Autism diagnosis in portland, OR

February 23, 2020 6:51 AM

Where do I go in Portland, Oregon to get tested for autism without a waitlist?

I am a woman, so if you know a female-specific tester that would be fantastic.


prompted by this post.

posted by anonymous to Human Relations (1 answer total)

It is highly unlikely to find a psychologist that can see without a wait time; unfortunately this is a process and not a one-and-done visit (and there's a shortage of psychologists doing this kind of work in Oregon, exacerbating wait times for these kinds of assessments).

Your insurance is particularly noteworthy here too, because oftentimes psychological testing is not covered unless you're given a referral from another provider. If money is no issue, you have more options but you'll still likely run into a 2-3 month wait for scheduling a battery of psychological tests...but if you have Kaiser for example, you're looking at a 6-8 month wait.

If your insurance covers you to go to OHSU, that's going to be your best, most straightforward bet. Several of their clinics and providers are listed with the Autism Society of Oregon, and from personal experience they tend to do a very good job with screenings and actual diagnosis. You may still need a referral to access services at OHSU, but they are the jam, and worth the effort (oh and even though they are fantastic, they have a several month long waitlist for psych testing as well).

Do you have a GP or Psychiatrist? I would start there for an in-network referral to a psychologist.
posted by furnace.heart at 9:36 AM on February 23, 2020