Adult Autism Assessment in Nashville: How Your Options Compare and How Ours Works
Last reviewed: 11/06/2026
Reviewed by: Dr. Kiesa Kelly
If you live in Nashville and have started looking into an adult autism assessment, two things may already be confusing you. Several kinds of places do this work, and it is not always clear which parts happen in an office and which happen on a screen. You may also have noticed that our practice has a Nashville office and wondered whether you can come in for testing.
You can't come in for testing with us, and this article explains why. It also covers what an assessment by video involves, when in person may suit you better, and how to compare your options based on what an assessment includes rather than where the building is.
In this article, you'll learn:
why our Nashville office is for therapy, while our autism assessments happen by secure telehealth
three misconceptions that make this choice harder than it needs to be
the steps of an adult autism assessment over video, from first call to feedback
when an in-person evaluation may fit you better
how to compare autism assessment options in the Nashville area
what in-person care with us can look like after an assessment
The short answer: our Nashville office is for therapy, and autism assessments are by telehealth
Our office at 2603 Elm Hill Pike, Suite C is where we see teens and adults for therapy in person. Our page on adult autism assessment in Nashville lists the steps and starting prices at a glance. Every assessment we do happens by secure telehealth, and Dr. Kiesa Kelly completes every autism assessment herself [1].
Guidance from the UK's National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) describes what a full adult assessment should cover: core autism features, early developmental history where possible, how you function at home, in education or at work, other mental health and neurodevelopmental conditions, and sensory sensitivities. It asks clinicians to involve someone who knows you, or written records, where possible, and to observe core autism features directly, especially in social situations. NICE also recommends that assessment be team-based [2]. Our model differs in two ways you should know about: Dr. Kelly completes each autism assessment herself, and every step, including the diagnostic interview, happens by secure video [1].
Three misconceptions tend to get in the way of this choice.
"If a practice has a Nashville office, its assessments must happen there." Not necessarily. Ours don't, and other practices divide their services in their own ways. Ask each one directly which parts of its process happen in the room and which happen by video.
"An autism assessment needs a lab test or a brain scan, so it has to be in person." It doesn't. NICE advises against routinely using biological tests, genetic tests or brain imaging to diagnose autism [2]. In adults, the diagnosis comes from screening, interviews with you and, when possible, someone who knows you, plus a look at how you function day to day [3].
"A high score on an online screener settles the question." A short screener like the AQ-10 autism screener was built as a quick "red flag" to help decide whether a full assessment is worth doing [4]. NICE uses it the same way [2]. Among adults who are actually referred for assessment, single questionnaires are less able to tell autism apart from other mental health conditions [5], such as anxiety or depression [3]. A screener can open the question. It can't close it.
🏢 Key takeaway: Our Nashville office is for therapy. An autism assessment with us happens by secure video, and the free consultation is where we talk through whether that format fits you.
How an adult autism assessment works over secure video
The steps, from consultation to feedback
Our psychological assessment process has five steps, and every one happens by secure telehealth [1]:
Free phone consultation. A 15-minute call about what you're noticing, your questions and your budget.
Onboarding and questionnaires. You complete scientifically validated screeners in our app, on your own schedule.
Clinical interview. A conversation about your overall mental health, followed by diagnostic measures chosen for you.
Diagnostic interview. A structured interview built around your results. For autism, it uses the MIGDAS-2.
Feedback session. We walk you through your results and talk about next steps.
The MIGDAS-2 is a sensory-based, qualitative interview guide for gathering the information needed to diagnose autism in children, adolescents and adults [6]. It focuses on three areas: sensory use and interests, language and communication, and social relationships and emotional responses [6]. It is also designed to support a narrative report and feedback in language that is easy to understand [6]. If you're curious about other tools clinicians use with adults, such as the ADOS-2 or the ADI-R, our guide to how adult autism evaluations work covers them.
Every autism assessment is completed by Dr. Kiesa Kelly, a clinical psychologist trained in neuropsychology with more than 20 years of experience in psychological assessment [1]. If you order documentation, your diagnostic letter, full report and accommodation letter arrive within 5 business days of your feedback session.
📋 Key takeaway: Five steps, one psychologist, all by secure video. Dr. Kelly completes every autism assessment herself, and the starting price covers the core steps from onboarding through feedback.
It's fair to ask whether an assessment by video holds up. The honest answer is that the evidence is encouraging but still thin for adults. A 2022 review of telehealth autism diagnosis found promising agreement with in-person diagnosis. But all but one of its studies involved young children, and the authors wrote that it is unclear whether telehealth is equally accurate for adolescents and adults [7].
Adult studies are smaller and newer. In one early study, 23 adults who already had an autism diagnosis completed the same observational assessment remotely and face to face, and the two formats agreed closely [8]. A 2026 study of 100 adults assessed with a structured telehealth protocol found that an independent expert reviewing the same materials reached the same autism or not-autism conclusion in 86 percent of cases [9]. Agreement looked lower among Black, Indigenous and other participants of color, though those estimates were imprecise. The authors are clear that the study shows agreement, not proven accuracy, and that more research is needed [9]. An earlier review reached a similar place: telehealth looks promising for improving access, especially for people with clear autism traits and for adults, when used alongside existing methods [10].
