Joint Autism Assessments

For individuals aged 15 years and above

I offer joint diagnostic assessments in collaboration with Dr Kylie Hinde for adolescents and adults aged 15 years and above. These comprehensive assessments bring together psychological and medical expertise to support accurate diagnosis, clarify complex presentations, and provide meaningful recommendations for support, treatment, and accommodations. Kylie and I bring over 20 years of combined experience working with neurodivergent people, supporting them with care, understanding, and practical strategies.

If you are here, you may be wondering whether you are autistic, or you may already self-identify as autistic and are seeking confirmation and validation. Perhaps you have connected deeply with the lived experiences of other autistic people, or you have long sensed that you experience the world differently to those around you.

Who do we Assess?

Kylie and I have a particular interest in working with individuals who may have been overlooked for diagnosis because they do not present in "expected" or stereotypical ways. This includes people who have learnt to mask, copy, or conform in order to fit in - often at significant personal cost - despite never feeling that they truly belong.

Kylie and I also work with individuals who:

  • Have received previous diagnoses that feel like a poor fit
  • Have engaged in treatment with limited benefit
  • Present with conditions that can mask neurodivergence, such as C-PTSD, Borderline Personality Disorder, or Bipolar Disorder

Kylie and I regularly see people who are high-masking, intellectually able, and likely AuDHD - so if this resonates, we strive to make our assessment sessions a place where you can feel seen.

If you have received diagnoses in the past - whether suspected or formally given - it is important to share this information so it can be thoughtfully explored together. While it is not always possible to formally diagnose additional conditions within the scope of one assessment, these will be teased out sufficiently to guide further exploration where appropriate.

Benefits of an Autism Assessment

An autism assessment can support:

  • Insight and validation, supporting an affirming and strengths-based understanding of your unique neurotype
  • Improved mental health and wellbeing through clarity and self-understanding
  • Identification of strengths to recognise and leverage
  • Greater self-compassion and reduced self-blame
  • Connection to your community
  • Guidance around adjustments and supports at work, university/TAFE, and within relationships

What Does an Autism Assessment Look Like?

Your comfort and sense of safety are our highest priorities. Kylie and I understand that by the time someone seeks an assessment, they are often feeling anxious, uncertain, or emotionally vulnerable. Kylie and I take this very seriously and see it as our responsibility to create a space that feels calm, respectful, warm, and safe.

Kylie and I view the process as a therapeutic journey rather than a clinical outcome. There are no trick questions, and we are not trying to "catch anyone out." Your comfort always comes first.

A range of evidence-based tools are used to ensure the process is reliable and valid. These may include:

  • Questionnaires (where appropriate and tolerable)
  • Semi-structured clinical interviews
  • Observations
  • Review of collateral information
  • Input from loved ones where available (though not required)

The primary semi-structured interview Kylie and I use is the MIGDAS-2, a highly regarded tool designed to capture the lived autistic experience in a strengths-based way.

Sessions are typically conducted in person or via Zoom. You are welcome to:

  • Lie down, eat, stim, or use a fidget
  • Use any sensory comforts, e.g. low lighting, sunglasses
  • Have a support person with you

We are intentionally casual and flexible, with the aim of helping you feel as safe and at ease as possible.

Accessibility and Modifications

If you have a disability or health condition that means modifications are needed, Kylie and I will do everything within our scope to accommodate you. This may include adjustments for people with:

  • Sensory sensitivities
  • Vision or hearing impairment
  • Functional Neurological Disorder (FND)
  • C-PTSD
  • Learning disabilities
  • Difficulties with typing or written communication

Please note that we are not currently able to provide assessments for individuals with an intellectual disability at this time.

Assessment Approach

Our approach is deeply rooted in empathy, compassion, and a genuine curiosity about each individual's unique experience. We aim to provide a warm, collaborative environment where your story can unfold with support and understanding.

We use validated assessment measures, processes based on best-practice standards, and continue to engage in regular supervision and professional development to support ongoing learning and high-quality care. While it is completely normal to feel nervous before an assessment, most people find these nerves settle quite early on.

Where Are Assessments Conducted?

Assessments are available:

  • Face-to-face in Toowong or Morningside and/or
  • Via telehealth

Why Choose a Joint Diagnostic Assessment with Two Clinical Psychologists?

A joint diagnostic assessment conducted by two clinical psychologists can offer a deeper, more nuanced understanding - particularly for individuals with complex, subtle, or masked presentations.

Neurodevelopmental profiles such as autism and ADHD are often shaped by intersecting factors including trauma history, mental health conditions, gender and cultural expectations, and years of masking or compensating. In these contexts, a joint approach supports careful, ethical, and balanced clinical decision-making.

Ethical Practice and Clinical Integrity

From an ethical standpoint, joint assessments:

  • Support accuracy and fairness in diagnosis
  • Reduce the risk of individual bias or blind spots
  • Encourage reflective practice, peer consultation, and accountability
  • Align with professional ethical principles of beneficence, non-maleficence, and competence

Complex diagnostic decisions carry significant personal, social, and systemic implications. Involving two clinicians helps ensure that conclusions are well-considered, transparent, and defensible, particularly where diagnoses may impact identity, treatment pathways, or access to supports.

