Los Angeles Center for Integrated Assessment (LACIA) evolved organically as a different way to approach the work of evaluating children, adolescents, and emerging adults. We are making accurate, holistic understanding of individuals accessible at varying levels of financial commitment, as well as working to educate and inspire parents, educators, and providers in multiple disciplines. What started as a solo practitioner model with very compartmentalized thinking has blossomed into a dynamic, collaborative methodology whose whole is far greater than the sum of its parts.
 
Dr. Allison Kawa founded the practice in 2010 as a solo practitioner, providing several different, narrowly-focused types of evaluation (e.g., ADHD evaluations, dyslexia evaluations, etc.). She quickly realized that partial batteries of testing tended to raise more questions than they answered. Since they often proved unhelpful, these partial batteries were systematically dropped from the “menu of services” in favor of more comprehensive assessments. As the depth and complexity of evaluations increased, so did the time required to conduct them. This had the unfortunate result of causing excessive wait times for appointments. On a personal note, Dr. Kawa found solo practice to be lonely, and she missed the camaraderie of working in a multidisciplinary setting.

Learn more