to look into disorders such as an autism spectrum disorder.
3. Discussing possible diagnosis and how a child does and does not meet various criteria:  This can often be the longest and most educational part of an evaluation for a parent.  The examiner will often describe a number of possible disorders that may be impacting the child.  They will then look at each one in turn to see how the child does or does not meet the criteria for that disorder.  This is a cooperative discussion, not a lecture by the psychologist.

Other parts to an evaluation include:

• The examiner reviews any relevant testing previously conducted
• Observation of client at school, home, or daycare (if time and funding is available)
• Providing parents with written material about various diagnosis
• Guiding parents to appropriate resources
• A thorough report summarizing the client’s history, prior assessments, behavioral observations, test results, the examiners clinical impressions, and recommendations for the future.

How is this testing helpful

We follow the California Department of Developmental Services “Best Practice Guidelines,” which means these reports may be accepted by a regional center or school district to help determine if they qualify for their services.  Clarifying a diagnosis can also help determine the most appropriate interventions; however, we strongly believe all intervention programs should be custom tailored to an individuals specific needs, not just their diagnostic label.  Therefore, our reports include all test results and an analysis of them to help agencies determine appropriate services.