Diagnostic Evaluations
Comprehensive psychological, psychiatric, and psychoeducational assessments for children and teens in Western Pennsylvania
An accurate diagnosis is the foundation of everything that follows. Without it, treatment is guesswork — targeting the wrong condition, missing co-occurring issues, or applying interventions that don't fit. At Help For Your Child, diagnostic evaluations are conducted by Dr. John Carosso, Psy.D. — a licensed clinical psychologist with more than three decades of experience in child and teen assessment — with psychiatric evaluation provided by Dr. Robert Lowenstein, M.D. when clinically indicated.
Our evaluations go beyond assigning a label. We identify your child's unique strengths, areas of challenge, the specific factors driving their behavioral or emotional concerns, and the precise recommendations needed to move forward. That detailed understanding becomes the roadmap for all future treatment planning.
Types of Evaluations We Provide
Psychological Evaluations
A broad clinical assessment of a child's behavioral, emotional, and developmental functioning. Includes clinical interviews, standardized rating scales, direct observation, and — when indicated — cognitive and academic testing. Appropriate for children presenting with behavioral concerns, emotional difficulties, suspected ADHD, anxiety, depression, ODD, trauma, or developmental delays.
Psychiatric Evaluations
Conducted by Dr. Lowenstein, a psychiatric evaluation provides a medical assessment of a child's mental health status, including diagnosis and recommendations for medication when appropriate. Psychiatric evaluations are conducted for children and teens presenting with virtually any emotional or behavioral symptom, including ADHD, anxiety, depression, ODD, autism spectrum disorder, OCD, PTSD, reactive attachment disorder, psychosis, and intellectual disability.
Psychoeducational Evaluations
A specialized evaluation assessing cognitive ability, academic achievement, and processing skills to identify learning disabilities including dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, auditory and visual processing disorders, and executive function deficits. Essential for families seeking IEP or 504 Plan eligibility and for students requiring standardized testing accommodations (SAT, ACT, college).
ADHD Evaluations
A focused assessment specifically designed to confirm or rule out ADHD, identify its presentation type (inattentive, hyperactive, or combined), and screen for co-occurring conditions that frequently accompany ADHD — including anxiety, depression, and learning disabilities. Includes parent and teacher rating scales, clinical interview, and — when indicated — cognitive and neuropsychological testing.
School Accommodation Evaluations
An evaluation specifically designed to produce documentation meeting the legal and clinical requirements for school accommodations through an IEP or 504 Plan, or for testing accommodations through the College Board, ACT, or other standardized testing agencies. These evaluations are conducted by Dr. Carosso and produce a comprehensive written report with specific, actionable accommodation recommendations.
Autism Spectrum Evaluations
For comprehensive autism assessments for children and teens, please visit our sister practice: Autism Centers of Pittsburgh.
Visit Autism Centers of Pittsburgh →What to Expect During an Evaluation
Intake & Scheduling
When you first contact HFYC, our intake team will be here to guide you through the next steps. We'll gather some initial information about your child's concerns, confirm insurance coverage and any needed authorization, and schedule the evaluation. Ready to get started? Please complete our Child & Teen Intake Form, and our team will walk you through what comes next.
We also welcome new patient referrals from pediatricians, family physicians, school psychologists, and other providers.
Parent Interview
The evaluation process begins with a detailed clinical interview with parents or guardians. Dr. Carosso gathers comprehensive information about your child's developmental history, family dynamics, school performance, behavioral concerns, medical history, and any prior evaluations or treatments. This context is essential to interpreting the testing results accurately.
Child Interview & Observation
Dr. Carosso spends direct time with your child in a comfortable, non-threatening environment. This session allows clinical observation of the child's behavior, communication style, emotional responses, and interpersonal presentation — information that standardized tests alone cannot capture.
Standardized Testing
Depending on the presenting concerns and referral questions, Dr. Carosso administers a battery of standardized assessments. These may include cognitive ability measures, academic achievement tests, neuropsychological processing measures, behavioral and emotional rating scales, and condition-specific diagnostic instruments. Teacher rating scales and school records are incorporated when relevant.
School Records Review
With your permission, HFYC reviews teacher reports, academic records, prior evaluation reports, and any relevant school documentation. This records review provides essential context that enriches the interpretation of clinical and testing findings.
Post-Testing Follow-Up
After the evaluation, parents can expect a follow-up email within 24 to 48 hours that includes a summary of the visit and supportive accommodations. The official, comprehensive report will be shared by mail or email within four weeks of the evaluation.
Final Follow-Up
About one week after you receive your report, Dr. Carosso will reconnect with you to see how you're doing, address any concerns, and answer any questions that may still be on your mind.
Why Choose Us for Your Child's Evaluation
Evaluations are only as useful as the clinician conducting them. Dr. Carosso has spent more than thirty years building expertise in psychological and psychoeducational assessment — and because Dr. Lowenstein is part of the same practice, the psychological and psychiatric dimensions of a complex clinical picture can be reviewed together rather than in isolation.
- •Conducted by a licensed clinical psychologist with 30+ years of assessment experience
- •Psychiatric evaluation available in the same practice when clinically indicated
- •Comprehensive range of evaluation types — psychological, psychiatric, psychoeducational, autism, ADHD, custody
- •Reports are thorough, clear, and actionable — written for families, not just professionals
- •Documentation accepted for IEP, 504 Plan, and standardized testing accommodations
- •Accepted by most major insurance carriers, including Medicaid
- •Five locations across Western Pennsylvania
Frequently Asked Questions
The length varies by evaluation type. A focused ADHD evaluation typically involves two to three appointments totaling four to six hours of clinical time. A comprehensive psychoeducational evaluation or autism evaluation may involve three to four appointments. The process always ends with a feedback session to review findings with parents. Our intake team will give you a specific timeline estimate based on your child's referral concerns.
HFYC is in-network with most major insurance carriers, including Medicaid. Coverage for psychological evaluations varies by plan and by the clinical indication for the evaluation. Our intake team handles all insurance verification prior to the first appointment and will clarify any coverage questions before you commit to scheduling. Private pay options are available for families without applicable coverage.
At the feedback session, Dr. Carosso reviews the findings, explains the diagnosis, and outlines specific recommendations for next steps — which may include therapy, medication evaluation, school accommodations, or further assessment. If ongoing treatment at HFYC is appropriate, we facilitate that transition directly. If another provider is better suited, we provide specific referral recommendations rather than a generic 'seek help' suggestion.
Yes. A private psychoeducational or psychological evaluation conducted by Dr. Carosso produces clinical documentation that meets the legal requirements for school accommodation eligibility under IDEA and Section 504. Schools are legally required to consider private evaluation findings in their eligibility determinations. The written report includes specific accommodation recommendations that families can bring directly to their school's IEP or 504 team.
Yes. HFYC accepts referrals from pediatricians, family physicians, school psychologists, psychiatrists, developmental pediatricians, and other healthcare providers. We also accept existing diagnoses and prescriptions from qualified outside providers when a family is seeking ongoing treatment rather than a new evaluation. Families are also welcome to self-refer.
A psychological evaluation is conducted by Dr. Carosso, a licensed clinical psychologist, and focuses on assessing behavioral, emotional, cognitive, and developmental functioning through clinical interview, observation, and standardized testing. A psychiatric evaluation is conducted by Dr. Lowenstein, a medical doctor and board-certified psychiatrist, and includes a medical assessment of mental health status with particular attention to diagnosis and medication considerations. Many children benefit from both — and having both clinicians in the same practice means those perspectives are integrated rather than siloed.