Benefits of a Joint Assessment

A joint diagnostic assessment may offer:

  • Greater diagnostic confidence through shared formulation
  • Richer understanding of overlapping presentations, such as autism, ADHD, trauma, mood, or personality-related diagnoses
  • More robust, ethically sound reports for future care, accommodations, or advocacy
  • Support for high-masking, late-identified, or intellectually able individuals, whose experiences may not be immediately visible

A Collaborative and Affirming Process

Joint assessments are not about being "tested twice." The process remains warm, affirming, and conversational, with clinicians collaborating primarily behind the scenes. Your comfort, psychological safety, and dignity remain central throughout.

Neuroaffirming Reports and Practice

Our approach to assessment is neuroaffirming in both language and practice. This means we use respectful, strengths-based, and non-pathologising language throughout the assessment process and within our reports. Our goal is to describe neurodivergence accurately and compassionately - recognising that differences in thinking, sensory processing, and social communication are valid expressions of neurotype, not flaws or deficits to be "fixed."

At the same time, we also acknowledge the real challenges and functional impacts that neurodivergence can create, and we aim to identify supports and strategies that reduce distress, improve daily functioning, and enhance wellbeing. In short: we hold acceptance and support in equal measure.

Autism Assessments and NDIS Funding

The NDIS can provide life-changing supports for some autistic people, and we hold a deep respect for the value of these supports. If you are considering applying for NDIS access following an autism assessment, it is important to understand what our role is, and what sits outside of our scope.

Please note: Information in this section is current as of January 2026. NDIS policies and requirements can change, we strongly encourage you to stay up to date by referring directly to the NDIS website.

NDIS Reports and Functional Impact

We are able to write a supporting report for NDIS access purposes only if the assessment identifies significant functional impacts associated with autism.

When the NDIS refers to "functional impacts," they are considering difficulties across six life domains:

  • Mobility
  • Communication
  • Social interaction
  • Self-management
  • Learning
  • Self-care

Our assessment and report examine functional impacts from a psychological perspective only. We do not provide a full Functional Capacity Assessment (FCA).

Some people choose to submit:

  • The report alone
  • The report plus a personal impact statement
  • The report alongside letters from a psychiatrist and/or carer and/or close associate

The combination of documents is your choice.

What Our Report Can and Cannot Do

Our role is to provide clinical evidence that:

  • A diagnosis is present and likely to be ongoing, and
  • The diagnosis results in substantially reduced functional capacity in one or more life domains

While the NDIS uses terms such as "permanent" and "impairment" (which are not particularly affirming), these are part of the current legislative framework and must be reflected accurately in reports.

In an NDIS report, we are required to:

  • State the diagnosis and likely permanence
  • Describe functional impacts and daily limitations
  • Outline current and past treatments
  • Discuss future treatment options and likely response
  • Explain the types, intensity, and purpose of supports required
  • Describe how supports may build capacity and improve participation

We cannot include information that is inaccurate, nor request funding that is not aligned with demonstrated functional impacts.

Important Considerations

  • Not every autistic person will meet NDIS access criteria. Autism is a disability, but it presents very differently from person to person.
  • While we may provide a psychology diagnostic report, this does not guarantee access to NDIS funding. Decisions regarding eligibility and funding sit solely with the NDIS and are outside of our control.
  • You are responsible for conducting your own research into eligibility, current guidelines, and application requirements.

We strongly recommend reviewing official NDIS resources and, where helpful, engaging an NDIS advocate for support with forms and the application process.

What Happens After the Report

Once you have the required reports, you can request NDIS access by:

  • Contacting a Local Area Coordinator
  • Calling 1800 800 110
  • Visiting an NDIS office
  • Submitting an Access Request Form with supporting documentation

Please note that once we have completed your report, we are not able to assist with form completion or direct NDIS liaison. If the NDIS requests additional information or further assessments, this will incur additional fees.

A Final Note

The NDIS process can feel daunting. Please don't let this information scare you - know your rights, seek good information, and access support where needed. For some people, receiving appropriate supports can be genuinely life changing and allow space to flourish.

ADHD Assessment, Medication, and Medicare (Queensland)

In Queensland, ADHD is a condition where diagnosis for the purpose of medication and the prescribing of stimulant medication sits within a medical scope of practice. Under current Medicare and Queensland Health regulations, stimulant medications for ADHD can only be initiated by a psychiatrist or by a GP who has specific training and prescribing authority, usually under a formal arrangement.

For this reason, if the primary goal of seeking an ADHD assessment is access to medication, we recommend assessment and treatment the below most appropriate and efficient pathways:

  • a psychiatrist, or
  • a GP with recognised ADHD prescribing authority

Psychologists are not able to:

  • Prescribe ADHD medication
  • Initiate stimulant treatment
  • Provide the type of medical diagnosis required for PBS-subsidised ADHD medication

While psychological assessments can provide valuable insight into attention, executive functioning, and emotional regulation, Medicare does not recognise psychologist-only ADHD assessments for medication purposes.

