Can a psychologist diagnose ADHD?

Yes.

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The Australian Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guideline for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) states that any practitioner that is registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency and is sufficiently trained and experienced in ADHD assessments, can diagnose ADHD.​

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All our clinicians are trained and supervised in the assessment of ADHD in accordance to the Australian Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guideline's. To review these guidelines, click on this link.

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Who do I see to get medication after an assessment with ADHD Therapy Australia?

We have psychiatrists who participate in our assessment programs.

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These psychiatrists will use the information that we collect in our ADHD assessment as a part of their medical assessment. They will also check your or your child's physical health and give a second opinion about the results of the assessment. Since they use the information we collected, typically fewer sessions are needed, and this lowers the cost of seeing a psychiatrist.

 

The exception for this is if there are significant mental health or physical conditions present, or if there is difficulty collecting collaborative information from other people about your ADHD related behaviours. In these cases, more sessions may be required before you may be able to start treatment.

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For the latest information about our participating psychiatrists' availability and cost, please contact us. If you could mention which state you live in in the email, that is usually quite helpful.

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Can my GP prescribe the initial dose of ADHD medication?

 

This depends on which state you live in, and we suggest checking the AADPA guide linked here, and contacting your GP before making a booking.

While training programs are currently running to train certain GPs to prescribe the initial dose of medication, to our best knowledge, GPs cannot yet prescribe the initial dose of ADHD stimulant medication in all states except QLD. At the moment, GPs in QLD can prescribe the initial dose of ADHD medication, although we suggest checking with your GP if they do this as a part of their practice.

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Are there circumstances where you would advise not booking an assessment with ADHD Therapy Australia?

 

Yes.

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If you have had a history of schizophrenia, are currently suicidal or have experienced psychosis, we typically suggest that you get assessed for ADHD while seeing a psychiatrist for long-term, ongoing treatment, ideally in person.​

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If you have more questions, please send us an email.
 

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Will you be able to prescribe me medication?

No.

 

A psychiatrist has trained as a medical doctor and can prescribe medication. A psychologist is not a medical doctor and can't prescribe medication. However, both professionals are trained in assessment and diagnosis. Psychologists also focus more on the behavioural support and treatment of conditions like ADHD.

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How much does an assessment cost?

 

$540. This is the only payment you make and covers the total cost of the assessment.

 

This fee includes:

• Clinician reviewing the pre-screening survey

• 60 minute clinical interview

• Review of school reports cards and/or additional surveys

• Comprehensive written report

• Feedback session explaining your results and suggesting next steps for treatment

• Post assessment ‘What’s Next’ pack

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It is important to note that if you choose to seek a medical assessment after the diagnosis (e.g., for medication treatment) you will need to see a psychiatrist and pay their fee separately.

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The cost of an ADHD assessment in Australia can vary greatly, usually ranging anywhere from $1500 to $3000. The lowered cost of our assessment can help assess for ADHD to a point where you can determine whether seeing a psychiatrist would be helpful and makes it more affordable to see a psychiatrist after the assessment.

 

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Can I use a mental health care plan or get a Medicare rebate?

 

No.

 

Medicare mental health care plans do not apply to assessments. This means that we cannot accept mental health care plans for assessments.

 

You may be able to claim your assessment under your private health insurance. Please check with your insurer about your individual policy before booking your assessment.

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What can I expect once I book the assessment?

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Once you have booked a session for your clinical interview, your pre-screening survey will be emailed for you to complete.

 

In your clinical interview (via telehealth) your psychologist will ask several questions about your behaviour and how it affects your daily life.

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How quickly will I receive my results?

 

Unless otherwise notified by your psychologist, you will receive your assessment results within two weeks from the date of your interview.

 

I was diagnosed with ADHD as a child. Will I still need an assessment as an adult?

 

Not necessarily.

 

If you have been diagnosed as a child, usually you do not need another ADHD assessment as an adult.

 

You might be better to look at support or therapy for your ADHD and/or book into see a psychiatrist to discuss treatment/medication options.

 

If your psychiatrist has asked you to have a new assessment for ADHD, or you would like to re-explore your diagnosis of ADHD, you are welcome to book an assessment with us here. 

 

We also offer therapy to assist you in working with your symptoms of ADHD.  You can book a therapy appointment here.

 

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Why do I need to fill in the pre-screening survey?

 

ADHD assessments typically take two to three hours to complete. We use the pre-screening survey to gather information efficient and structure your clinical interview. This also helps reduce our assessment cost.

 

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I have difficulty with reading and writing. Do I need to fill in the pre-screening survey?

 

Yes, we do need you to complete the pre-screening survey, but we understand that some people seeking an ADHD assessment might have trouble reading or writing. If that's the case for you, please contact our admin team. Our team will be in touch with you to ensure that your assessment is accessible.

 

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Do I need to have other people fill in surveys about my behaviour?

Yes.

 

This is a part of the diagnostic criteria for ADHD. Without this data, the results of your assessment may be affected. However, your psychologist will be able to discuss a treatment plan to help you support your symptoms and further clarify your diagnosis. Please contact our admin team before booking if you would like to discuss this further.

 

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I don’t have access to primary school reports. Do I need to have these to complete an assessment?

 

No.

 

Primary school reports can give excellent information about ADHD related behaviours and your developmental history, and we encourage people to send them to us when available.

 

However, we recognise that some people may not have access to these reports, which is ok. We will ask you to get two family members or friends to complete surveys and a person who knew you under the age of 18 to complete some surveys instead.

 

Please note for the person completing surveys about you as a child, must be a person who was an adult at the time you were a child (e.g., parent, relative, family friend, older sibling). We may not be able to accept surveys from friends or younger and same age siblings.

 

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I don’t have people I can send a survey to. Can I still have an assessment?

 

Yes. Please understand though, this may affect the results of your ADHD assessment.

 

While this is a very helpful step to complete, we recognise that some people may not have friends or family who they feel could complete a survey. We would ask these people to ask to speak to our principal psychologist to discuss how we can accommodate this in your assessment before making a booking, as a lack of corroborative information about current or childhood symptoms may make a diagnosis difficult to make or may result in more appointments being needed by a psychiatrist.

 

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What if I do the assessment and don’t have ADHD?

 

That's okay.

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We look at ADHD assessments as a way of exploring your behaviour and mental health beyond a diagnosis. If you do not meet the diagnostic criteria, your psychologist will provide you with suggestions for further treatment and will provide information on how you may begin to seek this treatment.

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Does ADHD Therapy Australia assess people under the age of 17?

 

Yes.

 

We offer assessments from 5 years of age.

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Do you accept payment plans?

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Yes.

 

You can use Paypal's Pay in 4 feature to pay 4 payments of $135 for your appointment. This can be done at the payment stage of booking through Paypal.

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