Online ADHD Evaluation in Arizona: What to Know Before You Book

What an ADHD evaluation is meant to answer

An evaluation tries to answer one question carefully: does ADHD explain the difficulties you or your child are having, or does something else explain them better? The CDC states that there is no single test to diagnose ADHD, and that sleep disorders, anxiety, depression and certain learning disabilities can have similar symptoms.

For adults, the National Institute of Mental Health says symptoms must have started before age 12. That is why an adult evaluation leans on history. A provider may ask to talk with a partner, relative or friend, look at school reports, and use interviews, rating scales or checklists. Questions about mood and health help rule out other explanations.

An honest evaluation can end in more than one way. It may support ADHD, point toward something else, or find more than one thing going on. Nobody can tell you the answer before it is done.

The Arizona location rule in daily life

For our evaluations, what counts is where the person being evaluated is during each video appointment. For an evaluation, that means being in Arizona, or in Pennsylvania or West Virginia, the other states where we see clients, for the intake and for every session after it.

In practice this matters for a few groups. People who spend part of the year outside Arizona should book while they are here. A young adult studying in another state can schedule around breaks at home. Families on a summer trip may want to wait until they return. A private room with a reliable connection, in Phoenix, Flagstaff or anywhere else in the state, is all the setup you need.

Arizona schools have their own duty to find and evaluate

If you are a parent, it helps to know what the school system already owes your child. The Arizona Department of Education explains that child find, part of the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, requires public education agencies to locate, identify and evaluate all children with disabilities from birth through 21 within their area who need early intervention or special education.

The Department lists who child find covers. Two points stand out for families thinking about ADHD:

• It includes children suspected of having a disability even though they are advancing from grade to grade, so good grades alone do not end the question.
• It includes private school and homeschool students, as well as children who move often.
• Charter schools identify, locate and evaluate children with disabilities within the population they serve.

Who to contact at school

The Department's parent questions page says to contact the school district where you live or, if your child is already in school, the district or charter school your child attends. It describes an individualized education program (IEP) as the document that sets out services, goals, setting and time for each child found eligible for special education.

The same page points families to Encircle Families, a nonprofit parent organization that offers support at no cost, and to the Department's Exceptional Student Services section. The school decides eligibility itself. A private report can be shared, but no evaluator can promise what a school will do with it. This is general information, not legal advice.

Questions from employers and colleges

Adults often arrange an evaluation because of work. The EEOC explains that in most situations you can keep a mental health condition private. One exception is when you ask for a reasonable accommodation: the employer may ask you to describe your condition and how it affects your work, and may ask for a letter from your health care provider. If you prefer not to share the exact diagnosis, a more general description may be enough.

The EEOC adds that an employer must keep that information confidential and cannot legally fire you for asking for an accommodation. Colleges and training programs set their own documentation rules, so ask the disability services office what it needs in writing. For either one, share those requirements with us before you book.

Arranging an evaluation with Locascio Wellness

We offer an adult ADHD evaluation and a child ADHD evaluation entirely by secure video for people physically located in Pennsylvania, West Virginia or Arizona. A parent or guardian arranges and takes part in an evaluation for anyone under 18. You can also read about online therapy in Arizona.

The quickest way to start is the short evaluation request form, where you note the type of evaluation, age group and any deadline. You can also choose a free 15-minute consultation on our booking page or call 267-573-9817. An evaluation usually involves an intake appointment, then one or two sessions, and ends with the findings explained in plain language and a written report. Currently, the report is usually ready about a month after the first evaluation appointment.

Evaluations are private-pay and are not billed to insurance. The cost depends on what is involved and is given in writing first, with a sliding scale available; see what evaluations cost. For ongoing support afterward, therapists on our team offer ADHD therapy as a separate service. In a crisis, call or text 988, or call 911. Locascio Wellness does not provide emergency services.