Frequently Asked Questions

What services do you offer?

  • Comprehensive, multi-modal evaluations for children, adolescents, and adults for a variety of concerns, including ADHD, Learning Disorders, anxiety, memory, and other mental health concerns.
  • Individual therapy for a variety of concerns, including anxiety and anxiety-related disorders, depression, interpersonal concerns, and more.
  • For initiating any services in the clinic, clients (or their parent/guardian if client is under 18 years old) must first complete a brief phone screen by calling 828-262-6639 (Clinic Office).

Do you only provide services for AppState students/staff?
No—we provide services for all individuals, including App State students and members of the community, including youth (i.e., children and adolescents) and adults.

How soon can I be seen?
We currently have a notification list. This means we have more people interested in services than clinicians available. Being that we are in an area with high demand for services and we are a small training clinic primarily staffed by graduate student clinicians, we cannot guarantee if or when a person would be seen. Individuals on our notification list are contacted when there is a clinician with an opening that matches the individual's preferences and needs.

What are the costs?
We can directly bill Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC (Clear Pricing Plan [CPP] provider), Evernorth (previously called Cigna), TennCare (Tennessee Medicaid), Aetna, United Healthcare, Medcost, and Medicaid. We can provide a service invoice for those filing with other insurance providers. Individuals may have a co-pay or deductible depending on their plan and we do not guarantee reimbursement. We can also offer a sliding fee scale based on annual income and household size. The sliding fee scale is updated annually to keep up with federal and local guidelines. Prior to insurance/sliding scale our costs are:

  • Intake sessions are $260.
    • Prior to receiving services, clients attend an intake interview. The purpose of the intake interview is to gather background information and determine whether our services are a good fit for you/your child's needs, and develop an assessment plan.
  • Therapy is $222 per session.
  • For evaluations, the price varies depending on the number of hours the evaluation takes.
    • Child ADHD/full evaluations typically take 10-12 hours, so the price ranges between $1,646 to $1,850 (including the intake session cost).
    • Adult ADHD/psychosocial/full evaluations typically take 6-10 hours, with a set price of $1,385 (including the intake session cost).
    • Learning Disorder evaluations typically take 6-8 hours, so the price ranges between $1,012 to $1,284 (including the intake session cost).
    • Memory evaluations evaluations typically take 6-8 hours, so the price ranges between $1,012 to $1,284 (including the intake session cost).

We accept payment in checks, cash, and Visa or Mastercard credit/debit cards. We are currently unable to accept Discover or Flex Benefit cards.

What are your business hours?
We are open from 9am-5pm, Monday through Thursday – however, note that the Clinic operates under the Appalachian State University schedule.

Do you accept insurance?
We are able to directly bill to Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS), Evernorth (Cigna), Tricare, TennCare (Tennessee Medicaid), Aetna, United Healthcare, and Medicaid. We are considered out-of-network providers for All Savers UHC, and Any out-of-state BCBS plan. Of note, typically out of state plans (such as BCBS for another state outisde of NC) do not cover services if providers are considered out of network. However, we are willing to submit an initial reimbursement attempt for clients. The App State Psychology Clinic does not guarantee clients will be reimbursed by an insurance company (in state or out of state). Clients are responsible for any remaining balance after insurance, however we do offer a sliding scale based on income and household size.  We can provide clients with other insurance carriers with an itemized service invoice so that they may file a claim through their insurance company. However, we cannot guarantee that any insurance company will cover these services and recommend that clients communicate with their insurance company to see if our services (such as Psychological Testing) are covered. Of note, insurance requires proof of “medical necessity” which is established by making a diagnosis. I will need your permission to file on your behalf.

How can a patient obtain a sliding scale reduced fee?

Sliding fee scales are based on annual family income and household size. A copy of the family's most recent tax return or other financial documentation is required in order to verify family income and qualify for a sliding scale fee.

I am calling to refer a client who is not me—how do I do this?
If you are the parent/legal guardian of a child who is under 18 years of age, we can conduct a 15-30 minute phone screening with you (the referring individual), collecting client contact information and some descriptions of the difficulties your child is experiencing.

If you are the parent/legal guardian of a child older than 18 or another referring individual, we can provide you with our contact information and descriptions of the services we provide. You can then pass that information along to the client, and the client can call us as they wish.

Do you prescribe medication?
No. The clinic is not a medical facility. If you or your child are a candidate for medication, you will need to work through a medical doctor, such as a pediatrician, family physician, or psychiatrist.

What is involved with evaluations?
Evaluations will consist of gathering information from you and others who know you well (e.g., family, partners) if the evaluation is for you. If the evaluation is for your child, we will gather information from your child, family, and teachers. Information will be gathered through:

  • An initial intake interview during which we obtain detailed information regarding the symptoms you/your child are experiencing, personal history (e.g., medical history, academic history), and the history of your/your child's current difficulties. The intake will also allow us to determine whether our services are a good fit for you/your child's needs, and attending an intake interview does not guarantee servies at the clinic.
  • A series of tests with you (or your child) that may include: a measure of intelligence, an academic achievement test, tests of attention and concentration, and several additional measures and questionnaires.
  • Information is also generated by interviewing and having individuals close to the client (e.g., parents, teachers) complete a variety of questionnaires regarding symptoms and behavior.
  • If you/your child have ever had a previous evaluation, please bring a copy of the report. If your child has accommodations in the school setting (e.g., IEP or 504 plan), please bring a copy of that plan.

Results will be scored, interpreted, and compiled into a report to be given to you and any other individual you wish to receive these results (e.g., schools, physicians).

More information can be found on our Assessment Services page.

Who conducts the evaluations?
You will be paired with a clinician who will be responsible for scheduling sessions and administering all tests. Our graduate student clinicians are supervised by a licensed psychologist (Dr. Jacqueline Hersh) who oversees the testing process, provides the graduate student with regular feedback, and reviews all reports.

How long will this evaluation take?
The evaluation process differs based on presenting concern and varies from 6-8 to 10-12 hours, which are usually broken into multiple sessions for testing and includes scoring, report writing, and a feedback session. We usually estimate that the evaluation will take about 2 months from the date of the intake interview to the date of the interpretive session. However, this process can be delayed by University breaks, scheduling conflicts, or cancellations, or a delay in obtaining information necessary to the report (e.g., copies of previous evaluations, questionnaires completed by others). Your clinician will keep you notified on the process and stage of the evaluation and will alert you to any delays.

How can I prepare for my evaluation? What should I bring?
We ask that you come to your appointments well-rested and not hungry or thirsty, so that you can put forth your best effort during testing. If you wear hearing aids or eyeglasses, bring them with you to your appointment. Bring your insurance card(s), picture ID, and any relevant medical or psychological records.