Utah Center for Evidence Based Treatment - Assessment and Testing Services

Assessment and Testing Services

The mission of the Assessment and Testing Program at the Utah Center for Evidence Based Treatment is to provide expert diagnostic and assessment services to children, adolescents, and adults. These services maximize treatment outcomes by focusing on individual strengths while providing custom recommendations to promote accelerated growth.

Here are some of our Frequently Asked Questions:

Why choose assessment and testing at UCEBT?

UCEBT’s psychological assessments are tailored to your individual needs, providing in depth understanding of one’s cognitive and academic abilities, mental health and personality development.

Our providers have expert training in administering tests, scoring and interpreting data, and writing comprehensive reports with useful treatment recommendations.

What is assessment and testing?

Psychological tests function similarly to medical tests. If an individual presents to a physician’s office with physical symptoms, that provider obtains the patient’s medical history through an interview and chart review and may order X-rays or blood tests to understand what's causing those symptoms. The results of the tests will help provide diagnostic clarity and inform a treatment plan.

Psychological evaluations serve the same purpose. Psychologists use tests and other assessment tools to measure and observe a client's behavior to arrive at a diagnosis and guide intervention recommendations (including those related to psychotherapy and education).

What are the most common reasons someone would come to be tested?

Establish diagnoses
Identify appropriate evidence-based treatment
Determine why an individual in therapy may notbe experiencing progress
Complex cases that may need to identify multiple relevant diagnoses
Prior diagnoses that may be missing some underlying issues
Rule-out diagnoses such as:
- mood disorders
- anxiety disorders
- obsessive-compulsive and related disorders
- bipolar-related disorders
- trauma- and stressor-related disorders
- eating disorders
- personality disorders, such as Borderline Personality Disorder
Measuring performance of:
- cognitive functioning
- academic achievement
- executive functioning
- social communication and reciprocity.
Obtaining specific services at school (such as an Individualized Education Plan or Section 504 accommodations), the workplace, or for applying for disability benefits
Referral questions including those related to
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
- Specific Learning Disorders in reading, mathematics, or writing
- Intellectual Disabilities
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Examine the role of psychiatric symptoms, such as depression or anxiety on cognitive process.

Can testing be done virtually?

There are three types of assessment and testing services:

Type 1 - Brief Diagnostic Assessment

Type 2 - Comprehensive Psychological Assessment

Type 3 - Psychoeducational Evaluation or Autism Evaluation

Type 1 and Type 2 can be completed virtually.

Type 3 is specific to ADHD, Learning Disabilities, and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

All Type 3 tests must be conducted in-person.*

*If you're from out of state/long distance, ask how we can accommodate our assessment process.

What do you not test for?

At this time, we do not have the capability to provide forensic testing services, fitness for duty evaluations, custody evaluations, or evaluations of parental fitness.

What kind of assessments do you do?

All of our tests can be categorized into one of three types of assessments:

Brief Diagnostic Assessment
Comprehensive Psychological Assessment
Psychoeducational Evaluation or Autism Evaluation

Do you do ADHD/ADD and Autism testing for adults?

Yes! ADHD and ASD can be diagnosed in adulthood. Many adults may be experiencing chronic difficulties with meeting job expectations, organizing tasks, completing household chores, engaging in daily living activities, remembering obligations, and forming/maintaining healthy relationships. Often adult clients come to us with prior diagnoses of mood, anxiety, or personality problems, and are frustrated that previous treatments have been unsuccessful in helping them meet their goals. Through assessment, we can determine whether there may be evidence for a missed ADHD or Autism diagnosis that accounts for pervasive lifelong problems. We use evidence-based methodologies to examine relevant cognitive processes, behaviors, and social/emotional symptoms tailored to how neurodevelopmental disorders present in adults. However, it is also important to note that criteria for ADHD and ASD state that symptoms need to be present in childhood, even if they were mild and perhaps not as apparent until the demands of the environment exceeded individual capacities. Therefore, we also require parent/caregiver interviews, previous testing, and/or school records from childhood as part of the evaluation for adults.

What can I expect in an autism evaluation for toddlers or preschool-aged children?

Evaluations include obtaining a thorough developmental history from parents, directly observing child social communication and behaviors, and interpreting standardized rating forms for parents and preschool teachers. If clinically relevant, we can also obtain an estimate of your child’s cognitive abilities. Face-to-face time for early childhood testing is much less compared to older children, consistent with their abilities to stay regulated and engaged in the testing space.

