Costs for assessment vary depending on the referral question, child’s abilities, and the complexity of the assessment. The estimated cost for different types of assessment is listed on our website. Psychological and speech assessments are completed at an hourly rate where payment is due at the end of each session. Each session lasts approximately an hour, though the exact time may vary. Fees are rounded up to the nearest 15-minute interval.

Psychological assessment services are not covered by the Medical Service Plan (MSP).

We do not provide direct billing services for Extended Health Benefits Plans. Instead, families receive a receipt under 'Psychological Services' or 'Speech and Language Pathology Services' to submit to their insurers for reimbursement. It is the family's responsibility to check with their providers about the limits and eligibility for reimbursement. However, we do provide direct billing options for specific service providers, such as Variety Funds and Jordan Principal. Families are required to make necessary arrangements (e.g., obtain an estimated cost quote) with our office and obtain approval prior to scheduling appointments. Please note that without prior arrangement and approval, direct billing to third-party insurers will not be available.

Please refer to your Extended Health Benefits plan to determine if our services are covered. Families receive a receipt under 'Psychological Services' or 'Speech and Language Pathology Services' to submit to their insurers for reimbursement. Coverage amounts for Registered Psychologists and Speech and Language Pathology Services can vary based on your plan, so it is your responsibility to review your policy or contact your provider to ascertain the details of your coverage. It is the family's responsibility to check with their providers about the limits and eligibility for reimbursement.

Appointments for parent interviews and feedback can be billed under the attending parent(s) or the child's name. However, if you choose to have the parent interview or feedback billed under the parent's name, then we cannot also bill the same interview appointment under the child's name. In cases where you choose to bill under the parent's name for the interview or feedback, splitting the charges equally between both parents is possible, depending on the total amount of time billed. Nonetheless, if the parent is not attending the interview or feedback session, we cannot bill under the non-attending parent's name. As this is an assessment for a child or a youth, all assessment appointments with the child and report preparation fees are billed under the child's name and cannot be billed under the parents' names. Insurers do contact us to verify families' claims from time to time. During such instances, we will need to confirm various details when asked, such as the specific date of an appointment, the amount for a particular invoice, the type of services provided, and the names of attendees.

Both direct services (e.g., scheduled appointments) and indirect services (e.g., scoring time and report preparation, etc.) will be billed under the category of "Psychological Services" or "Speech and Language Pathology Services". Your receipts will indicate "Psychological Services" or "Speech and Language Pathology Services". As we only conduct assessments, we are unable to change the receipt to "therapy", "counselling", or "treatment" if your coverage only provides coverage for these types of services.

Payment can be paid via cash, cheque, or Interact e-transfer. We do not accept credit cards. You will receive an invoice after each session. An official receipt will be emailed to you after we received payment. You can submit the receipt to your Extended Health Benefits Plan for reimbursement or to retain it as a medical expense for income tax purposes, if applicable.

While a referral is not required for completing a psychological assessment, we do value knowing who recommended the assessment and strive to gather information from collaborative resources.

A referral is not needed, but often physicians, pediatricians, or daycare providers may suggest a speech and language assessment.

Children under 6 years old have to be first assessed by a pediatrician and a speech and language pathologist. We will require their reports before booking an appointment.

We aim to accommodate families residing outside of Metro Vancouver by arranging a two-day consecutive assessment for autism or psycho-educational evaluation for your child. If you also require a speech and language pathology assessment, it will be scheduled over three consecutive days for both assessments. The parent interview and feedback session can be conducted via telehealth, but your child will need to be assessed in person. Please note that you will need to arrange accommodation for at least one night, depending on your travel plans. When scheduling appointments, please inform us that you are from out of town

If both biological parents are guardians of the child but are no longer together, written consent from both parents is required for the assessment to proceed. In certain circumstances where one parent is unable to provide consent, we may request additional documentation such as a court order, protection order, or birth certificate as proof, if applicable.

We require a minimum of two weeks’ notice if you want to cancel the entire assessment. We require two-business-day notice for rescheduling an appointment.

The assessment consists of 4 to 5 separate appointments: An initial interview with parents conducted by phone or virtually. Two to three testing appointments with the child/adolescent (depending on the assessment's purpose and the child's age). Testing is conducted in person. A feedback session to discuss the results and recommendations with the parents. This appointment is conducted virtually."

Parents are expected to remain in the clinic to provide support for their child during the assessment, particularly for younger children. However, for older children and adolescents, the need for parents to stay in the clinic may vary depending on the assessment's purpose and the child's individual needs. This matter can be further discussed during the parent interview. Please note that lunchtime supervision is not provided.

If your child's physician has instructed them to take medication, it is important that they continue to follow their regular medication routine during the assessment process unless otherwise advised by their physician.

As a crucial part of the assessment process, we request parents and teachers (in the case of a child attending school) to complete several questionnaires. These questionnaires help us gather additional information regarding the child/adolescent's functioning across various environments. Additionally, we ask for report cards and any previous assessment reports to gain a comprehensive understanding of the child/adolescent's history of concerns and overall functioning.

For autism assessments for younger children, it is possible to conduct the assessment even if they do not have any speech or if their native language is not English. The assessment involves play and other activities that do not necessarily require speech and language skills.

For cognitive functioning assessments, it is possible to complete them with someone who is non-verbal or not proficient in English, especially as part of an autism assessment or for eligibility support applications (e.g., CLBC) for developmental disorders.

If the child or youth is new to the country and the assessment is for learning purposes and educational planning (i.e., not as part of an autism assessment), it is recommended that the student be enrolled in school for at least 6 months to 1 year before proceeding with an assessment. Academic testing involves reading in English, writing in English, listening comprehension, math applied problems in English, and math calculations. Instructions are provided in English. We cannot translate the questions into another language, even with an interpreter, as it defeats the purpose of the testing.

We do not provide interpretation services for parent interviews or feedback sessions. If you're comfortable sharing personal and family details with a trusted friend, you may ask them to assist with interpretation. However, for accurate translation, we recommend hiring a professional interpreter. Please note that if you require interpretation during the parent interview or feedback session, we will need to extend the duration of those appointments, resulting in additional fees.

Our office is situated on West 41st Ave, between Collingwood and Dunbar. We are located across from the Save On Foods supermarket.

You can find free parking nearby within a few blocks of walking distance. Paid parking is available underground in our building.

We are located on West 41st Ave, just one block away from the Dunbar Bus Loop. You can easily reach our office by taking Buses #2, 7, 41, 49, or R4. For the most current information, please refer to the TransLink website.