How Our Role Fits In

Our role is to:

  • Identify ADHD traits within a broader neurodevelopmental context
  • Provide clinical observations and recommendations
  • Support understanding of how ADHD may interact with autism, trauma, or mental health conditions
  • Provide documentation that may assist referral discussions with your GP and/or psychiatrist

However, medical diagnosis, medication initiation, and ongoing prescribing fall outside our scope and remain the responsibility of the treating medical practitioner.

Why This Matters

Choosing the correct pathway from the outset can:

  • Reduce delays in accessing appropriate care
  • Avoid unnecessary costs or duplicated assessments
  • Ensure Medicare requirements are met
  • Support safe and appropriate prescribing

If you are uncertain whether a psychological assessment, medical assessment, or a combined approach is most suitable for your needs, this can be discussed prior to booking.

Cognitive Assessments

We do not conduct formal cognitive or intellectual assessments (e.g. IQ testing) as part of our assessment services.

In some circumstances, a cognitive assessment may be recommended to support diagnostic clarity or to meet the requirements of an external body (such as education providers or funding agencies). If this is identified as necessary, we can discuss suitable options and, where appropriate, support referral to another clinical psychologist within our professional network who is experienced in conducting cognitive assessments.

We are committed to ensuring that you receive the most appropriate assessment pathway, even where elements of the assessment sit outside our scope of practice.

Services & Fees

Our hourly (60 minute) fee is $270. Below is a breakdown of estimated costs for an assessment.

Service Description Medicare Claimable Fee
Initial Intake Appointment
(60-90 mins)		 Therapeutic support and/or to determine whether an autism assessment is appropriate. Yes $270/hr
Assessment Appointment
(approx. 3-4 hrs)		 In-depth evaluation using validated tools and clinical interview. No $810 - $1080
Comprehensive Assessment Report (incl. GST) + Case Consultation
(approx. 2-4 hrs)		 Detailed neurodevelopmental formulation and recommendations. No $540 - $1080
Assessment Feedback Appointment
(60 mins)		 Review of findings, recommendations, and next steps. Yes $270/hr
Ongoing Therapy Appointments
(50-60 mins)		 Individual therapy sessions tailored to your goals. Yes $270/hr

Additional Fee Information

  • Typical cost for a simple diagnostic assessment:
    • We expect the price to be approximately $2,000, before any potential Medicare rebates. We will continue to provide a transparent estimation of costs throughout your diagnostic process.
  • Medicare rebates:
    • Sessions marked as Medicare claimable may be eligible for a Medicare rebate with a valid Mental Health Care Plan. The rebate is $145.25 per session.
    • Individuals under 25 years old may be eligible for Medicare rebates under a complex neurodevelopmental conditions referral pathway only when referred by a paediatrician or psychiatrist.
  • Private Health Rebates:
    • Private health rebates for autism assessments are rare and not commonly provided. While some health funds may offer limited coverage, it is not guaranteed.
    • Please contact your health fund directly to confirm whether a rebate is available. Unfortunately, we are unable to provide item codes for this purpose.

Please note: The Australian Psychological Society recommends an hourly rate for psychological services of $318/40-60 minute consultation (2025-2026 financial year). Please see this link.

Report Length

Most assessment reports are comprehensive documents, typically ranging between 20-40 pages.

The final length of your report will depend on:

  • The purpose of the report (e.g. personal understanding, workplace or educational accommodations, funding applications)
  • The complexity of the assessment, including diagnostic considerations and co-occurring conditions
  • Any specific reporting requirements requested by third parties

Our aim is not to produce unnecessarily long reports, but to ensure that your report is thorough, accurate, and fit for purpose. Report content is tailored to your needs while maintaining clinical integrity and ethical standards.

Report turnaround times are typically between 4-8 weeks, and a more specific timeframe will be provided at the time of the diagnostic assessment based on current caseload. It is important to us that your report is an accurate and respectful record, and clients will be provided with an opportunity to offer fair and reasonable feedback during the report writing process.

Contact Us

If you would like to make an enquiry, discuss whether an assessment is the right fit for you, or ask any questions about our services, we welcome you to get in touch. Please use the contact form.

We aim to provide clear, respectful communication and are happy to assist you in navigating the next steps. We look forward to hearing from you and supporting you in your next steps toward assessment and understanding.

Warm regards,

Rebecca Kuhn
Clinical Psychologist and Board Approved Supervisor
B Psych (Hons I) M Psych (Clin) MAPS AAPI
AHPRA Registration # PSY0002096880

Dr Kylie Hinde
Clinical Psychologist and Board Approved Supervisor
Ph.D MClinPsych BSocSc (Hons) GradDipPsych BMusTh (Hons)
AHPRA Registration # PSY0002259375