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How does an online assessment work?
Online assessments can be done in 3 easy steps:
- Create your account (click “get started”) and complete a 15-20 minute questionnaire
- Schedule/Complete a 45-minute interview with an evaluator (by phone, video, or in- person)
- Receive your professional report electronically to review before sending to the requesting party (unless court ordered)
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How much will my assessment cost?
Assessment fees vary depending on the service needed. Click the assessment drop-down menu to find your assessment and read about details and fees. Rush orders are also available with fees that vary according to the completion time-frame you request. Speak with our customer service representative to discuss a rush order.
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Will my health insurance reimburse or pay for an assessment?
New Directions is not contracted as an in-network provider with any insurance company and we do not file claims for insurance reimbursement. Most insurance companies do not reimburse clients for the cost of an assessment for courts or employers as the service is not related to any medical necessity.
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What are the advantages of online service as compared to in-person service?
Assessments and counseling conducted online provide multiple benefits:
- Eliminates the need to travel while giving immediate access to a professional trained to provide a specific type of assessment or counseling. Avoiding traffic, saving time and fuel are often the first reasons why clients consider our service.
- Provides privacy, as users do not need to enter a mental health facility.
- Assessments can be completed in a short timeframe. Our customer service model is built upon our ability to provide an approved professional report when you need it. The total time commitment for a typical assessment is 1 hour. That’s 15 minutes to register and complete a questionnaire and 45 minutes for an interview. Our evaluators will deliver your report in 5 business days. We also provide rush order assessments for those who need a report sooner. Additional fees apply for rush order services.
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Can I find out before paying for my assessment if it will be accepted?
Our assessments are accepted in most state courts and many state DMVs. Please refer to the “check my state” map on our home page to check your specific state. If you are still concerned about acceptance you may call our office or speak directly to the requesting authority that is asking for the assessment. If they wish to call us before you begin services with us we will be happy to discuss our credentials, reporting standards, and provide professional references or an evaluator resume to them. You can also refer them to our information pages for courts and employers if they prefer to look us up online.
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Will you send the assessment report directly to me when it is completed?
Yes, once your report is ready your evaluator will email a copy to you directly for your review. You may then forward the report or make arrangements to give permission for your evaluator to send it to a third-party authority requesting a copy of the assessment. (some exceptions exist in cases of an official court order – talk to your attorney beforehand or discuss with your evaluator during the interview)
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Will my fees be refunded if my assessment is not accepted?
Refunds are provided where the authority who requested the assessment (court, probation department, employer) will not accept the assessment we provided. The following conditions and limits also apply:
- All refund requests must be applied for within 30 days of your assessment interview.
- All refund requests must be initiated through your NDassessments.com account by clicking on “my transactions” and “refund requests” in your account dashboard
- New Directions will first attempt to contact any third party that does not accept your assessment to see if there is some additional information needed in order to gain acceptance of your report or service. If we cannot make contact with the requesting party, you must provide valid written proof that your evaluation was not accepted by the requesting party. This includes letterhead and full contact information.
Refunds are not granted in situations where:
- Key information and case facts were not presented to New Directions inaccurate information was provided to New Directions (questionnaire or interview)
- Inaccurate information was provided to New Directions by questionnaire responses or clinical interview
- Rush order portions of the service fee are non-refundable unless a refund is requested before the clinical interview takes place
- Customer missed the due date to present the assessment
- Assessment was accepted in one context (e.g., court) but declined in another context (e.g. motor vehicle bureau)
- Customer attempted to use the wrong assessment per authorities’ requirements (e.g. motor vehicle bureau)
- Assessments presented in a family court context and DOT/SAP evaluation are non-refundable services
- Receiving a second opinion is not a valid reason to request a refund from New Directions
Refunds will be processed within 15-30 days of the decision date.
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Do you have references that I can check before I decide whether to register for an assessment?
Yes. Please contact us by phone and we will be happy to provide you with professional references.
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Will you help me complete my state BMV/DMV forms?
Yes. Many states require that portions of the paperwork be completed by the substance abuse evaluator while other portions can only be completed by you but our fees take into consideration that we have to customize your assessment to satisfy specific state requirements. A few states have specific guidelines on who can provide a license reinstatement evaluation. Check our state map to learn more about your state.
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I need my assessment quickly, can you meet my deadline?
We provide rush order services for an additional fee and employ numerous qualified evaluators to make this possible. If you need your assessment quickly, please contact us at 800-671-8589 to assure that we can provide you with the full service by the deadline you are trying to meet.
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What payment methods do you accept?
We accept major credit cards and debit cards (online or over the phone).
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Will my information be kept private?
NDASSESSMENTS recognizes the legal and ethical importance of keeping client records private and confidential. All evaluators agree to abide by their professional licensing and governing bodies to maintain strict client confidentiality for the privacy of the client. This includes use of a release of information form when a client requests that the evaluator send information to a designated third party. In addition:
- account passwords are set to health industry standards to include appropriate length and sufficient variation in characters to minimize chances of access by any third party
- sessions conducted via webcam/video are not recorded by NDASSESSMENTS; and
- NDASSESSMENTS has a 20 year history of providing professional assessments and counseling without complaints or legal actions for privacy or ethical violations of any kind. We are also members of the Better Business Bureau and hold an A+ rating.
Please read our Terms of Service for more information.
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Will the treatment centers and alcohol/drug education programs in my area accept a New Directions online assessment?
Every treatment center and program determines their own policy regarding the acceptance of assessments done by a third party. If you have a concern about this please speak with the center or program you are considering working with. They may also contact us directly for more detailed information and professional references.
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What documents would I need to provide my evaluator for an online assessment?
Many assessments do not require additional submission of documents but if you wish to provide us with character references, police reports, etc. you may do so. Call our 800-671-8589 for more specific information.
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Will the court, DMV/BMV or my employer accept an assessment completed online?
Our professional reputation has been built on providing thorough, timely, and professional reports to our clients. Our online assessments are regularly accepted by judges, attorneys, probation officers, large corporations, and government agencies. While courts, motor vehicle bureaus, and employers generally approve and accept our assessments, there are a few assessment contexts for where the assessment must be completed in-person because of the requirements of a governing body. However, since the COVID-19 public health emergency, most authorities have adapted to accept professional assessments conducted online for the sake of public health and safety.
If you have a question not covered above, feel free to contact us at 1-800-671-8589