How much does an early childhood autism evaluation cost?

Licensed Clinician: $210 per hour

Postdoctoral Fellow: $190 per hour*

Advanced Doctoral Student: $150 per hour*

Estimated average range is 5-8 hours ($1050-$1680 for licensed providers down to $750-$1200 for advanced doctoral students). Upper range includes cognitive testing.

*When available. Postdoctoral Fellows and Advanced Doctoral Students are closely supervised by Licensed Clinicians and have had years of training and experience.

Do you provide therapy for autistic young children and their families?

UCEBT provides several treatment options to support families of young children diagnosed with autism. We provide Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), which is an evidence based, family centered therapy that works well for children ages 2-7 that struggle with emotional and behavioral disorders (ODD, ADHD, ASD). Through our Parenting Program, we also provide several coaching or behavior management interventions, including Incredible Years and parent management training.

Do you provide Gender Affirmation Surgery evaluations?

Yes, UCEBT provides psychosocial evaluations for those seeking gender affirmation procedures and requiring an additional mental health provider to provide a referral letter. The UCEBT Assessment and Testing Program adheres to the guidelines for assessment as described in the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) Standards of Care, 7th Version. These evaluations consist of a single 90 minute appointment with our assessment clinicians. They are billed for the face-to-face (in-person or virtual) assessment time and letter writing time.

In terms of what to expect for these evaluations, our primary goals are to ascertain 1) how mental health symptoms can potentially impact recovery from surgery and being emotionally prepared for potential complications or less than satisfactory outcomes, 2) whether there are any high risk behaviors that may benefit from treatment prior to surgery, 3) what types of supports exists pre- and post-surgery, such as having someone transport the individual to and from surgery, assist with recovery needs, and what financial supports they have planned.

We understand that by the time you meet with us, you have been through a journey of recognizing, understanding, disclosing, and living your gender identity and your need for having gender affirming surgeries. In all, our goal is to get you to surgery, with a minimum of barriers or gatekeeping, and support a positive and satisfactory surgical outcome.

GAS Cost- 2 hours of service reflecting a 90 minute appointment and 30 minutes of letter writing time

Licensed clinician- $420

Postdoctoral fellows- $380

Advanced Doctoral Student- $300

What is a Brief Diagnostic Assessment?

In determining what evidence based treatment is most appropriate for our clients, we begin with a brief diagnostic assessment to aid in treatment planning and recommendations for therapy. This assessment utilizes self-report measures and semi-structured clinical interviewing for preliminary diagnostic information.The brief diagnostic assessment is broken into two parts; an initial 1.5 hour information gathering session, and a second 1 minute session where your provider delivers feedback on assessment results, treatment options, and next steps.

Is Brief Diagnostic Assessment a good fit for me?

Brief Diagnostic Assessment may be a good fit…

If you are ready to get started in psychotherapy at our center we will begin the process with a brief diagnostic assessment
If you are in treatment with another provider and you and your therapist are feeling “stuck,” our diagnostic assessment can be a helpful tool to reevaluate diagnosis, treatment plan, and providing additional therapeutic recommendations

What is a Comprehensive Psychological Assessment?

Our comprehensive psychological assessment aims to assess and diagnose a range of psychological and mental health issues using diagnostic clinical interviews, cognitive batteries, objective and projective tests, and personality inventories.Batteries used in this assessment may include*:

Cognitive assessments (e.g. WISC-5, WAIS-IV)
Personality inventories (e.g. DIB-R, MMPI, and additional structured interviews for personality disorders)
Projective tests (e.g. TAT, House tree person)
Social emotional batteries (e.g. BASC, CBCL)

What is Psychoeducational Evaluation?

A psychoeducational evaluation examines cognitive functioning, academic achievement, executive functioning, and any other variables that may be impacting school or work performance.

School can be a very frustrating place for individuals with learning issues. Often, they feel like there is a mismatch between the effort they put into their schoolwork and the grades and feedback they receive. Our psychoeducational evaluations are designed to give students, parents, and teachers a blueprint to how these individuals can learn most effectively. Through the assessment process we identify a person’s cognitive strengths and weaknesses to explain how these underlie their academic abilities. We provide an exhaustive set of practical and evidence-based recommendations to help you or your child going forward.

These reports can serve as documentation that you or your child needs specific accommodations to ensure that they have equal access to demonstrate their knowledge on structured examinations. Recommendations may consist of accommodations for standardized testing, suggestions for school placement, recommendations for teachers and tutors within and outside of the classroom, as well as specific suggestions for individual and family treatment.

