What types of patients are evaluated by a Neuropsychologists? Neuropsychologists have formal, specialized, post-doctoral training and supervision in the evaluation of patients with these, as well as many other conditions:

	Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADD/ADHD)		Brain Tumors
	Learning Disabilities		Memory Problems
	Non-Verbal Learning Disorders		Auditory and Visual Processing Disorders
	Autism Spectrum Disorder		Psychiatric Disorders, such as Depression, Anxiety and Mood Swings
	Asperger's Syndrome		Behavioral Disorders
	Speech and Language Disorders		Developmental Delays
	Traumatic Brain Injury		Mental Retardation
	Cerebrovascular Accidents (Strokes)		Cognitive Disorders that result from medical or neurological conditions (cerebral palsy, epilepsy)
	Giftedness		Dementia and Alzheimer's
	Seizure Disorders		Prenatal Exposure to Alcohol (FASD) and Drugs

Family physicians, neurologists, school staff and others may refer a child for a variety of reasons to have an evaluation. These can range from establishing a baseline for tracking developmental and academic progress to determining special needs or giftedness.

Brain function is assessed using a number of formal neurocognitive tests that are administered individually. Neuropsychological evaluations cover a broad range of functioning and behavior:

	Mental Status
	General intellectual ability (IQ)
	Academic achievement in skills such as reading, writing and math
	School readiness skills
	Attentional Processes
	Language
	Memory and Learning
	Social and emotional functioning
	Personality and mood
	Visuospatial skills and Visual motor coordination
	Tactual and sensory abilities
	Executive functioning, such as; planning and organizing, cognitive flexibility, following directions and inhibition and control.
	Adaptive behavior

Neuropsychological evaluations of a child or youth include a parent/guardian interview, specialized evaluation, consultation, interpretation of results, reports and recommendations, and referrals to other professionals when necessary.

The parent interview will include a time when you will meet with Dr. Bock without your child present to discuss current symptoms, developmental and medical history, academic performance and progress, behaviors both current and past, and socialization in a variety of settings.

Assessment tools will be selected based on your child’s specific needs, and will cover a broad range of domains to get the best “big picture” of your child. A typical evaluation includes 2 days (about 4 hours each day) of one on one assessment with your child. The amount of time necessary and length of each appointment may vary depending on your child’s age, ability, and needs.

When necessary, Dr. Bock will consult with other professionals who are familiar with your child, such as your child’s teacher, medical physician or counselor. This will be information exchanged either verbally or through past medical records. This will only happen with your knowledge and written consent to gain a better understanding of your child.

The results of the assessment tools administered to your child will be thoroughly analyzed and integrated into a final report by Dr. Bock. Interpretation includes comparing your child’s performance to other children of the same age, and is also compared over a variety of subtests to measure your child’s abilities in a wide range of functioning areas. Reports of Neuropsychological evaluation are thorough and descriptive. They will include detailed results, as well as understandable summaries of those results and recommendations based on those findings. Recommendations may also include resources such as books, websites, and other professionals specific to your child’s profile. Any emergent (those for immediate intervention or services) needs will be addressed at the time of the evaluation.

Parents/guardians will return several weeks after testing is complete to meet again and discuss the findings and recommendations of the report with Dr. Bock. At this time, if necessary, you will be given referrals to other professionals who gather additional information about your child or provide specific specialized treatment.

Adult Neuropsychological evaluations are conducted similarly to evaluations of children and youth. Each evaluation will include an interview, specialized assessment, consultation, interpretation of results, reports and recommendations, and referrals to other professionals when necessary.

The interview of the client will be conducted during the first day of the assessment. An adult evaluation usually consists of 2 days (4-5 hours each) of one on one assessment. However, the length of the evaluation and duration of each assessment appointment may vary depending on an individual’s age, ability, and needs.

Assessment tools will be selected based on the patient’s specific needs, and will cover a broad range of domains to get the best overall functioning of the individual. With the patient’s written permission, Dr. Bock will request records from previous and current providers to gain a more complete understanding of the individual.

