Autism Assessment

How a Psychologist Can Help You Understand Autism

If you have wondered if yourself or your child might have autism, or if you’ve been told by a teacher, doctor, or other professional that an autism assessment might be worthwhile, a formal evaluation with a psychologist can provide clarity, validation, and access to the support you need. At Suntree Wellness in Milton, Ontario, our psychologist provides comprehensive autism assessments for children, teens, and adults.

Because autism presents differently in every person, and because many of its features overlap with ADHD, anxiety, and other conditions, an accurate diagnosis requires a thorough, individualized evaluation. A formal autism assessment is also the documentation required to access programs like the Ontario Autism Program (OAP), Developmental Services Ontario (DSO), and school-based supports.

What Happens During an Autism Assessment?

An autism assessment at Suntree Wellness includes several steps designed to build a complete picture of an individual’s strengths, challenges, and support needs:

  • Intake Session
    • We begin with a 60-minute interview (in-person or virtual) to learn about developmental history, current challenges, and how autism-related traits are showing up at home, school, or work. For children and teens, parents play an important role in this session, providing context that helps shape the assessment.
  • In-Person Testing
    • Your child (or you) will attend one in-person testing session of approximately three hours. This includes the ADOS-2 (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition), one of the gold standard tools for autism assessment, alongside autism-specific questionnaires completed by people who know the person well (parents, spouse, sibling, close friend), and/or the individual themselves.
    • Depending on the referral question, the assessment can also include evaluation for ADHD (which often co-occurs with autism), assessment for an intellectual disability or giftedness, or other assessment questions developed collaboratively with the client. As with all our assessments, screening for anxiety, depression, trauma, OCD, and other conditions that can mimic or co-occur with autism is also included.
  • Feedback Session
    • In a feedback session (virtual or in-person), your psychologist reviews all findings, discusses any diagnoses, and provides detailed recommendations for treatment, school or workplace accommodations, and next steps — including which programs or services the results may support access to.
  • Written Report
    • A few weeks after testing, you’ll receive a formal written report summarizing results, diagnoses, and personalized recommendations. This report can be shared with schools, doctors, therapists, the Ontario Autism Program (OAP), Developmental Services Ontario (DSO), the CRA for Disability Tax Credit (DTC) eligibility, or employers to support access to services and accommodations. However, it is important to note that having autism does not automatically guarantee that someone will qualify for these services.

While formal follow-ups aren’t required, clients are always welcome to contact us with additional questions or to pursue therapy, coaching, or further support.

What Is an Autism Assessment Used For?

A formal autism assessment is often specifically required, not just helpful, in a number of situations:

  • Accessing the Ontario Autism Program (OAP) — a formal psychological assessment with an autism diagnosis is required for eligibility
  • Accessing Developmental Services Ontario (DSO) — for adults and older teens with cognitive or intellectual challenges needing longer-term support
  • Obtaining school accommodations or an IEP — a formal diagnosis supports access to additional resources and support in the classroom, including at college and university
  • Understanding why social situations and relationships feel difficult — especially for teens and adults who have struggled without a clear explanation
  • Clarifying a diagnosis — when ADHD, anxiety, OCD, or other conditions have been identified but something still feels unexplained
  • Assessing for autism in adults — including those who may have been missed or misdiagnosed earlier in life

How Do I Know If an Autism Assessment Is Right?

You might consider an autism assessment if you or your child experiences:

  • Difficulty or differences with social communication or understanding unwritten social rules
  • Sensory sensitivities to sounds, textures, lights, or other stimuli
  • Strong, focused interests in specific topics or activities (e.g., specific TV shows or movies, dinosaurs, minerals)
  • Preference for routines and difficulty with unexpected changes
  • Challenges reading facial expressions, tone of voice, or body language
  • Feeling socially exhausted or like social interactions require significant effort
  • Being told by teachers, doctors, or other professionals that autism may be worth exploring

Because many of these traits overlap with anxiety, ADHD, OCD, and other conditions, an autism assessment with a psychologist ensures that all possibilities are carefully considered and that any diagnosis reflects the full picture.

Autism Assessment Costs

Psychological assessments are not covered by OHIP but may be reimbursed through private insurance. At Suntree Wellness, an autism assessment is billed at $255 per hour, totaling 9 hours ($2,295). Psychological services do not require HST.

This includes:

  • Intake session: 1 hour
  • Testing sessions: 3 hours (one in-person session)
  • Feedback session: 1 hour
  • Scoring and report writing: 4 hours

We offer direct billing to some insurance providers and provide detailed invoices for reimbursement. Please check with your insurer before starting your assessment to confirm coverage and documentation requirements.