Is Psychoeducational Evaluation a good fit for me?

Psychoeducational Evaluation may be a good fit for...

Children, adolescents and adults with learning and/or emotional difficulties impacting their growth academically
Families in need of in depth understanding of how their children learn and how to best support their individual strengths and weaknesses
Students who may have ADHD or a learning disability impeding their ability to take standardized tests (e.g. when in need of SAT or ACT accommodations).

What other Psychoeducational Evaluation services do you provide?

In addition to assessment, we also provide the following services:

Observation of your child within their school
Consultation with existing and other therapists or support service providers
Attendance at IEP meetings as requested
Advocacy for your child’s needs within their school based on treatment recommendations

How is a psychoeducational evaluation at UCEBT different from a psychoeducational evaluation offered through the school district?

The major differences between an evaluation at UCEBT and through the school district are:

The school district’s evaluation’s primary focus is to determine eligibility for special education services. Data obtained through these evaluations is used by a school-based team to determine eligibility for special education services under one (or more) of 13 broad eligibility areas defined by federal law on special education and disability services. Evaluations through UCEBT have a primary focus of answering client referral questions (e.g., “Does my child have ADHD and, if so, what interventions do you recommend?”) and can be used by a school-based team (with parent permission) to determine eligibility for special education services or a 504 plan.
Psychoeducational evaluations at UCEBT go beyond the scope of academic skills and examine other areas that may be impacting your or your child’s functioning, including mood, anxiety, trauma, behavior problems, and other psychiatric concerns.
Psychoeducational evaluations through UCEBT determine specific clinical diagnoses. School district evaluations are designed to determine educational classifications, but do not establish clinical diagnoses such as ADHD, generalized anxiety, social anxiety disorder, or autism spectrum disorder.
Evaluations conducted by UCEBT include recommendations and referrals for services that are not only relevant for you or your child’s academic functioning, but related to other supports that may be helpful, such as psychotherapy, speech/language or occupational therapy, parenting skills, and online/book resources.
Colleges/Universities typically review existing information (such as an IEP or 504 plan) about a client’s potential service needs in higher education. However, they often request updated (within three years) testing about a client’s functioning that may not have been completed during the client’s high school years, especially during their senior year. UCEBT is happy to provide clients with updated evaluations of their needs prior to and during the client’s college/university years. Read more about college planning here: https://www.intelligent.com/online-college-guide-for-students-with-mental-health-disorders/

After your testing feedback, your assessment clinician at UCEBT can coordinate with school officials to develop education plans based on results of testing.

Do you offer IQ testing for giftedness evaluations?

Yes. UCEBT psychoeducational evaluations can be used to identify intellectual giftedness. Many parents explore giftedness testing to see if their child is eligible for specialized gifted programs or schools. Here are some things to consider if giftedness assessment is right for your child:

Giftedness assessment includes standardized cognitive testing (IQ testing) as a component of a comprehensive evaluation
Giftedness assessment also includes parent and teacher reports, observations, academic achievement testing, and assessment of child’s strengths, learning style, and educational needs
Giftedness assessment provides recommendations for educational and enrichment resources to help each child meet their unique potential

Do you offer services for twice exceptional (2e) individuals?

Yes. UCEBT evaluations can determine whether individuals are twice exceptional, meaning that they are intellectually gifted and also have a learning disability or other forms of neurodivergence, such as autism or ADHD. Twice exceptionality requires specialized training in understanding the complex presentations of strengths and weaknesses and providing tailored recommendations for education and intervention planning.

Do you offer assessment for individuals seeking high stakes testing accommodations?

Yes. UCEBT evaluations can provide data and documentation needed to apply for accommodations on high stakes tests. High stakes tests include standardized exams such as the SAT, ACT, GRE, MCT, etc. Individuals with documented learning disabilities that have had accommodations in school at times require updated testing to support standardized test accommodations, such as extended time. UCEBT recommendations for accommodations to do not guarantee that they will be provided by the testing officials. It is advised that individuals seeking such accommodations familiarize themselves with the requirements for specific tests. More information can be found at the following links:

How do you make sure your assessments are accurate?

We have several ways to ensure our clients are receiving the highest quality assessment and testing experience. Our team of clinicians assesses a wide range of referral questions and keeps a consistent flow to keep our skills sharp. To build on our skills, we consult with each other -no one conceptualizes alone, making sure everything is grounded in data and that we’re not relying too heavily on one person’s clinical judgment. We’re lucky to be a diverse group of clinicians regarding our backgrounds and specialty areas of testing. In addition, we seek consultation from clinicians in the community, research new testing measures, and find developing evidence-based methods for assessing specific populations. It is important to stay up to date with research and the collective wisdom of the profession.

