Psychological Assessments & Evaluations
Clearer answers grounded in the whole person
When something is affecting your life, your child, or someone you represent, it can be difficult to know what kind of support is needed. You may have questions about attention, behavior, emotional well-being, school functioning, an earlier diagnosis, or the effects of a traumatic experience.
A psychological assessment can help bring these pieces together. Rather than focusing on a single symptom or test score, Dr. Valerie Braunstein considers the person’s history, current concerns, environment, daily functioning, and available records or test findings.
The goal is to develop a clearer understanding of what is happening and provide practical, individualized recommendations for moving forward.
What would you like help understanding?
You do not need to know exactly which assessment you need before reaching out. These descriptions can help you identify the service that most closely matches your questions.
ADHD Evaluations
For children, adolescents, and adults experiencing concerns related to attention, impulsivity, organization, executive functioning, emotional regulation, or daily responsibilities.
An ADHD evaluation can help clarify whether ADHD—or another contributing factor—may be affecting life at school, work, home, or within relationships.
Forensic PTSD & Psychological Trauma Evaluations
For attorneys and legal matters involving PTSD, trauma-related symptoms, psychological functioning, and the effects of overwhelming experiences.
These independent evaluations are tailored to the legal referral question and may include record review, clinical or forensic interviewing, psychological testing, a written report, and consultation regarding the findings.
504 Evaluations and Accommodation Support
For individuals or families who still have questions after receiving a diagnosis, assessment, or treatment recommendation.
A second opinion can offer a fresh, independent perspective when previous conclusions do not fully explain what someone is experiencing, treatment has stalled, recommendations conflict, or important patterns may have been overlooked.
Clinical Psychological Second Opinions
For individuals or families who still have questions after receiving a diagnosis, assessment, or treatment recommendation.
A second opinion can offer a fresh, independent perspective when previous conclusions do not fully explain what someone is experiencing, treatment has stalled, recommendations conflict, or important patterns may have been overlooked.
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Kevin Keulwein
Professional Colleuge and Refferal Source
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Andrew DiPrinzio
Educator of students with dislexia
“A caring and helpful psychologist.”
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Community Reviewer - Google
“A real asset to our South Jersey community.”
Susan Zink
South Jersey Community Reviewer - Google
“Skilled, compassionate and evidence-based support.”
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Local professionals serving children and families
“A strong advocate for children.”
Megan DeFino, LPC
Licensed Professional Counselor and Pediatric Referral Source
“One of the most skilled psychologists I have worked with.”
Kim Halperin
School Counselor - Google Review
“The best of the best.”
Marissa Rosen
Family perspective - Google Review
“Smart, resourceful and truly a caring professional.”
Parent Infant Philly
Parent and child support organization
ADHD Evaluations
Looking beyond attention alone
ADHD can affect much more than someone’s ability to focus. Difficulties with organization, working memory, time management, impulse control, emotional regulation, or beginning and completing tasks can create stress across many areas of life.
At the same time, attention-related concerns are not always caused by ADHD. Anxiety, learning differences, sleep, environmental demands, emotional stress, and other factors can sometimes create similar challenges.
Dr. Val provides individualized ADHD psychological evaluations for children, adolescents, and adults. Assessments may consider developmental history, current concerns, daily functioning, environment, relevant records, and psychological testing.
The goal is not simply to assign a label. It is to develop a useful understanding of the whole person and provide recommendations that may address treatment, routines, school, work, or accommodations when clinically appropriate.
Forensic PTSD & Psychological Trauma Evaluations
Independent evaluations for attorneys and legal matters
Legal matters involving trauma and psychological functioning often require a careful, objective evaluation tailored to a specific referral question.
Dr. Val provides independent psychological evaluations involving PTSD, trauma-related symptoms, functional impact, and alternative explanations. Services may include attorney consultation, clinical and forensic interviewing, review of relevant medical, mental health, employment, or educational records, psychological testing when appropriate, and a comprehensive written report.
Before the evaluation begins, Dr. Val discusses the referral question, scope of services, required records, fees, jurisdictional considerations, and anticipated timeline. Her role is to provide an objective professional opinion based on the available information. A particular legal, employment, disability, or benefits outcome cannot be guaranteed.
Clinical Psychological Second Opinions
A fresh perspective when questions remain
Sometimes a previous diagnosis or evaluation provides useful information but does not fully explain what you or your child is experiencing. You may receive conflicting recommendations, feel that important concerns were overlooked, or find that treatment based on an earlier conclusion has not been helping.
A clinical psychological second opinion provides an opportunity to step back and look at the full picture again.
Dr. Val reviews the specific questions bringing you to the assessment, along with relevant history, previous testing or records, current functioning, environmental factors, and other available information. This whole-person review can help identify patterns, clarify areas of uncertainty, and provide practical recommendations for what to do next.
A second opinion may confirm, refine, or question an earlier conclusion. It offers an additional professional perspective but does not automatically replace a diagnosis made by another provider.
