Find the right assessment pathway for your question

People come to us with very different questions, and each one has its own assessment pathway. A family lawyer may need to understand a parent’s strengths and needs. A daughter may want to know whether her father can still sign an enduring power of attorney. Someone may be wondering whether they are autistic.

So each question has its own path. These guides map each path step by step, so you know who can refer, what happens, how long it takes and what you will receive.

Choose your assessment pathway

Referring a client? Our referral guide for professionals explains how to send a referral and documents securely, and what happens next.

What every assessment pathway has in common

The details change from question to question, but most assessments follow these steps.

1. 1

   Referral

   Day 0

   What happens

   A doctor, lawyer, case manager, school, agency or the person themselves contacts us with the question that needs answering.

   What you can do

   Tell us the decision or question the report should help with, as well as any deadline.

2. 2

   We get in touch

   Within 2 business days

   What happens

   Our admin team contacts the referrer, then the person being assessed, to explain the process, fees and who pays.

   What you can do

   Also let us know about interpreters, access needs, pain or fatigue.

3. 3

   Records and planning

   Before the appointment

   What happens

   The clinician then reads the referral and relevant records, and plans the assessment around the questions asked.

   What you can do

   Send only documents that relate to the question. In fact, a short, relevant set is most useful.

4. 4

   Assessment

   Usually several hours, with breaks

   What happens

   Interviews, questionnaires and, where needed, tasks on memory, attention and thinking. With consent, we may also speak with family or others.

   What you can do

   Also bring glasses, hearing aids and a list of medicines. Ask for breaks when you need them.

5. 5

   Report and next steps

   Usually 2 to 3 weeks

   What happens

   Finally, a written report answers the questions asked, with reasons. It then goes to the person or organisation that requested it.

   What you can do

   Ask about a feedback session, and what supports or next steps the report suggests.

Why the question shapes the assessment pathway

A good assessment is shaped by the question it needs to answer. A report for a capacity decision looks at one specific decision at one point in time. By contrast, a report for an insurance claim focuses on work and function. A parenting assessment, on the other hand, centres on a child’s needs. When referrers set out clear questions, the report can answer them directly and clearly.

How Invictus Health can help

Our psychologists and neuropsychologists provide medico-legal assessments, decision-making capacity assessments, personal injury and work capacity assessments and ADHD and autism assessments, with clinics across Australia. Neuropsychology reports are also reviewed by Dr Judy Tang OAM. You can check any psychologist’s registration on the Ahpra register of practitioners.

Our fees are also listed on our fees and rebates page. If cost is a barrier, please talk to us. We have these conversations all the time, and it’s OK to ask. This article is general information and is not legal advice.