When you contact the Academic Achievement Center, you will be tentatively scheduled for a 1-hour intake appointment. After the AAC receives your completed intake packet, your appointment will be confirmed. It’s important to complete the intake paperwork as early as possible, and no less than 48-hours before your appointment time. Depending on your concerns, the AAC may request that you bring additional records and documentation to your intake appointment. Some records which are helpful to have on hand include: standardized testing scores and feedback, any documentation of a major medical or mental health diagnosis, previous psychological or diagnostic evaluation reports, and/or a copy of a current IEP, 504 Plan, or other documentation of accommodations in school. If you bring these or other records to your intake appointment, the clinician will copy these documents at that time, so you will be able to leave the appointment with your original copies.

The intake appointment (also called a diagnostic interview) is a time for the clinician to find out addition relevant information, ask follow-up questions, and better identify the needs and next steps for the patient and their family. This is also the time for the family to give a broader picture of their concerns and gain a better understanding of the process. Relevant history and information not included in the intake paperwork will be discussed, with the goal of obtaining a complete picture of the current situation. Many parents ask if their child should be included in the intake interview. While ultimately this is the decision of the parent, it is typically the preference of the clinician to not include the patient in this initial meeting. This time is set aside specifically to allow the guardians of the patient to communicate their concerns freely and openly, without the potential to cause frustration, defensiveness, or any other negative reaction from the patient. Rather the interview is the precursor to therapy or an evaluation, the patient will always be given ample opportunity to describe the situation to the clinician from their point of view.