Special Notes for Parents

For children and teen assessments, parents play an especially important role — developmental history and observations from home and school are a valuable part of the autism assessment process. Parents typically attend the intake and feedback sessions and can be included on the invoice. We will also ask your child’s teacher or another familiar adult to complete a brief questionnaire about how your child is functioning at school or in social settings, but this is not required.

Can the Assessment Help Access Programs Like the Ontario Autism Program (OAP) or Developmental Services Ontario (DSO)?

Yes, in many cases. If the assessment results support eligibility, our psychologist can assist with completing the required documentation for programs such as the Ontario Autism Program (OAP), Developmental Services Ontario (DSO), or the Disability Tax Credit (DTC). This is done after the assessment process is completed and is billed separately at our standard rate of $255 per hour — paperwork typically takes up to 30 minutes to complete. We’re happy to discuss which programs may be relevant to your situation during your feedback session.

What Are My Next Steps?

We invite you to contact Suntree Wellness by email or phone to book the initial intake or schedule a free 15-minute consultation to learn more about about autism assessments, psychoeducational assessments, or ADHD testing in Milton, Ontario.

📧 info@suntreewellness.com 📞 (905) 288-7169

Suntree Wellness is a psychology clinic serving Milton and nearby communities including Oakville, Mississauga, Georgetown, Halton Hills, Burlington, and Brampton.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)

The ADOS-2 (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition) is a gold standard tool for autism assessment and is used by psychologists and other specialists worldwide. During the assessment, your child or teen engages in a series of structured and semi-structured activities with the psychologist, things like conversation, play, and problem-solving tasks, while the psychologist observes and records specific social communication behaviours. It is not a pass/fail test; it is an observational tool designed to give the psychologist a standardized way to observe autism-related traits in a real interaction. Most children and teens find it feels more like spending time with someone than being tested.

No referral is needed. You can contact Suntree Wellness directly to book a free 15-minute consultation and get the process started. A referral from your family doctor or pediatrician is not required for a private psychological assessment in Ontario, although it can be helpful to share any reports or documentation from other providers that are relevant.

Waitlists for psychological assessments in the Milton and Halton region can be lengthy at many clinics. We currently have immediate availability, but this can change quickly and also depends on your schedule. We encourage you to reach out by email or phone to learn more about our current wait times and booking process.

The feedback session, where the psychologist walks you through the findings and recommendations, is usually done 1 to 2 weeks after testing is completed. This feedback session is also a final opportunity for the psychologist to ask clarifying questions to provide the most accurate diagnoses and recommendations. The written report is provided 1 to 3 weeks after the feedback session is completed.

Keep it low-pressure and honest. Something like: “We’re going to meet with a psychologist, who wants to get to know you — how you think, what you enjoy, and what kinds of things feel easy or hard for you. You’ll do some activities together, answer some questions, and just have a conversation. There are no right or wrong answers, and you can’t fail. We just want to understand you better so we can make sure you have the right support.” For children who may feel anxious about new situations, it can help to remind them that the session is relaxed and conversational, not like a school test.

Yes. Because autism often co-occurs with other conditions, our standard autism assessment includes time to assess for other conditions. However, if a family is looking for an assessment to includes autism testing, ADHD testing, and looking at cognitive functioning (IQ) or learning disabilities, then a psychoeducational assessment is a better fit. If you have questions about which assessment to do, contact the Suntree Wellness clinic for a 15-minute consultation.

Yes, and this is a pretty common situation. ADHD and autism are distinct conditions that frequently co-occur, and an existing ADHD diagnosis does not rule out autism. If your child’s challenges feel only partially explained by their ADHD diagnosis, or if social communication difficulties, sensory sensitivities, or a strong need for routine have been present, an autism assessment may provide important additional clarity.

Yes. Many adults reach adulthood without ever receiving an autism diagnosis, sometimes because their traits were less obvious, masked over time, or diagnosed as anxiety or other conditions. An adult autism assessment follows the same general process, with the intake and testing sessions focused on your own experiences, history, and current functioning. A diagnosis in adulthood can be validating, clarifying, and helpful for accessing workplace accommodations or support services.

Yes. The intake and feedback sessions can be completed virtually or in-person, whichever works best for you or your family. The testing session must be done in person at our Milton clinic, as it involves standardized tasks that require direct observation of social behaviours, thinking processes, etc. for accurate results.

Have other questions not answered here? Contact us at Suntree Wellness to schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation, or feel free to ask questions by email.

📧 info@suntreewellness.com 📞 (905) 288-7169