Assessment Services

The Medical Psychology Center offers a variety of assessment services designed to provide clinical determination on areas of neurobehavioral, psychiatric, and cognitive functioning. Evaluations are conducted by licensed neuropsychologists who  work collaboratively with you and your treatment providers, doctors, and educators. The goal is to provide a clear diagnosis and recommendations that are designed to improve the functionality and quality of life of our patients. The evaluation is custom tailored to address your concerns, and may include components of the types of assessments listed below.

Neuropsychological Evaluation

Neuropsychological evaluations are meant to assess an individual’s neurobehavioral system, which is the connection between brain function and behavior. In doing so, there is a focus on identifying the individual’s strengths and weaknesses regarding cognitive/intellectual development, executive functioning (i.e. attention, focus, organization, planning), language skills, visual-spatial skills, learning style, memory, and ability to provide output for tasks. Examples of common patient concerns include:

• Problems with attention and concentration
• Problems with organization and planning
• Difficulties learning
• Memory issues
• Developmental Delays/Intellectual Disabilities
• Problems being efficient
• Communication issues
• Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Difficulties due to medical issues or injury:
  • Birth trauma (i.e. incident in utero, premature delivery)
  • Concussion and Traumatic Brain Injury
  • Seizure Disorder
  • Genetic disorder
  • Stroke and Vascular Problems
  • Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease

Psychological Evaluation

Psychological evaluations are meant to assess an individual’s social and emotional functioning when there are concerns about socialization, emotional regulation, and/or interpersonal relationships. This type of assessment is helpful for people who are experiencing difficulties at home with their families, at school, at work, and/or in the community. In doing so, there may be a focus on social perception (i.e. reading social cues), the individual’s view of themselves, the individual’s world view, how he/she socially problem solves, and how mental health symptoms can best be defined. Examples of common patient concerns include:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Mood Disorder/Bipolar Disorder
• Problems with social communication
• Developmental effects of trauma or chronic stressors
• Disorders of thought and perception (i.e. psychosis, Schizophrenia)
• Personality Disorders

Educational Evaluation

An educational assessment is extremely helpful when there are concerns about a learning disability or other functional problems at school. Often, when there are problems with academic achievement or when there are behavioral problems at school, there are underlying learning issues. Parents commonly seek this type of clinical evaluation for guidance when their child has or may need Special Education services, such as a 504 Plan or Individualized Education Program (IEP). Parents and schools alike benefit from a detailed assessment of academic abilities, with the goal of generating recommendations for the types of supports and accommodations a child needs to maximize his or her potential. Examples of common concerns include:

• Dyslexia
  • problems with language and reading skills, phonics, and/or comprehension
• Dysgraphia
  • problems writing in a defined space or expressing ideas in writing
• Dyscalculia
  • problems with math concepts and operations

What Patients Can Expect

The process of seeking and completing this type of evaluation takes time and collaboration. Here’s what you can expect and what you will need to make this process as easy as possible for your family:

Step 1

New Patient Form & Intake/History Form 

​Please complete the New Patient Form (available HERE) to be registered as a new patient. Once the New Patient Form is received, a member of the administrative  team will reach out  and provide you with an Intake/History form, which we require before starting the scheduling process. With that form, please remember to include any of the following, if applicable: 

• Most recent Individualized Education Program (IEP) or 504 Plan
• Any previous school-based assessment reports
  • (If your child receives SPED services, these assessments were completed.)
• Any reports for previous neuropsychological or psychological assessments
• Proof of Guardianship Documentation

If you have any questions about the process, you are encouraged to call Alessia at 978-921-4000 ext. 12. 

Step 2

Intake Appointment (approx. 60min) 

• During this appointment we will discuss your concerns and what questions you hope this assessment will answer. We’ll also discuss how we conduct our assessments and review any insurance related forms.

Step 3

 Evaluation Appointment 

• This appointment typically lasts several hours. We will discuss ahead of time what specific needs you or your child may have, and how we can custom the day to accommodate them.

Step 4

Feedback Appointment (approx. 45-60 min)

• This is an important meeting because it is when we discuss all of the results from the evaluation, diagnosis, and recommendations. Depending on the case, adolescent patients may benefit from being included. 

Step 5

Report 

• Following the feedback appointment, and once payment has cleared, we will send you a report that includes all of the information covered in the feedback session.