Question 1

Do you offer Autism Assessments at both locations?

Accepted Answer

Yes, we have skilled psychologists who can assess and diagnose at both our Aberfeldie (VIC, 3040) and Belmont, Geelong (VIC, 3216) locations.

Question 2

What is your waitlist like for Autism Assessments?

Accepted Answer

It takes approximately 12-16 hours for the psychologist to conduct the assessment sessions and write a comprehensive report. This means that our psychologists dedicate regularly scheduled time into their calendars just for autism assessments across the year. Rather than keep a waitlist, we are able to book in clients continuously throughout the year. The lead time for the next available appointment varies. Please see our waitlist page for up-to-date lead times. As we commonly have children and young people attend our practice, we tend to use School Terms (1-4 across the year) to denote wait periods.

Question 3

What does the Autism Assessment process involve?

Accepted Answer

Our Autism Assessment process for adolescents and adults involves 4-hours of assessment either scheduled over one day with a scheduled break or across two 2-hour sessions. An experienced psychologist will ask you to tell your story using the Monteiro Interview Guidelines for Diagnosing the Autism Spectrum (MIGDAS-2).
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As part of the assessment process, clients will also be sent a range of questionnaires. Depending on your circumstances, this may include sending questionnaires to a parent, other relative, partner or other support person. A comprehensive report will accompany a feedback session to discuss the outcome of the assessment.

We are neuroaffirming in our approach and the assessment interview will feel like a chat. Sometimes the topics of discussion, such as friendships, family history and trauma history can be confronting and distressing. Our psychologists are skilled at recognising when a topic triggers distress and will not ask for any unnecessary detail. We will collaborate with you on the best way to get the information we need, which could include speaking to another professional/person who knows about your situation in more detail.

Question 4

If the client is an adolescent, will there be a parent/guardian session?

Accepted Answer

If the client is under 18 years and is not making the enquiry to our service independently, we will discuss the best approach with the parent/guardian during our intake process. Depending on your child's age, level of insight and understanding of the assessment process, we will design a structure that best meets the needs of the young person. This might include a separate parent session or join parent/teen session to provide ample opportunity to share your observations/impressions as a parent/guardian. We will encourage consultation with the young person to ensure that they are aware of the process and have some autonomy on how information is collected about them.

Question 5

How can I prepare for the assessment?

Accepted Answer

After your appointments are secured, you will receive some questionnaires to complete ahead of your assessment. This helps to get your mind thinking about the behaviours you notice in yourself or in your teenager and will help you to prepare for the session. If it helps you, you can bring with you any observations you have made or previous reports etc. It is the psychologist's role to guide you and ask the questions they need to help their clinical decision making. If you are not sure about an answer, that's completely fine. The psychologist will provide an avenue to provide further information following the session.

The psychologist will be asking you questions about what you have noticed about your (or your teenager's) interactions with others, sensory preferences and aversions, thinking patterns, emotional responses, any particularities or rituals, interests and hobbies, relationship history, family history, school and work history and specific querks/behaviours.

Some of the questions may seem irrelevant to you but remember that your psychologist is assessing both broadly and specifically. This helps to ensure that they gain a whole picture of who you are and consider alternate diagnoses.

Question 6

Can I bring a support person and who should it be?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you can absolutely bring a support person with you. This might be a partner, friend, parent, other relative or case worker. Some clients find that bringing a support person can help to offer another perspective on their behaviours and ways of being. This might be especially important if you struggle with remembering things. Sometimes just the process of talking about yourself for a long time can be anxiety-provoking and having someone else who can answer questions for you, can be helpful.

If you are not sure whether a support person could be helpful for you, bringing someone with you and then attending the session alone (with them in the waiting room) provides an opportunity for you to bring them in if you need them or if the psychologist thinks it could be helpful.

Question 7

Should I take the day off school or work?

Accepted Answer

It can be cognitively draining to talk about yourself for a long time. Many of our clients are exhausted after the assessment sessions. If you can avoid attending school or work following the appointment, it is highly recommended. We can provide a medical certificate (which will not reveal the nature of your session) to cover the whole day regardless of whether you attended for 2 hours or more.

Question 8

How comprehensive is the report?

Accepted Answer

Our autism assessment reports are very comprehensive. They will include a detailed summary from the assessment sessions, a write-up of questionnaires and a summary of any additional assessment included.

Question 9

Can the psychologist assess for Attention-Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) at the same time?

Accepted Answer

Yes, our psychologists always consider alternate and co-morbid diagnosis when we conduct our assessments at Mind & Seek. If you would like us to formally assess for ADHD at the same time, this can be added on and will save the cost and time of an additional assessment. If your psychologist believes that ADHD may be co-occurring, then they may recommend additional assessment time or questionnaires during the process.

Question 10

How much is the fee for an Autism Assessment?

Accepted Answer

Our Autism Assessment package is $2600. For a further breakdown of our fees, please see our Assessment fee schedule. If you are under 25 years, then you may be eligible for a medicare rebate of up to 3 x $98.65 per assessment session with a valid referral from a psychiatrist.

Question 11

Do you offer payment plans?

Accepted Answer

Yes, we offer a few different payment options to assist clients to manage the cost of the assessment. The assessment can be paid in instalments across the assessment sessions (pay on the day of service) or can be split across 10 weekly payments. Please ask our reception about our payment plan options.

Question 12

Do I need a referral?

Accepted Answer

No, you do not need a referral from your General Practitioner or Psychiatrist to access an Autism Assessment. They can be privately funded.

Question 13

How long does it take to write the report?

Accepted Answer

It typically takes between 6-8 weeks from the final assessment session to write the comprehensive report. If you have a tighter timeframe, please let us know when you book in so that we can see if we can accommodate your needs. The 1-hour feedback session provides an opportunity for the psychologist to go over the findings in the report, provide recommendations and discuss next steps.

Question 14

How do I book an assessment?

Accepted Answer

The best way to book an assessment is to use our waitlist form. Our reception team will then contact you to offer available times. If you have questions, you can contact us on 0452 526 463 or reception@mindandseek.com.au

Adolescent & Adult Autism Assessments