The Parent’s Guide to Autism Evaluation

While the process described above represents the sort of high quality autism evaluation you should look for, Blackbird Health goes a bit further in order to examine all factors affecting your child’s development. We call our approach, the whole-child model. 

While a standard evaluation typically examines:

• Autism-specific behaviors and symptoms
• Developmental history related to autism criteria
• Current functioning in social and behavioral domains

Blackbird Health’s whole-child model examines:

• Physical health factors (sleep, nutrition, medical conditions)
• Co-occurring mental health conditions (anxiety, ADHD, and depression)
• Sensory and developmental considerations
• Family dynamics and environmental factors
• Speech and language needs
• Family history

We don’t believe in one-size-fits-all assessments. Our neuro-science based process starts broad, then quickly pinpoints where to go deeper—so we can uncover what’s really going on and what each child truly needs.

Integrated care: When we identify a need for an occupational therapy (OT) or speech language pathology (SLP) evaluations, these are available within Blackbird Health. For patients requiring these therapies ongoing, we have curated a network of high quality therapists and will support patients throughout the referral and treatment process as part of our integrated treatment model.

Experienced team: Our diagnosticians specialize in autism and neurodevelopmental conditions, with extensive training in autism assessment across all ages and developmental levels.

Ongoing support: Our relationship doesn't end with diagnosis. We provide continued care through therapy, medication management when appropriate, educational advocacy support, and consultation as you implement recommendations. 

Timely access to autism evaluations: Unlike hospital systems with months-long waitlists, Blackbird Health serves southeastern Pennsylvania and Northern Virginia families without delays. After completing our New Patient Visit, your child’s evaluation can begin as early as 4-6 weeks in Pennsylvania and 2-4 weeks in Virginia (vs. 12-18 month hospital waitlists elsewhere).

Educational advocacy support: Blackbird Health’s services go beyond diagnosis. Our educational consultation services include IEP meeting support, school advocacy services, and guidance on securing appropriate accommodations for your child's unique needs.

Blackbird Health’s virtual and in-person options for autism evaluations?

Our patients access care both in person and virtually. Our clinicians recommend the method of care that will best support each child.

Most of our providers are hybrid, so they see patients both virtually and in our clinics. Our virtual intake allows us to observe children and adolescents in their natural environment, often providing meaningful insight into how they function in daily life.

If in-person care is clinically necessary, our team will recommend in-person appointments moving forward. If a family prefers in-person care, we will do our best to accommodate that request.

Virtual visits give clinicians the ability to:

• Observe the child in familiar surroundings, which often leads to more relaxed, genuine behavior
• See sibling and caregiver interactions in real time
• Pick up on environmental factors—overcrowded spaces, noise levels, sleep setup—that influence behavior and wellbeing
• Gain clues about emotional regulation, attention, and executive function through at-home routines

These insights help clinicians build rapport early in the therapeutic relationship and develop more informed, personalized diagnoses and care plans.

What's the step-by-step process??

1. Virtual registration
Your first step is to contact Blackbird Health and register as a new patient. A Care Navigator will guide you through submitting insurance information and completing intake forms. We accept most major insurance plans and offer competitive rates for those paying out of pocket.

2. Intake, aka the New Patient Evaluation
At Blackbird, we combine the typical consultation and screening appointments into one comprehensive 90-minute virtual intake session with a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) which we call the New Patient Evaluation. This appointment includes conversations with both you and your child and covers background information, medical history, family history, and social history. It also determines whether specialized evidence-based assessments are needed such as the BASC-3 (Behavior Assessment System for Children), the Vanderbilt Assessment Scale, or PHQ-9 (Patient Health Questionnaire). Sometimes this appointment takes less time, but reserving 90 minutes ensures we have time to go over everything thoroughly. 

The New Patient Evaluation is conducted virtually, which allows us to observe children in their natural environment, providing meaningful insight into daily functioning. Virtual intakes are as clinically effective as in-person assessments, while offering faster access and convenience for families. 

We use NPs for the New Patient Evaluation because their clinical training allows them to assess patients from both a therapeutic and medical perspective, evaluating psychological, behavioral, and physical health factors to form a more holistic picture of your child from the start.

3. The autism evaluation
The Blackbird Health autism evaluation involves the administration of “gold standard” diagnostic measures and the gathering of information from multiple sources:

Diagnostic interview appointment
This interview allows the clinician to gather detailed information about your child. This appointment is conducted in person or virtually, depending on the parent’s preference.

• Who attends: Parents and caregivers. Children aged 14+ are often involved in this meeting as well.
• What happens: We gather crucial background information, including developmental, educational, social, service, and medical histories, along with your family's concerns, including any challenging behaviors.
• Duration: 60-120 minutes

The ADOS administration appointment
The diagnostician meets with your child to administer the ADOS-2 (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule).

• Who attends: Your child will attend alone. If your child is very young, you may also be included in the evaluation room.
• What happens: The ADOS is typically conducted in person but can be done virtually, depending on your child’s needs and developmental level.
• Duration: Typically a 40 to 60-minute administration

Completing the ASRS 
Following the ADOS, the clinician collects crucial information from various sources using the ASRS (Autism Spectrum Rating Scale). The ASRS is based on reports filled out by your child’s parents, teachers, childcare providers, and any specialists they may regularly see (such as therapists), ensuring a complete picture of your child's functioning across all environments.

4. Diagnosis and feedback
You can expect a 30-60 minute diagnostic feedback session where the clinician reviews the findings from additional testing and behavioral assessment tools—such as the BASC-3, the Vanderbilt Assessment Scale, or PHQ-9—explains whether your child meets ASD criteria, and provides treatment recommendations. We offer flexibility in scheduling additional sessions if needed, and these sessions can be conducted virtually.