Start with purpose
What is the evaluation being requested for, and who will receive the report?
Evaluations
Start with the question the evaluation needs to answer.
I provide functional, immigration, and other biopsychosocial evaluations when a defined question requires assessment, recommendations, documentation, or a written report. My role is to listen carefully, review the relevant information, and prepare work that is accurate, organized, and responsive to its intended use.
What the process centers
An evaluation is more than a list of symptoms. It considers the person, their functioning, history, environment, support needs, and the purpose of the requested documentation.
The exact scope, deliverables, fee, and timeline depend on the evaluation type, referral question, intended use, and whether the request falls within my professional role and current availability.
Evaluation work may involve
- Clarifying the referral question and intended use
- Reviewing available records
- A structured clinical, psychosocial, or functional interview
- Examining daily functioning, barriers, capacity, support needs, strengths, and environmental demands
- Organizing findings and practical recommendations into a written report when included in the scope
- Coordination about documentation needs when appropriate and authorized
For referral partners
When diagnosis or treatment does not answer the whole question.
Psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, psychologists, therapists, attorneys, and university support teams may need more detail about how a person's support needs, environment, capacity, and daily demands interact. A disability-informed functional or psychosocial assessment can help clarify what is making participation difficult and what support may be realistically useful.
Common referral questions
- What is affecting daily functioning across home, school, work, healthcare, or community settings?
- What barriers, strengths, support needs, and environmental demands should be documented?
- Why does existing diagnostic or treatment information not fully explain what the person is experiencing?
- What practical recommendations, accommodations, or service options may be useful?
What the scope can include
- A defined referral question and record review
- A structured clinical, psychosocial, or functional interview
- A written summary or report when included in the agreed scope
- Practical recommendations connected to the person's real context
This service does not replace comprehensive neuropsychological testing, occupational or vocational functional-capacity testing, disability-benefit determination, or a legal or ADA eligibility opinion. Diagnostic and forensic questions require a separately defined scope and may not be appropriate for this service.
Training background
Assessment training, named clearly.
Allyssa Ghans, LCSW, ASDCS, has completed introductory training in the ADOS-2 and ADI-R. That training informs how she approaches developmental history, communication, functioning, and assessment questions.
Training does not mean every LYSYN evaluation uses these instruments. It also does not turn a functional or biopsychosocial evaluation into comprehensive neuropsychological testing. The referral question, methods, deliverables, fee, and limits are confirmed before work begins.
Know what you are booking.
Before choosing any autism, ADHD, or AuDHD evaluation, ask what the evaluation includes, who it is designed for, whether a written report is included, and what happens after the feedback appointment.
Important distinction
Evaluation is separate from therapy.
The evaluation relationship is focused on assessment and documentation. It is not ongoing treatment, legal representation, or a guarantee of a legal, clinical, or administrative outcome. An attorney or referring professional can explain what documentation may be useful for a particular matter.
Clarify scope
What question needs to be addressed, what records exist, and what timeline applies?
Confirm fit
We determine whether the request is within my scope before moving forward.
Ask about an evaluation.
Include the type of evaluation, the purpose of the request, the state you are located in, and any known deadline. You do not need to send private records through the first inquiry.