504 Evaluations & Accommodation Support
Helping students access appropriate support
A 504 plan can provide accommodations for a student whose health or psychological needs substantially affect their functioning at school. These supports are intended to provide equitable access to learning, participation, and other aspects of the school experience.
Determining which accommodations may be appropriate requires more than selecting from a standard list. Effective supports should be individualized, connected to the student’s documented needs, and practical within their learning environment.
Depending on the referral question, Dr. Val may review existing records, clarify concerns with the family, evaluate the student’s functioning, and provide documentation or accommodation recommendations when clinically supported. She can also help families better understand their child’s needs and communicate with school professionals during the planning process.
An evaluation or letter can provide useful clinical information, but it cannot guarantee that a school will approve a particular 504 plan or requested accommodation.
What to Expect
Every assessment is shaped by the person, concern, and referral question.
Although the exact process varies, it may include:
Begin with an inquiry
Share what you are looking for help understanding. You do not need to identify the correct assessment on your own.
Clarify the questions
Dr. Val will determine whether the requested service fits your needs and discuss the proposed scope, process, fees, and available next steps.
Gather relevant information
Depending on the assessment, this may include interviews, developmental or clinical history, questionnaires, previous evaluations, school records, medical information, or other relevant documents.
Complete the evaluation or review
Dr. Val considers the available information and may conduct psychological testing when clinically appropriate. Not every service requires the same type or amount of testing.
Understand the findings
The final stage may include feedback, a written report, recommendations, supporting documentation, or professional consultation, depending on the service being provided.
Throughout the process, the goal is to answer the referral question as clearly and thoughtfully as possible while recognizing the individual’s history, strengths, needs, and circumstances.
Psychological Evaluation Services FAQ's
Diagnostic Clarification / Clinical Second Opinion
- Want clarification of a current or previous diagnosis
- Would like a second opinion regarding a diagnosis they have already received
- Have symptoms that may overlap across several psychological conditions
- Feel that a previous diagnosis does not fully explain their symptoms or functioning
An evaluation may include:
- Comprehensive clinical and diagnostic interview
- Review of previous evaluations and diagnoses
- Review of relevant medical, psychological, treatment, or educational records
- Standardized psychological measures
- Assessment of current symptoms and functioning
- Differential diagnosis
- Individualized treatment and support recommendations
- Feedback session
- Written diagnostic summary or report, when appropriate
Fee - $250 per hour
Most diagnostic clarification and second-opinion evaluations require approximately 4–10 hours of professional time, for an estimated total cost of $1,000–$2,500.
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504 Documentation & Accommodation Recommendations
This is a focused service and does not necessarily require a complete psychological or ADHD re-evaluation.
The service may include:
- Review of the student's previous psychological or diagnostic evaluation
- Review of the current or previous 504 Plan, IEP, school records, or relevant treatment records
- Clinical interview with the student and/or parent
- Review of current symptoms and functioning
- Updated rating scales or other clinical measures when appropriate
- Assessment of how the condition currently affects learning, concentration, test-taking, organization, attendance, emotional functioning, or other areas of school functioning
- Recommendations for reasonable academic accommodations and supports
- A written psychologist's letter or documentation summarizing the relevant diagnosis, current functional impact, and clinically supported accommodation recommendations
Fee - $250 per hour
Focused 504 documentation services generally require approximately 2–3 hours of professional time, for an estimated total cost of $500–$750.
All professional time—including the clinical interview, record review, assessment, consultation, and preparation of the written letter—is included in the hourly billing.
If the existing diagnosis or documentation is not sufficient to support a current clinical opinion, additional assessment or a comprehensive evaluation may be recommended before documentation is provided.
A psychologist's letter and recommendations provide information for the school to consider but do not automatically establish eligibility for a Section 504 Plan or guarantee specific accommodations. The school's Section 504 team makes the final eligibility and accommodation decisions.
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Comprehensive ADHD Evaluations
There is no single test that determines whether someone has ADHD. A comprehensive evaluation considers symptoms, developmental history, functioning across settings, and other psychological, medical, educational, or environmental factors that may contribute to similar difficulties.
Depending on the individual and the referral question, the evaluation may include:
- Comprehensive developmental and diagnostic interview
- Review of medical, psychological, treatment, and educational history
- Standardized ADHD rating scales
- Parent and teacher questionnaires for children and adolescents, when appropriate
- Assessment of symptoms across different settings
- Executive-functioning measures
- Assessment of attention, working memory, impulsivity, organization, and related areas when clinically relevant
- Performance-based or computerized attention measures when clinically appropriate
- Screening for anxiety, depression, trauma, sleep difficulties, learning concerns, and other conditions that may resemble or occur alongside ADHD
- Additional cognitive or academic assessment when clinically indicated
- Assessment of how symptoms affect school, work, relationships, and daily functioning
- Diagnostic formulation and differential diagnosis
- Individualized treatment, school, workplace, or accommodation recommendations
- Feedback session
- Written psychological report
The specific measures used are selected based on the individual and the questions the evaluation is intended to answer.