What is an Autism Evaluation?

UCEBT now offers assessments examining Autism Spectrum Disorder for individuals age 2 through adulthood! This may be a component of a psychoeducational evaluation if you suspect your child has ASD and that it may be impacting academic functioning. However, not all individuals with ASD struggle academically, and ASD is a pervasive neurodevelopmental disorder that impacts more areas in life than academics. Furthermore, many adults may have questions about whether they have had undiagnosed ASD, which can be common for some high-functioning presentations. Autism evaluations examine whether an individual meets criteria for ASD using evidence-based procedures, and also examines common rule-outs/co-occurring disorders such as ADHD, social anxiety, and/or OCD. Academic achievement measures may or may not be included, depending on individual needs.

What tests do you use?

Many tests are norm-referenced tests, which means that they have been developed and normed on large samples of individuals over many decades. They are administered the same way to every person: under a standard set of conditions using set instructions. The scores yielded by such tests allow for comparison of a given individual to their same age peers (in the form of a standardized score and a percentile score). Further, the most commonly used tests have been subjected to extensive validity research, meaning that they have been shown to measure what they propose to measure and have been found to predict important outcomes for individuals (such as academic achievement).

There are also standardized questionnaires are given to individuals and collateral individuals (such as parents and teachers) that ask the same set of questions and compare responses to a normed sample. Questions are often grouped on scales that reflect specific areas of clinical relevance and responses may be labeled as clinically significant. For instance, on a rating of depression, an individual’s score is compared to the sample and categorized as being either within normal limits (consistent with individuals who have no clinically significant depression) or mild, moderate, or severe levels of clinical significance.

Also included in evaluations are clinical interviews, during which the clinician asks questions related to various domains in a person’s background (developmental history, educational history, family history, medical history, etc.), and elicits information about the initiation, frequency, and severity of clinical symptoms.

Every test battery is tailored to the client’s individual referral question. Some common instruments and what they measure are listed here:

Cognitive Functioning/IQ: Weschler Intelligence Tests (WAIS-IV, WISC-V)

Academic Achievement and Skills: KTEA-3, WIAT-III, CTOP, GORT

Executive Functioning: DKEFS, Conner’s Continuous Performance Test, BRIEF-2

Personality: MMPI-3, MMPI-A-RF, TAT

Adaptive Functioning: Vineland-3

Child Behavior Problems: BASC-3

Symptom Inventories: Vanderbilt ADHD Scales, Beck Depression Inventory, Yale-Brown OCD scales, General Anxiety Disorder -7, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist

*For full listing of our measures please contact us for further information.

How is cost determined and why don’t you take insurance?

Testing is billed per hour of service that the clinician provides. While the cost of testing may seem high, our licensed clinicians have over 10 years of education and training. Their expertise and experience are important factors in receiving the clearest diagnosis and most useful recommendations for you.

In order to maintain excellent quality care that is based on client need rather than coverage, our center requires direct pay. We can provide you a receipt of services with diagnoses and billing codes if you would like to seek reimbursement from your insurance. Note that most insurances do not cover academic testing.

While we do not offer an income-based sliding scale for testing services, our trainees offer a lower rate than licensed clinicians. Note that Postdoctoral Fellows and Advanced Doctoral Students are closely supervised by Licensed Clinicians and have had years of training and experience.

Clinician services are billed as follows:

Licensed Clinician: $210 per hour
Postdoctoral Fellow: $190 per hour
Advanced Doctoral Student: $150 per hour

How many hours is each type of evaluation?

Here is a breakdown of cost per type of evaluation:

Brief Diagnostic Assessment (Client only pays for intake session and feedback session)

1 hour background intake and administration of structured interview measures
1 hour feedback session discussing testing results and recommendations and answering client questions

Comprehensive Psychological Evaluation

1 hour initial intake (clinician and client)
2 to 3 hours of administration of measures and/or scoring testing data that was sent to you to complete (clinician and client)
2 to 4 hours of interpreting the testing data, integrating this information so that it is specific to your (or your child’s) unique needs, and writing a comprehensive testing report (clinician)
1 hour feedback session discussing testing results and recommendations and answering client questions (clinician and client)

