S32 Step By Step Guide
Selecting a psychologist
Identifying a psychologist to conduct an assessment
The Australian Psychological Society website at www.psychology.org.au provides a database of qualified psychologists by location and specialities.
Ensure that the psychologist has experience asssessing people with intellectual disability before engaging them. This is particularly important if you also want the psychologist to provide advice about appropriate treatment/support to assist your client.
You can contact Intellectual Disability Rights Service to get names of psychologists that our service has engaged for this purpose in the past.
Also ensure that the psychologist will assess the person's adaptive functioning as well as their intellectual function. Tests commonly used to assess adaptive functioning are the Vineland Adaptive Functioning Scale, the SIB-R or ABAS-II .
If you are considering referring your client to ADHC , it is best to request that the psychologist assess your client's intellectual function using the WAIS-III . Less extensive assessments such as the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test (KBIT2) will usually be acceptable to the court to establish intellectual disability but may not be sufficient for ADHC referral processes.
Some disability services have psychologists who will provide expert assessment of intellectual disability and a support plan on a fee for service basis.
Referral Letters
Your referral letter must clearly indicate to the assessor what you need
Sample letter to a psychologist
Arranging and funding an assessmentGetting disability services