ONLINE ADHD ASSESSMENTS

Can a psychologist diagnose ADHD?

Yes.

​

The Australian Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guideline for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) states that any practitioner that is registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency and is sufficiently trained and experienced in ADHD assessments, can diagnose ADHD.

 

To quote the Consumer Companion for the Guidelines:

 

"To be diagnosed with ADHD, you or your family member need to be assessed by a trained and credentialed clinician, such as a paediatrician, psychiatrist or psychologist, that is registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).This clinician should be trained in diagnostic assessments and be experienced in the area of ADHD" (Page ten of the consumer guidelines).

​

After your ADHD assessment with us, you may decide to take the information we collected in our assessment to a psychiatrist to seek their opinion and treatment for medication. At the end of your assessment, we may suggest psychiatrists who we know work collaboratively with other clinicians on ADHD assessments. The ADHD guidelines suggest that a thorough ADHD assessment takes two to three hours of clinical work, depending upon the person. Therefore, we believe that our model of seeing a psychologist for the first part of an assessment, education on symptoms and suggesting a treatment plan for supporting your ADHD; and a psychiatrist for an medical opinion on your assessment and an opinion on medication, can be a cost and time effective model for assessing ADHD.

 

Other psychiatrists and psychiatrist clinics have a policy of completely reassessing people who have been previously diagnosed with ADHD, whether they have been previously assessed by a psychologist or a psychiatrist. We suggest that if you intend to be assessed at these clinics, to avoid extra expense and loss of time, that our service may not be for you.

​

While we make every endeavour to provide our clients with a regulalrly updated and vetted list of suitable psychiatrists, it is important to inquire when booking as to the appointment availability, procedures and requirements for assessments as psychiatrists are at liberty to change their practice and prices over time.

​

All our clinicians are trained and supervised in the assessment of ADHD in accordance to the Australian Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guideline's.  To review these guidelines, click on this link.

​

Will you be able to prescribe me medication?

No.

 

A psychiatrist has trained as a medical doctor and can prescribe medication. A psychologist is not a medical doctor and can't prescribe medication. However, both professionals are trained in diagnosis, and psychologists focus more on the behavioural treatment of conditions like ADHD.

​

How much does an assessment cost?

 

$540. This includes up to two hours of work done by the psychologist consisting of:

• A number of pre-assessment questionnaires, results reviewed by the clinician

• The hour-long clinical interview

• Review of report cards and additional surveys

• A detailed written report

• A scheduled follow-up Zoom call explaining your results and suggesting next steps for treatment

• Our post assessment ‘What’s Next’ pack

​

The cost of an ADHD assessment in Australia can vary greatly, usually ranging anywhere from $1500 to $3000. The lowered cost of our assessment can help assess for ADHD to a point where you can determine whether seeing a psychiatrist would be helpful and makes it more affordable to see a psychiatrist after the assessment.

 

Can I use a mental health care plan or get a Medicare rebate?

 

No.

 

Medicare mental health care plans do not apply to assessments. This means that we cannot accept mental health care plans for assessments.

 

You may be able to claim your assessment under your private health insurance, please check with your insurer before booking your assessment.

 

How quickly will I receive my results?

 

Unless otherwise notified by your psychologist, you will receive your assessment results within two weeks from the date of your interview.

I was diagnosed with ADHD as a child. Will I still need an assessment as an adult?

 

Not necessarily.

 

If you have been diagnosed as a child, usually you do not need another ADHD assessment as an adult and would be better to commence therapy for your ADHD and/or book into see a psychiatrist to discuss treatment/medication options.

 

If your psychiatrist has asked you to have a new assessment for ADHD, or you would like to re-explore your diagnosis of ADHD, you are welcome to make a booking with us. 

 

We also offer therapy to assist you in working with your symptoms of ADHD.  To book a therapy appointment, click here.

 

Why do I need to fill in the pre-assessment pack?

 

ADHD assessments typically take two to three hours to complete. We use the pre-assessment pack, using brief and valid screening surveys for ADHD and mental health conditions, to gather information to structure your clinical interview to save you time in your appointment, keeping the fee for the assessment lower.

 

I have difficulty with reading and writing. Do I need to fill in the pre-assessment pack?

 

Yes, we do need you to complete the pre-assessment pack, but we understand that some people seeking an ADHD assessment might have trouble reading or writing. If that's the case for you, please contact our admin team. Our team will be in touch with you to ensure that your assessment is accessible.

 

Do I need to have other people fill in surveys about my behaviour?

Yes.

 

This is a part of the diagnostic criteria for ADHD. Without this data, the results of your assessment may be affected. However, your psychologist will be able to discuss a treatment plan to help you support your symptoms and further clarify your diagnosis. Please contact our admin team before booking if you would like to discuss this further.

 

I don’t have access to primary school reports. Do I need to have these to complete an assessment?

 

No.

 

Primary school reports can give excellent information about ADHD related behaviours and your developmental history, and we encourage people to send them to us when available. However, we recognise that some people may not have access to these reports, which is ok. We will ask you to get two family members or friends to complete surveys and a person who knew you under the age of 18 to complete some surveys instead.

 

I don’t have people I can send a survey to. Can I still have an assessment?

 

Yes, though it may affect the results of your ADHD assessment, and we suggest that you contact us before making a booking.

 

While this is a very helpful step to complete, we recognise that some people may not have friends or family who they feel could complete a survey. We would ask these people to ask to speak to our principal psychologist to discuss how we can accommodate this in your assessment before making a booking, as a lack of corroborative information about current or childhood symptoms may make a diagnosis difficult to make or may result in more appointments being needed by a psychiatrist.

 

What if I do the assessment and don’t have ADHD?

 

We look at ADHD assessments as a way of exploring your behaviour and mental health beyond a diagnosis. If you do not meet the diagnostic criteria, your psychologist will provide you with suggestions for further treatment and will provide information on how you may begin to seek this treatment.

​

Does ADHD Therapy Australia assess people under the age of 17?

 

No. Currently we do not assess people under the age of 17.

​

Do you accept payment plans?

​

Yes. You can use Paypal's 'pay in four' feature to pay four payments of $135 for your appointment. This can be done at the payment stage of booking through Paypal.

​

Have any further questions or concerns? Feel free to contact our Principal Psychologist Anthony Brown by email at hello@adhdtherapy.com.au who will happily answer any of your questions.

​