The results of the assessment will be thoroughly analyzed and integrated into a final report by Dr. Bock. Interpretation includes comparing an individual’s performance to others of the same age, gender and educational status, and is also compared over a variety of subtests to measure abilities in a wide range of functioning areas. Reports of Neuropsychological evaluation are thorough and descriptive. They will include detailed results, as well as understandable summaries of those results and recommendations based on those findings. Recommendations will also include resources such as books, websites, and other professionals.

At this time, if appropriate, referrals may be made to other professionals for additional testing or continued care. Any emergent (those for immediate intervention services) needs will be addressed at the time of the evaluation.

Neuropsychology is the discipline that studies the relationship between the brain and human behaviors. A Neuropsychologist is a licensed psychologist (usually a PhD [doctor of philosophy] or Psy.D [doctor of psychology]), with additional, formal post-doctoral training in how brain structures and functions affect development, learning and behaviors of an individual. Neuropsychologists have expertise in the diagnosis and treatment planning for a variety of disorders. Psychiatry is the discipline concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. A psychiatrist is a physician (usually an MD [medical doctor] or DO [doctor of osteopathy]), who specializes in this field and diagnose and prescribe medications for disorders such as ADHD, depression, and anxiety. Neurology is the branch of medicine that deals with the nervous system and its disorders. A neurologist is a physician (usually and MD or DO), who specializes in this field. Neurologists diagnose and prescribe medications for disorders such as stroke, seizures, and Parkinson’s disease.

For each appointment, the patient should dress comfortably. Be sure that he or she has had a full night’s sleep and a good breakfast each day of testing. If the patient wears glasses or hearing aids, be sure to bring them. For the first appointment, please provide copies of all previous evaluations and any relevant medical and school records. Although we do provide some snacks for children, please feel free to bring/ send a snack for the short breaks in testing.

Be sure to be brief and simple. It is suggested that you not tell your child they will be taking tests. Instead, you could explain that they will be doing puzzles, pencil and paper tasks, and some activities that will be completed with Dr. Bock. Very little of the assessment is like school, and many children enjoy the process. It may also be helpful to explain that this is to help you understand how they best think, behave, and learn.

Neuropsychological evaluations are considered medical records and are protected by all state and federal privacy laws. With a few exceptions, you are the owner of your report and it will not be released to anyone without your written permission. Some of the common uses for an evaluation are:

	Treatment planning Medical or psychiatric intervention and follow up
	Vocational and educational planning and accommodations
	Parenting and behavior management strategies
	Parent/Teacher Conferences
	Individual Education Plan (IEP) meetings/specialized instruction
	Child Advocacy
	Appropriate Placement and Recommendations
	Baseline results by which to measure future progress/recovery
	Access to Service Delivery from various agencies and programs
	Diagnostic clarification

Neuropsychological evaluations are often recommended for patients who are experiencing a wide array of problems including concentration, attention, memory, thinking, behavior, or learning. Neuropsychological evaluations are highly sensitive to cognitive difficulties and changes. They are helpful in determining what areas of the brain are affected by an injury, disorder, or disease and how that affects an individual’s daily living.

Counseling is based on 50-minute sessions and provided for individual children, youth, and adults. Counseling is $165 per hour.

Psychological evaluation includes all materials, the comprehensive assessment, interviews, review of records, consultation, analysis of all results, written report, and review of report with the patient or parents when finished. Psychological evaluations average $1,750.* Again, the price may vary depending on the needs of the patient.

Neuropsychological evaluation includes all materials, the comprehensive assessment, interviews, review of records, consultation, analysis of results, a thorough written report, and review of report with the patient or parents. A complete neuropsychological evaluation costs an average of $4,350.* The cost of an evaluation may be more or less depending on the patient’s age and assessment procedures necessary to answer the referral question.

*These costs are estimated and will vary. These costs do not include additional meetings, such as IEP meeting attendance or subsequent feedback or recommendation sessions.

Northern Psychology Resources, LLC, office of Dr. Jacqueline Bock, does accept the assignment of direct payment from most insurance companies including Denali Kid Care and Alaska Medicaid. We will submit bills to insurance companies as a courtesy to our patients. Please contact our office to find out if we accept your insurance. Also, please review the financial policy under “Policies” for more information.