Assessments
Understanding your child’s unique strengths and challenges is the first step to helping them thrive. We offer comprehensive assessments tailored to children and adolescents of all ages, focusing on developmental milestones, academic skills, behavior, and social-emotional growth. Each assessment is personalized, beginning with an intake to address your concerns, followed by customized testing and clear, actionable recommendations. Schedule a free consultation today to start gaining the insights you need to support your child’s success.
What is an assessment?
An assessment is a way to better understand your child’s unique needs—emotionally, socially, or academically. Through a combination of interviews, observations, and testing, we look beneath the surface to uncover what might be contributing to certain behaviors or challenges. Assessments can offer clarity, open doors to support, and guide next steps with confidence.
Texas Child Assessment Clinic
Texas Child Assessment Clinic
What We Assess:
Attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
Autism spectrum disorder
Anxiety-related diagnoses
Depressive disorders
Obsessive compulsive disorder
Disruptive behavior (e.g., anger, defiance)
Adjustment difficulties following a stressor or traumatic event (i.e. divorce, grief, etc.)
Intellectual disabilities
Academic screening for learning disabilities
Giftedness
Our Approach
Assessment methods are carefully selected based on a child’s developmental stage, cognitive abilities, and communication style. Younger children often require greater caregiver involvement and observation-based tools, while older children and adolescents can engage more directly in formal testing procedures. The structure and focus of the evaluation shift to ensure that the information gathered is developmentally appropriate, clinically valid, and relevant to the questions being asked.
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Children ages 3-5 years.
These assessments often include more caregiver involvement. They also are typically more brief. Assessments at this age can help to investigate a child’s development or school readiness.
Common questions include those about meeting milestones or diagnoses like autism spectrum disorder.
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This group includes ages 5-12 years.
Assessments with children include one-on-one work with the child, paired with a thorough parent interview.
Common questions at this age often focus on social skills, attention, emotional difficulties, behavior, or learning.
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For teens (12-17 years), testing looks similar to that done with children. However, teens often “self-refer”, meaning they are the ones who may have initially approached their parents about wanting an evaluation.
An assessment at this age might help to prepare young adults for transitioning to college or more independent living
The Process
1.
“This is a free 15-minute phone consultation. The goal of this call is to determine if an assessment is a good fit for your needs. It also serves to provide an estimate based on your needs.
It is an opportunity for you to ask any questions and discuss what to expect from the process. During this call, you will get an estimate.”
Phone Consult
“Parent/caregiver interviews are conducted next. This includes an in-depth conversation and is scheduled for 1.5 hours. Parent interviews are conducted virtually via telehealth. ”
Parent/Caregiver Interview
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Assessment Day
“Next, both the parent(s) and child attend the in-person assessment day.
This is a full day, often lasting from 9:30 am – 3:30 pm. Depending on the age of the child and the measures being completed, the parent may be involved in the tasks, or the child may be working separately with the clinician. ”
“At this stage in the process, Dr. Ragan is scoring and interpreting the various measures that have been completed by you and your child.
She is also writing a comprehensive report that details these results, provides diagnoses (if appropriate), and includes additional resources and recommendations. ”
Interpretation & Report Writing
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“Finally, Dr. Ragan conducts a virtual 1-hour meeting with you to review the report, answer questions, and discuss ideas for resources moving forward.
Sometimes parents attend this meeting on their own, but other times children and teens join. This is up to the family’s preference. ”
Feedback Meeting
Notice of Privacy Practices
The clinic’s current Notice of Privacy Practices document can be viewed here: TXCAC Notice of Privacy Practices. This paperwork details the various policies and procedures used at the clinic.
The Child Psychologist
All assessments are conducted by Dr. Ragan, our resident Child Psychologist. Dr. Ragan has a decade of experience working with children and families. Additionally, she has experience working in the public education system and enjoys helping her clients through the process of getting support for their children.
Schedule a free 15-minute consult.
If you're considering an assessment for your child or teen, the first step is a free 15-minute phone consultation. This call gives us a chance to learn more about your concerns, answer any questions you may have about the process, and determine whether our services are the right fit for your family. There’s no pressure—just a chance to connect and take the first step toward clarity and support.
FAQs
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You can find information on fees here.
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Let them know parents stay on-site during the assessment process, but they may be working independently with the psychologist at times.
Make sure your child gets a good night’s sleep the night before.
Have your child take any regular medication as prescribed.
Bring snacks and water. We may also take a 60-minute lunch break during testing, as needed.
If your child wears glasses or a hearing aid, bring these as well.
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Parents can explain that we will be working as a team to see what we can do to help with challenges in the child’s life. We will do lots of different things like puzzles, word games, schoolwork, questionnaires, and talking. They may be reassured to know that none of these will be for a “grade” and we won’t be doing any medical procedures (e.g., shots, medicine).
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Services are provided via private-pay only. However, upon request, I can provide you with an itemized receipt (“superbill”) that you may choose to submit to your insurance company
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No, this clinic specializes in working with children and teens ages 3-17 years.
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Please be aware, based on the nature of the assessment process, the day is reserved for a family and it is difficult for the clinic to reschedule on short notice. If you would like to cancel your appointment, please do so at least 2 days prior to your appointment, otherwise a cancelation fee of $75 will be applied.
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Under the No Surprises Act, clients who don’t have insurance or who are not using insurance have a right to an estimate of the bill for services. You can ask healthcare providers for a “Good Faith Estimate” before you schedule a service or at any time during treatment. The Good Faith Estimate is an estimate of the total costs of the annual overall care.
You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency healthcare services, including psychotherapy services.
If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill. Make sure to save a copy or picture of your Good Faith Estimate. For questions or more information, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises.
