Psychiatric Evaluation

Psychiatric Evaluation: What to Expect

A step-by-step guide for parents and adults. What happens before, during, and after your first appointment at NS Psychiatry.

What Is a Psychiatric Evaluation?

A psychiatric evaluation is a comprehensive clinical assessment used to understand what is happening with your mental health, or your child’s mental health, and why. It is the starting point for an accurate diagnosis, a clear treatment plan, and real answers to the questions that brought you here in the first place.

Unlike a standard doctor’s visit, a psychiatric evaluation goes deeper. Your provider takes the time to understand your full history: developmental milestones, family dynamics, school performance, sleep patterns, medical conditions, and the specific symptoms or behaviors that concern you. The goal is not to label your child or check a box. The goal is to figure out exactly what is going on so that treatment can target the right problem from day one.

At NS Psychiatry, every evaluation is conducted under the clinical direction of Jonathan Stevens, M.D., M.P.H., who is Harvard-trained and triple board-certified in general psychiatry, child and adolescent psychiatry, and addiction medicine. Our team uses the PROM (Patient-Reported Outcome Measures) diagnostic tool, a structured clinical interview grounded in the DSM-5, to ensure nothing is missed. This is not a screening questionnaire you fill out in a waiting room. It is a thorough, clinician-guided assessment that takes the full 90 minutes your situation deserves.

We see patients of all ages: children as young as preschool age, adolescents, and adults. You might be a parent seeking answers about your child’s behavior at school, a teenager dealing with anxiety that keeps getting worse, or an adult who suspects they may have ADHD that was never diagnosed. The evaluation process is designed to meet you where you are. Our office is located at 420 US Highway 1, Suite 14 in North Palm Beach, FL 33408, and we also offer telehealth appointments for patients who prefer a virtual visit.

Is It Time?

Who Needs a Psychiatric Evaluation?

You don't need a crisis to schedule an evaluation. Many families come to us because something feels off and they want clarity.

The School Flagged a Concern

A teacher, counselor, or school psychologist has raised concerns about your child's behavior, attention, or emotional regulation in the classroom. Maybe they mentioned testing for ADHD, suggested your child is struggling socially, or recommended an outside evaluation. Schools see your child in a structured environment for hours every day, so when they notice something, it is worth following up with a specialist who can determine what is actually going on.

Your Pediatrician Recommended It

Pediatricians are often the first to notice that something may be beyond the scope of typical development. If your child's doctor has suggested a psychiatric evaluation for attention issues, anxiety, mood changes, or behavioral concerns, they are pointing you toward the right next step. A psychiatrist can provide the specialized, 90-minute assessment that a 15-minute pediatric visit simply does not have time for.

You've Noticed Behavioral Changes

Your child used to sleep through the night and now they can't. They're withdrawing from friends, refusing school, having meltdowns that seem out of proportion, or saying things that worry you. Maybe the changes came on suddenly after a move or a family change, or maybe they've been building slowly for months. Either way, when a parent's instinct says something is wrong, an evaluation can confirm what you're seeing and give you a concrete path forward.

Medication Needs a Second Look

Some families come to us because their child was started on medication by another provider without a thorough evaluation, and it is not helping or is making things worse. Others come because a previous diagnosis does not seem right. A comprehensive psychiatric evaluation can clarify the diagnosis, identify co-occurring conditions that were missed, and ensure the treatment plan actually matches the problem rather than masking it.

What to Expect Step by Step

Knowing what to expect takes the uncertainty out of the process. Here is exactly how a psychiatric evaluation works at NS Psychiatry, from the moment you book to the moment you leave with a plan.

Step 1: Booking Your Appointment

You can book online or call us at (561) 781-9400. No referral is needed. Most new patients are seen within 48 hours, not weeks or months. When you book, you will select your preferred provider and appointment time. Your credit card is collected at booking and charged on the morning of your appointment to confirm your visit. The initial consultation is $450 for up to 90 minutes.

Step 2: Completing the New Patient Packet

After booking, you will receive a new patient intake packet by email. This must be completed and returned at least 48 hours before your appointment. If we do not receive it in time, your appointment will be cancelled. The packet includes demographic information, a detailed history questionnaire, consent forms, and practice policies. Completing it thoroughly gives your provider a head start so that your 90 minutes together are spent on the clinical work, not paperwork. Please note that there is a $300 no-show fee for missed new patient appointments.