So we don't tell people that video is the same as an in-person assessment for everyone. We tell you what we do by video, and we talk honestly in the free consultation about whether it fits your situation.
Picture a 34-year-old who works in an open-plan office downtown. At work she's the one who remembers everyone's birthday, but she rehearses most of her small talk on the drive in and spends Saturday afternoons with the blinds closed, recovering. She has read about masking and recognizes herself in it. For her, a video assessment means doing the interviews from her own couch, after a workday she controls, instead of adding a new building, a new waiting room and a parking lot to a week that is already full. The questions are about her history, her sensory world and how she copes, and she can answer them from the place where she has the least to manage.
When an in-person evaluation may fit better
Video is not the right starting point for everyone. An in-person evaluation may fit you better if:
you don't have a private, quiet place to talk for an hour or more, or your internet connection drops often
being on video drains or distracts you so much that it would get in the way of the conversation
your question also involves a medical concern, such as seizures or possible hearing problems, that you'd want a doctor to check in person
you would simply feel more confident with a clinician in the room
Researchers also note that some people are likely to need an in-person assessment, and that larger studies are needed to tell who [7].
Or picture a 52-year-old retired teacher in Hermitage who shares a small house with two adult children and a partner who works from home. There is no room where he can talk for an hour without being overheard. The last time he tried a video doctor's visit, the lag left him tense and second-guessing every pause. He also wants someone to check whether his hearing is part of why noisy rooms feel unbearable. For him, an evaluation done in an office, with a hearing check through his doctor, may be the better first step. If he called us, that is exactly what we would talk through in the free consultation.
🧭 Key takeaway: Much of an adult autism assessment can be done by video, and the research on adults is encouraging but still young. If privacy, connection or a medical question gets in the way, in person may be the better place to start.
Comparing autism assessment options in the Nashville area
Around Nashville, adult autism assessments generally come from a few types of settings. There are private psychology and neuropsychology practices that assess in an office. There are hospital- and university-based clinics, some of which use a team of professionals, the model NICE describes [2]. And there are psychologists who assess by telehealth, as we do. We won't rank or describe other practices. What matters more is what each option actually includes, so compare these points:
who does the testing, and how many adults with late-identified autism they assess
which tools they use, and which parts happen in the room
what you receive at the end: a feedback session, a diagnostic letter, a full report
posted prices, and what the starting price covers
how soon you can start
Who does the assessment, and how often they assess adults, matters more than the drive time. Autistic adults are often missed or misread at first. In a large Dutch study of autistic adults, about one in four reported an earlier psychiatric diagnosis they now saw as a misdiagnosis, and about one in three women did [11]. A widely cited review of adult diagnosis advises clinicians to watch for camouflaging and co-occurring conditions, and to explore possible misdiagnosis, especially in women [3].
Our Franklin guide goes deeper on how to find the right evaluator for an adult autism evaluation, whether near you or by telehealth.
For the trade-offs between private practices, medical settings and university clinics, our guide to where to get tested for ADHD in Tennessee walks through each one, and much of that thinking applies to autism too.
If cost and wait times are driving your choice, our statewide guide explains what you're paying for in an adult autism evaluation and why waitlists get long.
When the format is part of your decision, these questions get to the point quickly:
"Which parts of your assessment happen in person, and which by video?"
"Who will do my interviews and write my results, and how many adults like me do they assess?"
"How do you account for masking and lifelong coping in adults?"
"What if I don't have childhood records or a parent who can be interviewed?"
"Can you look at ADHD in the same assessment if both seem possible?"
"If something is unclear by video, what happens next, and what will I receive at the end?"
A simple way to decide: if your main need is a careful look at your history and inner experience, and you have a private place to talk, a telehealth assessment is a reasonable first step. If you lack that space, find video hard to sit through, or have a medical question alongside autism, start with an in-person option. If you're unsure, use a free consultation to ask the questions above. A good practice will tell you plainly when it isn't the right fit.
🧩 Key takeaway: Compare who does the assessment, what it includes and what you get at the end. The address on the sign matters less.
Seeing us in person after an assessment
An assessment is a starting point. After your feedback session, some people want help with burnout, anxiety, sensory overload or simply making sense of a new diagnosis. Our assessments, therapy and coaching are designed to work together, so what you learn in an assessment can carry straight into your care [1].
If therapy would help, you can see one of our therapists in person at our Nashville office or by secure telehealth [1]. We see both teens and adults in person. Our specialized therapy page describes what we treat and how we work.
Nothing about the assessment itself changes. It still happens by video. The office is where ongoing care can continue face to face, if you'd like it to.
🤝 Key takeaway: The Nashville office is where therapy happens. If you want face-to-face support after an assessment, it's available there.
Next step
You don't have to choose an autism assessment based on which building is closest. Start with what you need the assessment to do, check whether you have a private place to talk by video, and ask any practice you're considering how it handles adults who have masked for years. If a telehealth assessment fits, ours runs entirely by secure video with Dr. Kelly. If it doesn't, the consultation is a good place to say so and talk through other options.
