Assessment: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: How much experience does your assessment team have?
A: Herman & Associates has been in business since 1988. We are an expert team of professionals with extensive experience in both psychology and education. Dr. Herman is a licenced psychologist and has over 20 years of assessment experience and has worked in special education settings. He has co-authored many papers, has presented at local, national, and international conferences on research related to learning disabilities, attention disorders, and autistic spectrum disorders. Ms. Sullivan has degrees in both education and counseling. She has over 30 years of experience in education. She has been a general education classroom teacher, special education classroom teacher, administrator of special schools, and is the Director of Herman & Associates. Ms. Sullivan manages the assessment team. Both Dr. Herman and Ms. Sullivan are involved in every case.
Q: Do you have any specialties?
A: Yes. Our assessment team has developed a specialty in evaluating individuals who are intellectually gifted. We also have extensive experience working with student-athletes and with indivudals who have autistic spectrum disorders.
Q: How much will an assessment cost?
A: Each assessment will vary in cost depending on the goals of the assessment, which are discussed at the Initial Conference. That stated, the general cost for a full assessment ranges from $3,000-$5,000+ and the cost of a partial assessment ranges from $2,000-$3,000.
Q: Does my health insurance cover the cost of an assessment?
A: It depends on your coverage. We do not accept health insurance for assessments, but we will give you a statement that you can submit to your health insurance carrier if you choose to do so.
Q: Do you have payment plans or partial scholarships available?
A: Yes, payment plans can be set up in some cases. Partial scholarships are available to clients in financial need.
Q: How much time will the assessment take to complete?
A: The length of time it takes to complete the assessment varies greatly based on a number of factors. First, completing all paperwork immediately will allow for prompt scheduling. Accepting and keeping each appointment offered greatly facilitates the process. We take our time with the assessment, we attempt to match the client's availability, and we will only work as long as our client is able to focus and be productive. We can typically get started within a week or two after the Initial Conference if all the paperwork is in. Our assessments will typically take 12-18 hours of administration time, which is usually divided into five or more 3-hour sessions.
Q: How long until I have the final report?
A: You will typically recieve the final comprehensive report within three to four weeks following the Final Conference. Please note that these reports are quite lengthly and thorough. We can provide verbal professional consultations to a pscyhiatric or school immediately following the Final Conference.
Q: Do I have to pull my child out of school?
A: We will only test in the morning when attention and concentration skills are maximized. While we have Saturday appointments available, we typically have a long list of clients waiting for Saturday time slots. If you want to complete the testing quickly, then it's best to miss school/work and take the first available appointments. Most schools believe that the testing is very important and they are highly supportive of missing school in order to complete the testing.
Q: How will the appointments be scheduled?
A: Patricia Sullivan, our Director, will contact you through e-mail to setup the appointments. She will offer appointments based on our openings. Choosing and keeping the first appointments available will ensure that the assessment proceeds in a timely manner. We are careful not to work with any client past the point of productivity, and will not work with any client who is physically sick or not well rested, as results would be impacted.