Step 3: The PROM Diagnostic Assessment

Before or at the start of your appointment, you will complete the PROM (Patient-Reported Outcome Measures) assessment. This is a structured clinical tool grounded in the DSM-5, the standard diagnostic manual used in psychiatry. The PROM systematically screens for a wide range of conditions including ADHD, anxiety disorders, depression, mood disorders, obsessive-compulsive patterns, trauma responses, and more. It provides your provider with a comprehensive, standardized snapshot of symptoms to pair with the clinical interview that follows. This is not a generic screening questionnaire you fill out in a waiting room and never hear about again. Your provider reviews every response with you and uses it to guide the conversation.

Step 4: The 90-Minute Clinical Interview

This is the core of the visit. Your provider will spend up to 90 minutes with you, or with you and your child, conducting a thorough clinical interview. For children and adolescents, this typically includes time with the parent alone, time with the child, and time together. Your provider will review:

Developmental history, including pregnancy, birth, early milestones, and childhood medical history
Current symptoms: what you are seeing at home, at school, and in social settings, and how long these concerns have been present
Family psychiatric history, including conditions that run in the family, since many psychiatric disorders have a significant genetic component
Academic and social functioning: report cards, teacher feedback, friendships, extracurricular involvement, and behavioral patterns across settings
Sleep, appetite, and daily routines, which are often the first things disrupted by a psychiatric condition and are important diagnostic clues
Prior treatment, including any medications tried, therapy history, previous diagnoses, and what has or has not worked in the past

The interview is conversational, not interrogative. Our providers are experienced at putting families at ease and meeting children at their developmental level. If your child is nervous, that is completely normal, and we are prepared for it.

Step 5: Diagnosis and Initial Treatment Plan

At the end of the evaluation, your provider will share their clinical findings with you in plain language. In most cases, you will leave with a working diagnosis, a clear explanation of what it means, and the beginning of a treatment plan. This may include medication recommendations, referrals for therapy, behavioral strategies for home and school, guidance on school accommodations such as a 504 plan or IEP, or a combination of approaches. If additional information is needed, such as school records, teacher rating scales, or formal psychological testing, your provider will explain exactly what they need and why before scheduling a follow-up.

How to Prepare for Your Appointment

A little preparation goes a long way. The more information your provider has walking in, the more accurate and efficient the evaluation will be. Here is what to have ready.

Gather Records

Bring any relevant medical records, previous psychological or educational testing, report cards, teacher comments, IEP or 504 plan documents, and notes from your pediatrician or therapist. If your child has been evaluated before, even if that diagnosis did not feel right, bring those reports. They provide useful clinical context and help your provider understand what has already been explored. You do not need to have everything perfectly organized. Bring what you have.

Prepare a Medication List

Write down every medication you or your child is currently taking, including the name, dosage, and how long it has been prescribed. Include over-the-counter supplements and vitamins. Also list any medications that were tried in the past: what they were, how long they were taken, and the reason they were stopped (did not help, caused side effects, etc.). This history saves valuable appointment time and helps your provider avoid recommending something that has already been tried.

Write Down Your Questions

It is easy to forget what you wanted to ask once you are in the room. Write down your top concerns and questions beforehand. What are you most worried about? What does a typical bad day look like? What specific behaviors or symptoms prompted you to schedule this evaluation? What do you hope to learn from this visit? These details help your provider understand the full picture quickly, and having them written down ensures nothing gets left out.

What to Tell Your Child

If your child is old enough to understand, let them know they are going to meet a doctor who helps kids with feelings and behavior. Keep it simple and honest. You might say something like, “We’re going to talk to someone who can help us understand why some things feel hard for you.” Avoid framing it as punishment or as something they did wrong. For younger children, letting them know they can bring a comfort item like a stuffed animal, a favorite toy, or a fidget can help them feel safe. For teenagers, being straightforward about why you scheduled the appointment tends to work better than being vague. They may not be thrilled about it, but honesty builds trust and sets a better tone for the visit.

After the Evaluation

The evaluation is not the end. It is the beginning. Here is what happens after your first visit at NS Psychiatry.

Your Treatment Plan

You will leave your first appointment with a treatment plan tailored to the diagnosis and your specific circumstances. For some patients, this includes starting medication. For others, it may involve therapy referrals, behavioral strategies for home and school, environmental changes, or a period of watchful monitoring before making further decisions. Every plan is individualized. There is no default protocol we apply to everyone. Your provider will walk you through the reasoning behind each recommendation so you understand the plan and the thinking behind it.

Medication, If Recommended

If medication is part of your treatment plan, your provider will explain exactly what they are recommending and why, including how the medication works, what to watch for in the first days and weeks, potential side effects, and how long it typically takes to see results. We start with the lowest effective dose and adjust carefully based on your response. If you and your provider agree that medication is the right next step, a prescription can often be sent to your pharmacy the same day. You will never be pressured into a medication decision. This is a conversation, not a prescription pad.