Psychoeducational or Neurodevelopmental Assessment

1 hour initial intake (clinician and client)
4 to 5 hours of one-on-one testing (clinician and client)
2 to 3 hours of scoring testing data, including behavioral observations gathered during the assessment (clinician)
4 to 6 hours of interpreting the testing data, integrating this information so that it is specific to your (or your child’s) unique needs, and writing a comprehensive testing report (clinician)
1 hour feedback session discussing testing results and recommendations and answering client questions (clinician and client)

For Comprehensive Psychological Evaluations, Psychoeducational Assessment, and Neurodevelopmental Assessment, clients are billed by retainer. After the initial intake session, the clinician will estimate the hours needed for services. The first half of the fee is due after intake, and the remaining amount is due after testing is completed, but before the feedback session.

What are all of your payment options?

Typically, we bill A&T services through retainer. This means you are provided an upfront estimate of the total cost of the evaluation and we bill the first half after the intake and the second half a few weeks later after testing. You also have the option of choosing our 6 month payment plan*, at zero interest. If during the evaluation we determine we may need to go over our estimate, we provide you with an updated estimate for you to consent to and sign. Even though we do not work with insurance, we can provide a Superbill that outlines all of our testing codes and hours billed. You can provide this Superbill to your insurance company for Out of Network Reimbursement. We also take HSA/FSA payments. We are not able to call your insurance company to check if they would reimburse our services. To check if your insurance company does out-of-network reimbursement, follow this guide: https://www.thesuperbill.com/blog/the-complete-guide-to-out-of-network-reimbursement

*Note-if you elect our 6 month payment plan we provide the report after payment is completed in full. However, we will not withhold the test results to intervention providers (schools, medication providers, therapists,etc.) as we do not interfere with your care. We can do a direct release to providers if requested.

How long does the testing process take?

Timeline depends on clinician availability, the type of clinician assessing your case (whether they have supervisors review their reports), and complexity of cases. The length of time allows for the highest quality care and customization of test battery and recommendations for you.

Brief Diagnostic Assessments: Total process can be 1-2 weeks from initial intake.

Comprehensive Psychological Evaluations: Total process can be 4-6 weeks from initial intake.

Psychoeducational, or Neurodevelopmental Assessment: Feedback is typically scheduled 4-6 weeks from the testing appointment. Total process can be 6-8 weeks from initial intake.

What are the benefits of testing?

Objective benefits of testing include:

Providing supporting documentation for obtaining Individualized Education Plans or other academic accommodations and Social Security/Disability Benefits.
Information from testing can also provide vital guidance in identifying the appropriate treatments for you. It can be incredibly frustrating to devote extensive time and resources into a therapy that is not helping you achieve your goals.
Medication providers can also benefit from results of testing to tailor the medications you are prescribed.

Although testing can be a high initial cost, it may not compare to the cost of receiving ill-fitted interventions over time.

Does the person being tested need to then become a client?

Nope! Testing is a standalone service offered at UCEBT. However, if you are interested in seeking therapy services, we can refer you to the appropriate treatment team. You would not have to complete an initial intake and would be placed at the top of the list to be scheduled with an available clinician that is trained and experienced in the best evidence-based treatment for you.

How do I get started?

Fill out the getting started form and select assessment only. You will receive a follow up phone call to determine your needs and receive expert consultation to determine which assessment will best address your goals.

What are the next steps if....

I'm interested, but I still have a few questions?

We offer free 15 minute consultations to discuss how our testing services can support your needs and provide any clarification.

I'd like to sign up now.

Click on the “Get Started” link and complete our online form. You will hear back from our office within 48 hours.

I would like to refer a client.

Provide your client with our link to get started.

Do you provide consultation services to other organizations and professionals?

Yes! Assessment and Testing consultation can be a valuable resource for psychologists and mental health providers in the community. You may benefit from consultation if:

You are a psychologist who is starting to implement a testing service or looking to diversify their practice to include testing, and you want support in best practices for test administration, case conceptualization, and report-writing.
You are a therapist or prescriber and believe your client may benefit from a psychological evaluation for diagnostic clarification, and you want to discuss how assessment and testing can support your treatment.

Common topics of consultation include:

Appropriateness of fit for testing
Developing a targeted testing battery for the referral question
Interpreting complex data
Integrating testing data to provide comprehensive case conceptualization
Writing thorough, yet accessible reports for varying audiences
Providing targeted recommendations for individual client needs
Accuracy of diagnosis

Contact for more information about assessment and testing consultation.