What is a diagnostic assessment?
A diagnostic assessment — sometimes called a biopsychosocial assessment or intake — is a structured conversation with a licensed clinician that gathers the information needed to identify, name, and plan treatment for a mental health or substance use concern. At Indy Evals, every new client begins with one, conducted by Julie Otis, LCSW. It is the foundation for any follow-up work together, including the Self-Help Book Club.
Online screener vs. professional assessment
A free PHQ-9, GAD-7, or "do I have ADHD" quiz on the internet is a screener. It uses validated questions to flag whether symptoms might be present, but it cannot diagnose, rule out other conditions, or build a treatment plan. A professional diagnostic assessment is different in four important ways:
- A licensed clinician interprets your history in context — symptoms in isolation often look like one thing and turn out to be another.
- Differential diagnosis is part of the process: anxiety, trauma responses, ADHD, and depression frequently overlap, and an evaluator works to tell them apart.
- The assessment produces a documented diagnosis that can support insurance coverage, accommodations, and a real treatment plan.
- It is private and protected by HIPAA — your responses are not analytics data for an app.
What the biopsychosocial assessment covers
The "biopsychosocial" framing means we look at the whole picture rather than only symptoms. Expect questions across these areas:
Biological
Medical history, sleep, medications, substance use, family history of mental health conditions.
Psychological
Current symptoms and how long they have been present, past mental health treatment, coping patterns, strengths.
Social
Relationships, family of origin, work or school context, support system, recent stressors and transitions.
Cultural and spiritual
Identity, beliefs, and values that shape how you understand what you're going through.
What happens after the assessment
At the end of the session, Julie will share clinical impressions and at least one DSM-5 diagnosis when criteria are met. From there, you and Julie decide on next steps together — that may be joining a Self-Help Book Club group, scheduling follow-up individual sessions, or being referred to a provider better suited to your needs. Follow-up sessions include a written treatment plan with goals, symptom-specific questionnaires, and weekly coping strategies tailored to your diagnosis.
If you are in crisis
An assessment is not a crisis service. If you are in immediate danger or thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, call 911, or go to your nearest emergency department.
Ready to request an assessment?
Therapy is currently licensed in Indiana, Washington, New Mexico, and Idaho. Individual insurance billing is available in Indiana and Washington.
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