Considering an autism evaluation?
An adult autism evaluation accounts for masking and lifelong compensation — not just the older, narrower picture — so the results reflect how autism actually shows up for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get an autism assessment in person in Nashville?
Not with us. Every ScienceWorks assessment, including every adult autism assessment, is done by secure telehealth, and Dr. Kiesa Kelly completes each autism assessment herself. Our Nashville office at 2603 Elm Hill Pike is used for therapy, which teens and adults can attend in person. Your free 15-minute consultation is the place to talk through whether an assessment by video fits you.
Where is the best place to get tested for autism as an adult in Nashville?
The best place is the one whose process fits your question, not the closest office. Look for a licensed psychologist or team with real experience assessing adults, including late-identified and high-masking adults. The process should cover your developmental history, how you function now, and other conditions that can look similar, and it should end with a clear account of what you receive. Ask each option how it does that, in person or by video.
What happens in an adult autism clinical interview?
It is a guided conversation about you, not a test you pass or fail. With us, the clinical interview covers your overall mental health and is followed by diagnostic measures chosen for you. The diagnostic interview then uses the MIGDAS-2, a sensory-based interview guide that explores your sensory use and interests, language and communication, and social relationships and emotional responses. Both happen by secure video.
How much does an adult autism assessment cost in Nashville?
With us, an adult autism assessment starts at $1,099, and a combined autism and ADHD assessment starts at $1,499. The starting price covers the core steps, from onboarding through your feedback session. Documentation, such as a diagnostic letter or a full report, is optional and priced separately. We are out of network, you don't need a referral, and our assessments are not covered by Medicare.
About the Author
Dr. Kiesa Kelly is a licensed clinical psychologist trained in neuropsychology and the founder of ScienceWorks Behavioral Healthcare. She has more than 20 years of experience with psychological assessment, and she completes every ADHD, autism and combined assessment at the practice herself. Her recent training includes individual consultation on neurodiversity-affirming ADHD and autism assessments, with a focus on adults who were missed earlier in life.
Dr. Kelly earned her PhD in Clinical Psychology, with a concentration in Neuropsychology, from Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science. Her training included practica, internship and an NIH-funded postdoctoral fellowship focused on ADHD at the University of Chicago, the University of Wisconsin, the University of Florida and Vanderbilt University. Before ScienceWorks, she spent 16 years as a psychology professor and department chair. She is a psychologist, not a physician, and does not prescribe medication.
References
1. ScienceWorks Behavioral Healthcare. Practice facts: services, prices and locations. Updated November 4, 2026. https://www.scienceworkshealth.com/practice-facts
2. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Autism spectrum disorder in adults: diagnosis and management. Clinical guideline CG142. London: NICE; 2012, updated 2021. https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg142/chapter/recommendations
3. Lai MC, Baron-Cohen S. Identifying the lost generation of adults with autism spectrum conditions. Lancet Psychiatry. 2015;2(11):1013-1027. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(15)00277-1
4. Allison C, Auyeung B, Baron-Cohen S. Toward brief "Red Flags" for autism screening: the Short Autism Spectrum Quotient and the Short Quantitative Checklist for Autism in toddlers in 1,000 cases and 3,000 controls. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2012;51(2):202-212.e7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2011.11.003
5. Wigham S, Rodgers J, Berney T, Le Couteur A, Ingham B, Parr JR. Psychometric properties of questionnaires and diagnostic measures for autism spectrum disorders in adults: a systematic review. Autism. 2019;23(2):287-305. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361317748245
6. Texas Statewide Leadership for Autism Training. Monteiro Interview Guidelines for Diagnosing the Autism Spectrum, Second Edition (MIGDAS-2). Texas Education Agency. https://www.txautism.net/evaluations/monteiro-interview-guidelines-for-diagnosing-the-autism-spectrum-second-edition
7. Stavropoulos KK, Bolourian Y, Blacher J. A scoping review of telehealth diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. PLoS One. 2022;17(2):e0263062. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0263062
8. Schutte JL, McCue MP, Parmanto B, McGonigle J, Handen B, Lewis A, et al. Usability and reliability of a remotely administered adult autism assessment, the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) Module 4. Telemed J E Health. 2015;21(3):176-184. https://doi.org/10.1089/tmj.2014.0011
9. Crehan E, Whaling K, Jones H, Shinall J, Loftin R. Diagnostic agreement of a structured telehealth adult autism assessment. J Autism Dev Disord. 2026. Epub ahead of print. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-026-07571-2
10. Alfuraydan M, Croxall J, Hurt L, Kerr M, Brophy S. Use of telehealth for facilitating the diagnostic assessment of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): a scoping review. PLoS One. 2020;15(7):e0236415. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0236415
11. Kentrou V, Livingston LA, Grove R, Hoekstra RA, Begeer S. Perceived misdiagnosis of psychiatric conditions in autistic adults. eClinicalMedicine. 2024;71:102586. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2024.102586
Disclaimer
This article is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Only a qualified clinician who can consider your full history can diagnose autism. If you are in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988, or call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.