Fee - $250 per hour
Most ADHD evaluations require approximately 4–10 hours of professional time, for an estimated total cost of $1,000–$2,500.
The anticipated number of hours and estimated total fee will be discussed before the evaluation begins.
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How Clinical Evaluation Fees Are Calculated
For diagnostic clarification, second-opinion, and ADHD evaluations, most services require approximately 4–10 total hours of professional time, for an estimated total cost of: $1,000–$2,500
The total professional time includes all work required to complete the evaluation, not only the time spent meeting with the psychologist.
- Professional time may include:
- Clinical and diagnostic interviews
- Psychological testing and assessment
- Review of relevant records
- Scoring of assessment measures
- Interpretation and integration of results
- Diagnostic formulation and differential diagnosis
- Development of individualized recommendations
- Report writing
- Feedback session
The total number of hours depends on the referral question, amount of testing required, complexity of the evaluation, records reviewed, and type of written documentation requested.
The anticipated scope, estimated number of hours, and estimated total fee will be discussed before services begin. If additional assessment beyond the original estimate becomes necessary, this will be discussed before additional services are provided.
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Insurance & Reimbursement
Diagnostic clarification, clinical second-opinion, and ADHD evaluations are provided on an out-of-network basis.
I do not bill insurance directly. Payment is made to the practice, and a superbill can be provided for you to submit to your insurance company.
If your insurance plan includes out-of-network benefits for psychological evaluation or testing, you may be eligible for partial reimbursement.
Insurance reimbursement depends on the terms of your individual plan, including:
- Your out-of-network deductible
- How much of your deductible has already been met
- Whether psychological evaluation or testing is a covered service
- Your out-of-network reimbursement percentage
- The insurance company's allowed or recognized amount
- Whether prior authorization is required
A plan that states it reimburses a certain percentage for out-of-network services generally calculates that percentage based on the insurance company's allowed amount after any applicable deductible—not necessarily the full amount paid to the practice.
Insurance reimbursement is not guaranteed.
504 Documentation Services
Insurance coverage for services provided primarily for school accommodation documentation or educational purposes may vary.
A superbill may be available when clinically appropriate, but clients should contact their insurance company directly to determine whether these services are eligible for reimbursement.
Forensic Evaluations
Forensic evaluations are private-pay services and are handled separately from routine clinical insurance reimbursement.
Health insurance should not be assumed to cover an evaluation conducted for a legal, employment, disability, insurance, or other administrative purpose.
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Forensic PTSD / Psychological Injury Evaluation
For individuals involved in a legal, insurance, employment, disability, or other administrative matter in which PTSD, trauma-related symptoms, or psychological injury are at issue.
A forensic evaluation is different from therapy or a routine clinical evaluation. Its purpose is to provide an objective and impartial psychological opinion addressing a specific legal or administrative referral question.
The evaluation may include:
- Comprehensive forensic and diagnostic interview
- Detailed trauma and psychological history
- Review of relevant medical, psychological, employment, educational, or legal records within the agreed-upon scope
- Standardized PTSD and trauma measures
- Assessment of depression, anxiety, and other conditions that may overlap with PTSD
- Symptom and response-validity measures when clinically appropriate
- Consideration of alternative explanations and pre-existing psychological conditions
- Differential diagnosis
- Assessment of functional impairment
- Collateral information when appropriate
- Integration and interpretation of findings
- Comprehensive forensic psychological report
Psychological opinions relevant to the referral question when supported by the available evidence
The $2,500 fee includes the evaluation and written forensic report within the scope agreed upon before the evaluation begins.
Additional Forensic Services
Professional services outside the agreed-upon evaluation are billed at $250 per hour, including:
- Attorney phone calls or consultations
- Additional record review beyond the agreed-upon scope
- Additional report preparation or revisions
- Conferences or collateral contacts
- Deposition preparation and participation
- Court testimony
- Travel time
- Other professional time related to the forensic matter
- A forensic evaluation does not establish a psychotherapy or treatment relationship.
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What Should I Ask My Insurance Company?
“Do I have out-of-network benefits for psychological evaluation and psychological testing performed by a licensed doctoral-level psychologist?”
You may also want to ask:
- What is my out-of-network deductible?
- How much of my deductible has already been met?
- What percentage of the allowed amount will my plan reimburse?
- Does my plan cover psychological testing?
- Is prior authorization required?
- Are there limits on the amount or type of psychological testing covered?
- How does my plan determine its allowed or recognized amount?
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Not sure which service fits?
It is completely understandable if you do not know what kind of assessment to request. Many people reach out because something is not working, previous answers feel incomplete, or they need guidance about what to do next.
Use the secure inquiry form to briefly describe your concerns and what you are hoping to better understand. Dr. Val can help determine whether one of these assessment services is an appropriate next step.
