Frequently Asked Questions
Below are some frequently asked questions with respect to our services. Please feel free to email us with additional questions.
Please describe the intake process.
We believe it is a great privilege to walk alongside our clients, and we deeply value relationships. We understand that every family’s journey is unique. We want each and everyone of our clients to feel listened to, heard, and supported. During the intake appointment, we seek to understand clients’ perspectives, values, priorities, and needs. We invite clients to complete comprehensive intake paperwork prior to the initial office visit. Please complete an inquiry form to schedule an initial appointment.
Do you offer services online/virtually?
YES! We are glad you asked! We serve clients throughout the state of Illinois. We offer both in-person and remote consultations. We can also attend school meetings or collaborate with school teams and private providers virtually or in person as well. We complete all psychoeducational evaluations in-person at our Wheaton office. We also have access to office space in Deerfield for in-person consultations or evaluations.
Do you accept private pay clients as well as clients who prefer to use their insurance?
YES! We work with clients who prefer to pay privately as well as those who do not have insurance coverage. For clients who prefer to use their insurance benefits, we provide a super bill that can be submitted to your insurance company for possilbe out-of-network reimbursement. We find that insurance plans vary widely in terms of coverage for psychoeducational evaluations. For example, academic testing is not a billable service whereas clients may receive reimbursement for psychological and neuropsychological testing. Our practice is shifting to a private pay model for all evaluations. However, we are happy to walk families through the process of submitting super bills for possible reimbursement.
Good Faith Estimate
You have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much your medical and mental health care will cost. Under the law, health care providers need to give patients who don’t have insurance or who are not using insurance an estimate of the expected charges for medical services. You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency healthcare services, including psychotherapy services. You can ask your heath care provider for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule a service. If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill. Make sure to save a copy or picture of your Good Faith Estimate.
For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises.
Please contact our office at (214)227-7741 if you’d like to request a Good Faith Estimate.
Do you conduct evaluations to determine whether a child has a learning disability or is otherwise eligible for special education services?
YES! We conduct comprehensive cognitive, academic, and social-emotional evaluations to identify children’s unique strengths and needs. We are particularly passionate about evaluating children who struggle with reading (Dyslexia). We also conduct evaluations for children who may qualify for gifted and talented services or who require testing for selective school enrollments. Our evaluators are licensed school psychologists who have conducted countless evaluations to help determine eligibility for special education services and to support educational planning. School districts are required to review and consider results of private evaluations. However, all decisions regarding eligibility and entitlement for IEPs or Section 504 plans are made by multidisciplinary school teams (which include parents as meaningful participants).
I think my child may have Dyslexia! Should I pursue a comprehensive psychoeducational evaluation or a Dyslexia Screening? What is the difference?
We are so glad you asked! Many families choose to pursue a comprehensive psychoeducational evaluation to identify neurocognitive, academic, and social emotional strengths and needs. Learning disabilities including Dyslexia cannot be diagnosed without a comprehensive evaluation. Many factors influence how children become skilled readers and underlying conditions such as executive functioning deficits, attention disorders, rapid naming deficits, language deficits, and social emotional needs such as anxiety or depression can contribute to poor reading. Comprehensive evaluations assess all of these areas and are necessary for differential diagnosis. However, there are many reasons why some families may want to begin the process with a Dyslexia screener. First, comprehensive evaluations are time consuming and clinicians often have wait lists. Second, private evaluations are costly and are therefore not accessible to all families. At Kids First Collaborative, our Dyslexia screening process utilizes the same norm-referenced subtests that are part of our broader assessment battery. This means that families can choose to start with a Dyslexia screening and can then choose to continue with a more comprehensive evaluation if indicated. Similarly, families can share Dyslexia screening results with their school teams to help their educators know whether a school-based evaluation is needed. For more information about our Dyslexia screenings, please contact us.
What is your approach to executive functioning coaching?
We provide executive functioning (EF) coaching for older elementary, middle school, high school, and college age students. We begin the coaching process with an intake interview. Next, we administer an assessment to determine your child’s executive functioning strengths and needs and develop short and long term goals. Each week our coaches teach and/or practice a new EF skill, actively monitor grades/homework, identify priorities for the upcoming week, plan, and schedule time needed to complete essential tasks such as writing assignments, completing homework, or preparing for tests and quizzes. We believe in the power of growth mindsets, and we continually support your child in developing grit, perseverance, and a positive self-concept.