Our Process
As our name suggests, one of our guiding values is a respect for your time. If you’ve been looking for an autism evaluation for long, you’re probably aware that average wait times for adult autism testing range from several months to a year or more. From start to finish, we strive to complete our evaluations in weeks, not months. Parts 2 and 3 of the evaluation are completely self-paced. Some people finish them in a day, others prefer to complete them over several sessions. You’re welcome to complete them at whatever pace feels comfortable for you!
Once you complete the self-paced portion of the evaluation, the initial video call and the final feedback session can be scheduled, usually within one to two weeks. You can find a more detailed explanation of what to expect in each part of the evaluation below.
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Take our free autism self-screening assessment to explore whether you have traits commonly associated with autism. In this step, you will complete two questionnaires. After you complete them, you will receive your results along with a brief statement of whether your responses suggest that you may be experiencing autistic traits. The results from this step can be helpful in determining whether you would like to proceed with a full autism evaluation, but do not provide enough information to make a diagnosis on their own.
Completing the self-screen is optional but highly recommended. In addition to insight about possible autistic traits you may be experiencing, completing the self-assessment also gives you an opportunity to see what the self-paced portion of testing will be like and to determine whether online assessment is right for you. If you decide to pursue an evaluation you will be asked to complete a number of tests like those in the self-assessment, and you will need to be able to do so independently. If you find that you can’t answer several of the questions or if you feel like you need significant assistance to do so, this is an indication that an online assessment likely isn’t the best format for you. In that case, an in-person evaluation with a professional in your area would likely be more appropriate.
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During your free consultation, you will have an opportunity to meet with Dr. Duncan to ask any questions you might have about the process and to help you determine if an evaluation through NeurodivUrgent is the right fit for you. If you completed the Self-Screening assessment prior to scheduling your consultation, Dr. Duncan will briefly discuss your scores with you. They will also tell you whether they recommend moving forward with a comprehensive evaluation.
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After your consultation, you will receive a link to complete your new client packet. This packet contains several short forms which can typically be completed in less than fifteen minutes.
Once you have completed your new client paperwork, you will be sent an invoice for your evaluation. Once your payment has gone through, you will be sent a link to complete the test packet for your evaluation.
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In order to conduct the most thorough evaluation possible, we have you share information about your life with us in a variety of ways. One way we do this is through the use of various testing instruments. These tests are research-based questionnaires that have been shown to help correctly differentiate autistic people from non-autistic individuals.
This self-report measures are very thorough and consist of both free-response and multiple choice questionnaires. The time needed to complete this portion of the evaluation varies from person to person. For most people, it will take at least two hours to complete all of the questionnaires. We know that completing this much paperwork can be a draining task, so this step is set up to be completely self-paced. We recommend breaking it down into several sessions rather than trying to complete it all at once. You will have three months to complete the questionnaire packet from the time it is sent to you. Once you submit your completed test packet, you will be allowed to schedule your clinical interview*.
*Occasionally, more information may be needed before scheduling your video meeting. If that’s the case, you’ll receive a message through the online portal and will be asked to complete one or two more questionnaires.
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The next step in the evaluation process is a video appointment with Dr. Duncan. In this appointment, you will have conversation with Dr. Duncan, and they will ask you questions about yourself to learn more about you and to gather information that is relevant to the evaluation process. This appointment typically lasts around ninety minutes to two hours.
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The final step in the process is speaking with Dr. Duncan to go over the results of the evaluation. In this appointment, you and Dr. Duncan will will go over any diagnoses that have been made and discuss general recommendations. This appointment typically lasts between one to two hours. If you chose Package B, you will receive a digital copy of the report with the findings from the evaluation within one week of your feedback session.