Autism testing at MHCA
What is autism testing?
Autism testing is a structured clinical evaluation used to confirm or rule out autism spectrum disorder. It’s also known as a neuropsychological evaluation — the two terms describe the same process at MHCA. At Mental Health Center of America in Phoenix, Mesa, and Glendale, Arizona, it combines a clinical interview, direct observation, standardized rating scales completed by you and a collateral reporter, and cognitive and adaptive-functioning testing. Total testing time is 3–6 hours, usually in one visit. Your written report is typically ready within about two weeks, and you review it with your psychologist in a dedicated results session.
How much does autism testing cost at MHCA?
Autism testing at MHCA ranges from $750 to $3,500 and up, depending on the length of the battery and whether your insurance covers psychological testing. MHCA is in network with UnitedHealthcare/Optum, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, Cigna/Evernorth, Medicare, TriWest, and Ambetter. We verify your benefits at no cost and give you an exact out-of-pocket figure before you schedule — see full details on our Pricing & Insurance page.
How long does autism testing take?
Testing itself takes 3–6 hours and is usually completed in a single visit, though a small number of cases need a second session for extended observation. From your first call: a same-business-day callback, then a scheduled testing appointment. Your written report is typically ready within about two weeks of testing, and you review it with your psychologist in a dedicated results session.
Inside the evaluation
Every battery is built around the person being tested — a 4-year-old and a 34-year-old don’t get the same tests. Here is what a typical evaluation looks like.
Why a real evaluation
A diagnosis needs three independent lines of evidence.
A defensible evaluation triangulates what you and others report, direct observation of social communication and behavior, and how you perform on standardized measures — then rules out the conditions that can look similar.
Self & collateral report
Structured interview and standardized rating scales completed by you and someone who knows you well.
Direct observation
A structured, play- or conversation-based session where the psychologist observes social communication directly.
Objective performance
Cognitive and adaptive-functioning testing measures how skills show up day to day.
→ Written diagnosis
Converging evidence, differential ruled out, and specific recommendations in a report you keep.
The battery
Every measure in your evaluation, named up front.
Six instruments make up a typical battery. Naming them tells your prescriber, your child’s school, or a disability-services office exactly what they’re reading when the report reaches them.
Clinical interview
Developmental, medical, and family history, plus a collateral interview with a parent or partner.
Direct observation
Gold-standard structured observation of social communication and restricted or repetitive behaviors.
Rating scales
Matched self and collateral forms measuring social communication across settings.
Cognitive testing
Working memory and processing speed measured directly — adults on the WAIS-5, children on the WISC-V.
Adaptive functioning
Daily living, communication, and socialization skills measured against same-age peers.
Differential screening
ADHD, anxiety, and language disorders can overlap with or mimic autism. We rule them in or out rather than assume.
per evaluation, depending on battery length. We verify your benefits and confirm your exact cost before you schedule.
Pricing & insurance →
Who we test
Autism looks different at 4, 16, and 36.
We evaluate from age 4 through adulthood. The battery, the observation tasks, and the collateral sources all change with age — an adult evaluation is not a scaled-up version of a child’s.
Ages 4–5
Preschoolers
Play-based observation and parent interview, prioritized for early access to intervention services.
Ages 6–12
School-age children
Teacher and parent rating scales plus academic screening. The report is written to support a 504 plan or IEP request.
Ages 13–17
Teens
Social-communication and executive-function testing plus self-report — many teens are masking well enough to have gone unrecognized.
Ages 18+
Adults, including a first diagnosis
We test for autism and screen the conditions that overlap with it — ADHD, anxiety, and social anxiety. If treatment follows, psychiatry picks up in the same chart.
Get started
A same-business-day callback, results within about two weeks.
Tell us what you’re seeing. We verify your coverage, get you scheduled, and testing itself takes 3–6 hours — usually in one visit.
Schedule a brief, no-commitment consult with one of our psychologists. They’ll talk through what you’re seeing and recommend the right next step — testing or otherwise.
Your psychologists
Who performs your evaluation.
Every evaluation is administered and interpreted by a doctoral-level psychologist — the same person who sits down and reviews the report with you.
Where you’ll be tested
Testing in Phoenix, Mesa & Glendale — plus virtual, statewide.
Patient reviews
What MHCA patients say.
★★★★★
“Amazing facility with a well-informed and professional staff. I’ve been going here 9+ months now and it’s helped me tremendously.”
J. · Google · Mesa
★★★★★
“The staff at MHCA are kind, considerate, and supportive. Virtual visits make it possible to meet with providers when I need them.”
Kelly B. · Google · Glendale
★★★★★
“The initial assessment was thorough and Dr. Shasteen was very nice.”
Google review · Phoenix
Common questions
Autism testing at MHCA.
How long does autism testing take?+
Testing takes 3–6 hours, usually in one visit. Your written report is typically ready within about two weeks, and you then meet your psychologist for a dedicated session to review the findings.
Does insurance cover autism testing in Arizona?+
Often, yes. MHCA is in network with UnitedHealthcare/Optum, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, Cigna/Evernorth, Medicare, TriWest, and Ambetter. We verify your specific benefit and quote your exact out-of-pocket cost before scheduling. Private-pay rates run $750–$3,500 depending on battery length.
Can adults be diagnosed with autism for the first time?+
Yes. Many adults are diagnosed for the first time after years of masking or being misdiagnosed with anxiety or ADHD alone. Adult evaluations rely more on retrospective history and self-report, alongside standardized measures and a collateral report where available.
What is the youngest age MHCA evaluates for autism?+
We evaluate from age 4 through adulthood. For children under 4, developmental pediatricians and early-intervention specialists have assessment tools and service pathways designed for that age group, and we will help you find one.
Will the report get my child a 504 plan or IEP?+
The school makes eligibility decisions, but our reports are written to the standard schools require: named instruments, standardized scores, functional impact, and specific recommended accommodations.
Is autism testing the same as neuropsychological testing?+
Yes. Patients and referring providers often use “neuropsychological evaluation” and “autism testing” interchangeably — both describe the same combination of clinical interview, direct observation, and standardized testing described on this page.
Can I get autism testing online?+
Your initial consultation can be by video from anywhere in Arizona. The direct observation and standardized testing is administered in person at our Phoenix, Mesa, or Glendale clinic, because remote administration is not valid for several of the instruments involved.