FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

DO YOU DO THERAPY/COUNSELING? Dr. Hill does not provide therapy/counseling services. The sole focus of this practice is psychological evaluation. However, the evaluation might prompt a referral to a therapist or provide a therapist with important information to use in therapy.

DO YOU PRESCRIBE MEDICATIONS? Dr. Hill does not prescribe medications. However, the evaluation might prompt a referral to a prescribing provider or provide a prescriber with important information to use in medication management.

DO YOU DO ADHD EVALUATIONS? Yes. We evaluate people for ADHD. When ADHD is suspected we test attention and other abilities and symptoms in order to rule-out other causes for your struggles. What might be called an “ADHD Evaluation” is more involved than simply a few attention tests. In addition to the importance of accuracy and completeness, it seems medication prescribers are increasingly requesting formal testing to assist in confirming ADHD while ruling-out other causes. The testing process also helps give credence to your self-report of symptoms.

WHAT IS THE PROCESS LIKE? The process depends on the type of evaluation. For clincial evaluations (diagnosis), the entire testing process can be completed in the same day in many cases. The report will still be prepared after the appointment and/or subsequent follow-up (feedback) session. Forensic, court-ordered, and other specific evaluations follow a different process and the process will depend on the specific evaluation needs.

WHAT IS THIS GOING TO COST IF I PAY FOR MYSELF AND/OR I AM OUT-OF-NETWORK? Please call our office at 540-358-0391 to discuss your specific needs for an accurate quote. Our office is out of network with insurance, but will submit claims for you as a courtesy. Your insurance company might not reimburse you, or might reimburse you a significant amount of money, if you file an out-of-network claim. The amount you are reimbursed, if any, will depend on your insurance company. We will file the claim if you request, but we cannot guarantee that your insurance company will reimburse you.

I NEED AN EVALUATION TO GET A JOB AS A POLICE OFFICER (CORRECTIONS OFFICER, DISPATCHER, FIREFIGHTER, ARMED SECURITY, OTHER PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICER), HOW DO I SCHEDULE THAT? Pre-employment psychological evaluations must be scheduled by the hiring agency, not the applicant, and may only be conducted following a bona fide conditional offer of employment. Public safety psychological evaluations are employer-requested, job-specific assessments. Agencies contract directly for these services to ensure compliance with applicable employment law and professional standards. For this reason, I do not schedule pre-employment evaluations at the request of individual applicants. If you have received a conditional offer of employment and your agency utilizes my services, the agency will contact my office directly with the appropriate referral documentation. If your agency does not currently use my services, the hiring authority may contact my office to discuss establishing a referral arrangement.

WHAT IS THE “TURNAROUND TIME?” The time it takes to complete an evaluation and receive your written report varies based on many factors (e.g., in-network insurance evaluations normally require separate appointments for intake, testing, and possibly follow-up). Most people can expect their clinical evaluation report to be ready between 1- and 4-weeks after follow-up. When you first contact us, we can normally schedule the initial appointment (intake) between 1- and 4-weeks out. The testing appointment is normally scheduled 1- to 2-weeks after the initial appointment; and, the follow-up is normally scheduled a week after the testing.

CAN YOU DO A COURT-ORDERED EVALUATION? CAN YOU GET ME IN BEFORE MY COURT DATE TOMORROW? We can see you for your court-ordered evaluation, but we cannot complete an evaluation by tomorrow. We are normally booked out at least 1-week, and most evaluations will take multiple hours. Also, report preparation takes time. Also, courts and attorneys usually want a report 2-weeks before any hearing or trial, in order to allow time for review. There are also often deadlines involved as determined by the court. It is recommended you contact us AT LEAST 4- to 6-weeks prior to your hearing or trial. Dr. Hill will also need a copy of the Court Order to make sure he understands the purpose of the evaluation and completes the appropriate evaluation. Dr. Hill performs most common types of court-ordered/forensic evaluations, please call for more information.