Health Assessment - Consultative Examinations (CE)

Desierto Psychological PLLC has been awarded Contract No. CTR070044 by the Arizona Department of Economic Security's Disability Determination Services Administration (DDSA) to provide Health Assessment Consultative Examination (CE) services. The contract enables the prime contractor to deliver psychological and medical evaluation services for Social Security Administration disability benefit claimants across three Arizona locations: Mesa, Tucson, and Bullhead City. The contractor operates Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, with service exclusions on seven designated federal holidays.

The contract, effective through March 31, 2026, includes two subcontractors - Dr. Ruby Howard and Dr. Kristen Northup - who will perform consultative psychological examinations and testing. The procurement, authorized through a Competition Impracticable procurement process, has an estimated total value of $41,215,862 and aims to support Arizona's disability determination process by serving approximately 80,000 to 90,000 residents annually. Compensation is structured through a detailed fee schedule with rates for various examination types, ranging from $175 to $750 per psychological assessment, and includes provisions for travel reimbursement and additional service modifiers.