Assessment
Did You Know? I was surprised to discover in graduate school that Clinical Psychology's unique contribution to the mental health field is psychological assessment, especially to determine what adults need to function well at school and at work. Some adults need additional support at school and at work to do their best. These supports are called accommodations, and are guaranteed by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Many times people think of disabilities as physical, and don't realize that mental health disorders are also ADA disabilities, for which adults can receive "reasonable" accommodations at school and at work. The first step in getting mental health accommodations at school and at work is having a psychological assessment to use to support the documentation needed to support your request for accommodations. The setting typically dictates the format of the paperwork and the extent of the accommodations.
Psychological Assessments for Working Adults:
Assessment clients include those who have a history of mental health symptoms, as well as those who first started experiencing symptoms of mental illness during the current employment episode (which is very common). Psychological assessment reports are prepared for adults who need ADA work accommodations due to the impact of ADHD, depression, anxiety, OCD, etc on their ability to complete work tasks in the regular work environment. Accommodations may include working in a quiet setting, working from home, reduced work loads, extended due dates on regular work assignments, and being assigned to a different work team and/or manager. Turn-around time for reports is 14 days.
Psychological Assessments for College Students: Assessment clients include those who had accommodations for mental health issues in high school, as well as those who first started experiencing symptoms of mental illness in college (which is very common). School-tailored mental health assessment reports are prepared for college students who need ADA coursework and testing accommodations due to the impact of ADHD, depression, anxiety, OCD, etc on learning. Accommodations may include separate testing administration, longer test periods, and extra time to complete regular assignments. Turn-around time for reports is 14 days.
How Does Psychological Assessment Work? Psychological assessment starts with a phone call and a telehealth appointment. You forward to me the paperwork requirements for the ADA accommodations you seek prior to the appointment. We meet at the appointed time, and I ask you lots of questions about yourself and your mental health symptoms and how they are affecting school and/or work. We discuss the school and/or work setting to determine what might be reasonable accommodations to facilitate adequate performance. I complete the psychological assessment report and the ADA accommodations paperwork specific to your setting. The setting has the final say about whether and what accommodations will be approved, within the context of ADA policy.