Follow-Up Schedule

Follow-up visits are $225 and typically last 30 to 45 minutes. If medication was started, your first follow-up is usually within two to four weeks so your provider can assess how things are going and make adjustments if needed. Once a stable treatment plan is established, visits are typically spaced to every two to three months. Follow-ups are available in-person at our North Palm Beach office or by telehealth, so you do not have to pull your child out of school for every appointment.

Coordinated Care

With your permission, we coordinate with your child’s pediatrician, therapist, school counselor, or any other providers involved in their care. A good treatment plan works best when everyone is on the same page. We can also provide the clinical documentation that schools require for accommodations, including letters supporting a 504 plan or IEP with specific accommodation recommendations based on the diagnosis.

Know the Difference

Psychiatric Evaluation for Children vs Adults

The core process is the same: a thorough clinical assessment leading to diagnosis and a treatment plan. But the approach looks different depending on the patient's age.

Children & Adolescents

For younger patients, the evaluation relies heavily on parent input, developmental history, and observations across multiple settings: home, school, and social environments. Your provider will spend time with you as the parent to gather the developmental timeline, behavioral patterns, and school feedback. They will also spend time with your child directly, at a level appropriate for their age. For young children, this may involve play-based observation. For teens, a portion of the interview is often conducted privately to give the adolescent space to share things they may not say in front of a parent. Dr. Stevens is board certified in child and adolescent psychiatry, and our entire team is experienced at making young patients feel comfortable, even the ones who do not want to be there.

Adults

Adult evaluations focus on the patient's self-reported symptoms, personal history, functional impact, and treatment goals. Your provider will ask about work performance, relationships, sleep patterns, substance use, and how symptoms affect daily life. Many adults come to us because they were never properly evaluated as children. They are recognizing lifelong patterns of inattention, chronic anxiety, mood instability, or difficulty functioning that they want to finally understand. Others come because they have been managed by a primary care provider for years and are not seeing improvement. A thorough psychiatric evaluation often reveals nuances that were missed, like a co-occurring condition, a medication mismatch, or a diagnosis that needs to be reconsidered entirely.

Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions About Psychiatric Evaluations

How much does a psychiatric evaluation cost at NS Psychiatry?

The initial psychiatric evaluation is $450 for up to 90 minutes. This includes the PROM diagnostic assessment, the comprehensive clinical interview, and the beginning of a treatment plan. Follow-up visits are $225. Sessions with Dr. Stevens, our medical director, are $950 (initial) and $450 (follow-up). We are a self-pay practice with transparent pricing, no surprise fees, and no insurance delays. We can provide a superbill that you may submit to your insurance for potential out-of-network reimbursement.

How long does a psychiatric evaluation take?

Your initial evaluation is up to 90 minutes. This is significantly longer than what most practices offer, and we take that time because a thorough evaluation requires it. Your provider will complete the PROM diagnostic assessment, conduct a detailed clinical interview, review your history, discuss findings, and begin building a treatment plan. Some families feel like they finally have real answers after just this one visit.

Can I do a psychiatric evaluation by telehealth?

In many cases, yes. Telehealth evaluations are available for patients who prefer a virtual visit or who live farther from our North Palm Beach office. We will confirm whether telehealth is appropriate for your situation when you book. Follow-up visits are almost always available by video, so you do not have to come into the office every time.

What if my child won't cooperate during the evaluation?

This is completely normal, and our providers are trained to work with children who are nervous, resistant, or having a hard day. We adjust our approach based on the child's age and comfort level. Even if your child doesn't say much, we gather a tremendous amount of clinical information from your observations as the parent, school records, and behavioral history. A difficult appointment does not mean an incomplete evaluation.

Will my child be prescribed medication at the first visit?

It depends on the clinical picture. In some cases, medication is recommended as part of the initial treatment plan, and if you and your provider agree, a prescription can be sent to your pharmacy the same day. In other cases, we may suggest behavioral strategies, therapy referrals, or a period of observation before starting medication. We never prescribe without a thorough evaluation, and every decision is discussed with you first.

Do I need a referral for a psychiatric evaluation?

No. You can book directly through our website without a referral or prior authorization. Many families come to us after a pediatrician or school recommended an evaluation, but the referral itself is not required. You can also call us at (561) 781-9400 if you have questions before booking.

Psychiatric Evaluation

Ready to Get Answers?

Schedule a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation. Most new patients are seen within 48 hours. Call us at (561) 781-9400.

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