Frequently Asked Questions

Assuming there is availability for your case, from your first contact to report submission, most evaluations can be signed and filed within 30 days. If you need an expedited timeline, schedule a consult and we’ll do what we can to make it happen.

This can vary wildly depending on case type and individual details, so this is a broad response. But most evaluations take 10-16 hours for report submission. At $220/hr that’s $2,200—$3,520. If, during the evaluation, it becomes clear it will require longer than 16 hours, Streamline will consult with the retaining party as soon as possible.

Private cases require an engagement letter and 6 hour retainer ($1,330) upfront. County or state funded evaluations are paid at the state rate and are invoiced in full at the time of report submission.

Testimony averages 3 hours of preparation plus the time for appearance—most frequently 6 hours total. Private cases require an additional retainer, county and state funded cases are invoiced following the hearing.

All services within an evaluation will be billed at the same rate—generally $220/hr. Meaning, we don’t charge differently for interviews versus records versus report writing versus testimony. They're all part of our job, and they're all important. There are some exceptions—mainly when Minnesota Court rules dictate it (travel costs or mileage, for example). We can talk about those one-offs in a consult if you need to.

Most service providers raise rates over time with experience. The current hourly rate reflects Dr. Rilen's experience and the unique variables he brings to evaluation. That said, $220/hr is well within the range of typical rates  in this area, which may or may not be similar to rates in other jurisdictions. You’re encouraged  to shop around to make sure you feel good if you decide on Streamline!

Yep. We can do that upon request. But we’ve Streamlined it. Our version mirrors everything in the state template—the headings are an exact match and the narrative in each section contains all the information commanded in the template. We’ll be well within any order guiding use of the state template. That said, the structure of the template is not a good fit for our report style and emphasis on reducing redundancy and making reports more user friendly. That means that if you have to have a state template, you may lose some of the things that make Streamline most effective and efficient.

The answer to this varies a little depending on who is retaining. But broadly, Forensic evaluations are a little like a medical exam. We have to tell it like it is and we can’t just pretend you don’t have high blood pressure if that’s what we find. That said, we do our best to check thoroughly, to consider alternative possibilities, and to explain things as clearly as possible so you understand why we concluded what we did. Also, highly competent experts can certainly disagree, and  there is always an option to hire someone for a second opinion.

Typically, no. Court evaluations work differently than general assessment or medical evaluations, where the person being evaluated owns the record. With Court Ordered evaluations, the “client” is the person who hired us (usually an attorney or a Court administrator) and the Court dictates who gets copies of the evaluation when its done.

Yep. Everyone is wrong sometimes. But we try really hard to make sure the reports are written so that you understand why the conclusions are what they are. If new information comes to light that would change an opinion,  we can discuss an addendum.

Every system (even old-school paper files) has built in risk. But we use two-way encryption for file storage, a secure platform for video interviews, and secure and HIPPA compliant messaging. Court evaluations (and the data inside them) are governed by Court authority, relevant statute, or legislation (Court Orders, Data Privacy Act). This is different than private evaluations that are governed by the Health Insurance Protection and Portability Act (HIPPA). But we take privacy and security very seriously.

For adult criminal court:

• Competency to Proceed (Rule 20.01)
• Criminal Responsibility (Rule 20.02)
• Sex Offense
• Dispositional/Risk Assessment (not mitigation)

For juvenile court:

• Competency to Proceed
• Defense of Mental Illness
• Sex Offense
• Certification/EJJ
• General/Pre-Plea/Pre-Dispositional

 For family court:

• General psychological evaluation of a parent undergoing a custody evaluation (not a parenting evaluation or a custody evaluation).

Many forensic evaluations do not routinely rely on testing. Some evaluators always do certain tests for every evaluation, but that is not best practice and it’s not Streamlined. Using  testing unnecessarily can be confusing, redundant, and expensive. Bottom line is that we do testing any time it is directly necessary to answer the forensic question. Otherwise we rely on sound methodology and well established best practices  like a strong interview and thorough collateral record review.

Forensic evaluations can sometimes be fluid - cases drop off and pick up in ways that are hard to anticipate. We don't charge a fee to hold a spot but that also means we have to be careful about not overcommitting. If you are really set on working with us and you might have some wiggle room on a continuance, then we can usually find a way to make it work.  If that's your situation, fill out a contact request form here.