Testing & Evaluations

Understanding Your Child's Development

When you have questions about your child's development, behavior, or emotional well-being, finding answers can help you understand how best to support them.

At Clear Minded Counseling, we offer screenings and psychological evaluations to help families better understand their child's strengths, identify areas of concern, and determine helpful next steps. Whether you're wondering about autism, ADHD, or other behavioral or emotional concerns, we're here to help you navigate the process.

What Can an Evaluation Help With?

We offer services related to:

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): Understanding social communication, interaction, play, and developmental differences.
ADHD: Exploring concerns with attention, impulsivity, activity level, and self-regulation.
Behavioral Concerns: Understanding challenging behaviors and identifying helpful supports.
Emotional and Mood Concerns: Exploring emotional difficulties that affect a child's daily life and well-being.

Every child is different, and sometimes it can be difficult to understand what is behind a child's struggles. Screening and testing can help clarify concerns and guide decisions about the support a child may need.

The right next step depends on your child's needs. Our process begins with a screening or record review to help determine appropriate recommendations and whether further evaluation may be beneficial.

How Do I Get Started?

You can get started by contacting us directly or by having your child's doctor send a referral. The first step depends on your child's age and the concerns you'd like to address.

Step 1: Complete the Initial Paperwork

Before your child's screening or record review, we'll need an initial questionnaire along with relevant records from your child's primary care provider, other therapists (such as occupational, speech, or physical therapy), and school.

All paperwork and records must be received at least one week before the scheduled appointment. Once we receive your information, we'll send an introductory email with additional details about the process.

Step 2: Screening or Record Review

For children ages 2–7 being considered for an autism evaluation, the first step is a one-hour screening appointment. For children ages 7–11, the initial step is a review of records to help determine appropriate recommendations. Initial screenings are conducted by Bailey Todd.

Step 3: Recommendations and Next Steps

After reviewing your child's information, we'll provide recommendations for services and supports that may be helpful. If further testing is recommended, we'll discuss the next steps and explain what to expect during the evaluation process

What to Expect During Testing

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Evaluations

If a full autism evaluation is recommended, a separate four-hour appointment will be scheduled. Parents and teachers will complete questionnaires and rating scales to help us understand your child's development, behavior, and experiences across settings.

The information gathered helps inform the evaluation and guide recommendations for your child.

Other Diagnostic Evaluations

Depending on your child's needs, further diagnostic testing may also be recommended to explore concerns such as ADHD or behavioral, emotional, or mood-related disorders. The recommended approach will depend on your child's individual concerns and the information gathered during the initial screening or record review.

Insurance & Scheduling

At this time, we accept Blue Cross Blue Shield (Wellmark), Sanford Health Plan, and Avera Health Plans for testing services. Coverage and benefits vary by plan, so we encourage families to check with us about their specific insurance.

Please note: The initial screening has a $50 fee and is not billed to insurance. This fee is paid out of pocket. We'll help clarify the next steps and applicable costs if further testing is recommended.

Screenings and testing appointments are scheduled on Tuesdays. Full autism evaluations are offered at 8:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.

Ready to Get Started?

If you have questions about screening or testing for your child, I'm happy to help you determine the next step.

Contact me directly to discuss your child's needs, ask questions about the process, or schedule an appointment.

Call or text: 605-951-6560

Email: ellykeller@clearmindedcounseling.com