Gateways Hospital and Mental Health Center Opens New Psychology Testing and Assessment Labs to Triple Capacity to Provide Critical Exams for Adults, Double Capacity for Children and Adolescents
With a $50,000 grant from the Ralph M. Parsons Foundation, Gateways has built the infrastructure to triple the number of comprehensive psychological tests administered to adults and double the number of comprehensive psychological tests administered to children and adolescents
Los Angeles, CA (August 2, 2023) – Gateways Hospital and Mental Health Center opened its new Psychology Testing and Assessment Labs, made possible through the nonprofit hospital’s partnership with the Ralph M. Parsons Foundation. These new labs will provide Gateways Hospital’s psychologists and interns with the infrastructure to privately assess students to identify their unique patterns of strengths and weaknesses, and in turn, recommend appropriate interventions and access to services.
The recently acquired grant will be instrumental in expanding Gateways’ psychological testing services. The funds will facilitate the creation of five state-of-the-art testing rooms, empowering the organization to increase the number of comprehensive psychological tests administered to children and adolescents by 100% (approximately 60 per year) and increase the number of comprehensive psychological tests administered to adults by 200% (approximately 60 per year).
“Gateways Hospital is excited about the partnership with The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation as the new psychological examination facilities will serve as a pilot program that has the ability to scale and expand access to accurate diagnosis as the first step to mental and behavioral health treatment,” said Dr. Phil Wong, CEO of Gateways Hospital and Mental Health Center. “This is vital infrastructure that provides a welcoming, comfortable, and private space for testing that can drastically improve the evaluation experience for both the patient and our psychology team.”
Prior to the grant, Gateways did not have a dedicated space and infrastructure for psychological examinations, which limited the hospital’s capacity to provide these much needed evaluations. The grant’s infusion will not only overcome these constraints, but also accelerate the organization’s ability to meet the growing demand for psychological evaluations and support. Additionally, Gateways plans to foster collaborations with esteemed partners like the Lanterman Regional Center, other regional centers, and school districts. These partnerships will enable an even wider reach of psychological testing services, ensuring that more individuals receive the specialized care they need.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, more than one in five adults live with a mental illness ranging from mild to moderate to severe, but it’s important to remember that these statistics fail to represent the people who are undiagnosed. The number of people experiencing undiagnosed mental health symptoms is difficult to count, but these people, too, are in dire need of support, lacking the access to treatment to receive a life saving diagnosis. Additionally, more than a third of patients (39.16%) with severe psychiatric disorders are misdiagnosed according to a study by the Annals of General Psychiatry.
“As Los Angeles faces a mental health crisis, it is essential that hospitals, regional centers, and private foundations meet the needs of our community,” said California State Senator Maria Elena Durazo (SD-26). “I am thrilled Gateways Hospital is expanding its capacity to provide much-needed psychological exams that will ensure individuals receive the appropriate care.”
Accurate diagnoses and assessments are essential to ensuring that individuals with mental illness receive appropriate and effective treatment. Standard psychological assessments, which typically test for cognitive ability, achievement, personality, interests and attitudes, and neuropsychological issues, can be supplemented and expanded for the severely mentally ill and for children, who may have co-occurring cognitive and learning impairments.
Moreover, indigent patients have been disproportionately affected by the lack of adequate screening, which results in missed opportunities for correct diagnoses and appropriate treatment. Gateways is working to address these needs of our community’s most vulnerable, which has been made possible through Gateways Hospital’s partnership with private foundations like the Ralph M. Parsons Foundation.
Gateways is renowned for offering four types of psychological exams, catering to various aspects of an individual’s mental well-being:
- Cognitive (IQ) Testing: Assessing intellectual abilities to inform educational and support interventions.
- Academic (Learning Disability) Testing: Identifying learning challenges to facilitate tailored educational plans.
- Developmental Testing: Focused on younger children, diagnosing conditions like autism and developmental delays, enabling early interventions and Individualized Education Plans (IEP).
- Personality Testing: Gaining insights into an individual’s interactions with the world, informing therapeutic approaches and strategies.
“At Gateways, we believe in the power of psychological testing to transform lives. By utilizing this grant to expand our testing services, we will be better equipped to meet the short and long-term needs of our patients,” said Dr. Elizabeth Morris, Clinical Services Director at Gateways. “Our commitment to supporting individuals through psychological evaluations will pave the way for enhanced mental health outcomes and an empowered, resilient community.”
Gateways Hospital and Mental Health Center is a non-profit organization located in Echo Park that has been serving the Greater Los Angeles area since 1953. Gateways offers an array of comprehensive mental and behavioral health services for adolescents, transitional-aged youth, and adults. For more information, visit gatewayshospital.org or call (323) 644-2000.
