CHC has been a trusted community resource for over 70 years, providing life-changing services for ADHD, learning differences, autism, and anxiety and depression. While we recognize that this process must be overwhelming for you and your family, we invite you to take a breath. CHC is here for you. This is what we do.
Learn more about The CHC Evaluation Model. Our in-house expert team at CHC provides single and multi-disciplinary psychoeducational and neuropsychological evaluations. Caregivers receive a collaborative report and treatment plan for their child, teen or young adult.
We don’t expect you to know which evaluation is the right fit—that’s what we’re here for. The best way to determine what your child needs is to speak with one of our Care Coordinators, who will guide you through the process with expertise and compassion. Supporting you and your child is our priority, and we’re here to help every step of the way.
Reach out to the Care Team to schedule a free 30-minute consultation so one of our experts can guide you.
During a CHC evaluation, we really get to know your child. Experienced clinicians work collaboratively alongside your family and key adults in your child’s life (e.g., teachers, coaches, therapists) to learn what issues are interfering with your child’s wellbeing. Then the team collaborates and recommends a plan of action that works best for your family. All of our specialists work closely together, sharing expertise and providing customized scaffolding around your child’s unique needs.
The evaluation process begins with a parent/caregiver-only intake appointment that is typically 90 minutes in length. Children should not attend unless they are 18 years or older in which case, they do need to be there. The intake appointment allows our clinician to gather your child’s comprehensive developmental history. Your clinician will ask you to identify areas of strength and challenge areas so that they can determine the scope of the evaluation. This is your chance to share your child’s strengths and areas of concern with someone who understands and specializes in helping children reach their full potential.
Based on your child’s unique history and the information provided, the clinician will discuss with you the type of evaluation that is recommended and determine the number of assessment sessions needed, the duration of these sessions, and whether a school observation is indicated (subject to schools allowing visitors on campus). Your clinician will also let you know if an occupational therapy (OT) evaluation and/or speech and language (SLP) evaluation is necessary in order to address your areas of concern.
We offer our intake appointments and feedback sessions both in-person and via Zoom to ensure accessibility and convenience for all families, regardless of their location or scheduling needs. All testing appointments take place in person.
Collect prior assessments and available records – any prior evaluation reports, progress reports, summaries from therapy, school documents (report cards, progress notes from teachers, examples of work), school district evaluation reports, IEP documents, relevant medical information and anything else you think would be pertinent.
Our evaluations are typically scheduled in the mornings or early afternoons because these are the times when children are most alert and able to perform at their best. Testing in the late afternoon, especially for children with learning or attention differences, often leads to fatigue and less reliable results. By observing and assessing your child when they’re functioning at their full potential, we can obtain the most accurate data to guide interventions and supports tailored to their unique needs.
We understand that missing school for evaluation appointments can feel counterintuitive, especially when your child may already be struggling academically. However, these appointments are carefully designed to provide a comprehensive understanding of your child’s challenges, which is essential for developing effective recommendations and a plan to support their long-term success. The insights gained will ultimately help your child thrive both academically and personally. We’re happy to provide a school note to help ensure a smooth process with your child’s school.
Connect with your evaluation team and let them know! The comprehensive reports are very detailed and often feel overwhelming. We encourage all of our families to reach back out after they have read through the report with any follow-up questions. Our clinicians can meet with you in person or via videoconference or phone to address any questions you may have after you review the report, at no cost to you. We want parents to feel empowered to support and advocate for their child after completing an evaluation at CHC, and a key component is making sure parents understand the core findings and recommendations. We are also more than happy to speak with your child’s educational team about the findings and recommendations as long as we have a signed release from the parents to do so.
At CHC, we understand that navigating the cost of care can feel overwhelming. While we do not bill insurance directly, we provide families with a detailed superbill after services are completed. You may be able to submit this document to your insurance provider for potential reimbursement, depending on your plan. Please also refer to our Out-Of-Network Insurance Reimbursement Guide (PDF).
Our decision not to bill insurance directly allows us to focus on providing the highest quality care without the constraints that insurance policies can impose. Insurance often limits the number of hours for evaluations or restricts which questions we can address. In contrast, our approach is comprehensive and tailored to your child’s unique needs, ensuring we can answer the most important questions and develop a clear, actionable plan for moving forward.
Investing in a thorough and individualized evaluation can ultimately save time, money, and stress in the long run by ensuring your child receives the most appropriate support right from the start.
Please note:
For billing questions or to request a copy of your billing statement to request reimbursements, please contact the Client Billing Office at [email protected].
Yes! Comprehensive evaluations are a big financial investment for families, and we encourage families to apply for financial support by completing our application for financial assistance (available in English and Spanish).
The cost of living in the Bay Area affects all of us. At CHC, we believe that cost should never be a barrier to accessing care. Our simple two-page form takes into consideration more than just financials, including a narrative section to explain extenuating or unforeseen circumstances. Many families who do not believe they would qualify are approved, with assistance ranging from 5% to 90%. We believe every little bit helps and, thanks to the generosity of local donors and philanthropists, CHC is happy to help!
To determine your eligibility for financial assistance, CHC takes several things into consideration including annual household income, number of individuals supported by your family’s income, living expenses, clinical needs, and special situations facing your family. Your information will be kept confidential.
Our clinicians are experienced in working with children of all ages and take the time to build trust and rapport right from the start.
We begin by introducing ourselves, explaining the process in an age-appropriate way, and ensuring your child understands they are in a safe, nonjudgmental space. Activities are designed to feel more like games or puzzles, making them engaging and enjoyable. We also incorporate breaks and adjust our approach based on your child’s unique personality, preferences, and energy level to keep them feeling comfortable and focused.
If your child seems nervous or hesitant, we move at their pace, offering encouragement and reassurance. Parents are welcome to join their child in the evaluation room at the beginning if it helps ease any initial anxiety. Once your child feels comfortable, we may ask parents to step out so we can work one-on-one and gather the most accurate information.
Our goal is to create a positive experience where your child feels heard, supported, and capable, ensuring we gather the most accurate information to best understand them.
How you explain the assessment process will vary based on the age and developmental level of your child. However, here are some ideas to help make the conversation easier:
In some cases, starting with therapy is absolutely the right choice—especially when there is a clear issue to address, like mild anxiety, where therapy may be all that’s needed. However, kids are complex, and sometimes the situation isn’t so straightforward.
An evaluation can provide valuable insights to help tailor interventions to your child’s specific needs, ensuring that the treatment plan is both appropriate and effective. This step can set the foundation for more targeted and successful interventions. If you’re not sure where to begin, reach out to our Care Team and schedule a free 30-minute consultation with a licensed provider.
It depends, and we recommend discussing this with your child’s evaluation provider. Whether your child should take their medications before testing can vary based on the type of medication, the specific goals of the assessment, and the areas we are evaluating. Your clinician will work with you and your child’s treating prescriber to determine the best approach to ensure we gather the most accurate and helpful information safely. If you’re unsure, please don’t hesitate to ask during your intake or reach out to your evaluation clinician ahead of the testing date.
Choose the most convenient option for you:
Evaluations typically include interviews, parent interviews, observations, collaboration with other providers, testing, interpretation, report-writing, and follow-up. Multiple experts. Multiple disciplines. One report. Less confusion.
Once your family has completed an evaluation, participated in the follow up and received a comprehensive report from us, you are invited to return to CHC at no additional cost if you have questions to get further guidance.
Your Care Coordinator can provide details.
