Category Archives: Find Treatment and Support

ADHD Treatment: Money Matters

Money Matters

This article is part of the series: Find Treatment and Support. You may want to start there.

Money Matters – The Affordable Health Care Act and Mental Health – Find Health Insurance – Low-Income Help – Social Security Income and Social Security Disability

Need help paying for medication?
See: Lower costs for Prescription Medications

Money matters

The Cost of Not Treating ADHD by Steven Kurtz – “We’re already paying the cost, and our kids are too.” “Many kids with ADHD, and other conditions, just find their problems compounding as they get older. And they are less and less responsive to treatment. Kids with untreated ADHD often become adults with untreated ADHD, and with that comes a whole host of adult-sized problems.”

How much does it cost to test for ADHD? Consumer Reports – $700 to $1600 was the average assessment cost. – “About one-third of the parents in the survey reported that the costs of treating their child for ADHD were covered completely by their child’s health plan, with two-thirds of respondents reporting half to all treatment costs were covered by insurance.”

Managing the Costs of ADHD (See link below) – by Chris Taylor – “Many parents are caught in a financial vise. They want to spend whatever it takes to ensure a successful future for their child but don’t want to bankrupt the family. Some tips: Work the public school system, be an insurance Ninja,  and plan your budget early.” Find article in the Internet archives – The Wayback Machine – https://web.archive.org/web/20120623070853/https://www.reuters.com/article/2012/06/22/us-adhd-costs-idUSBRE85L0Z020120622 

Lowering ADHD Costs: Health Insurance and Treatment Help by Jane Lehto (Link works) “Insider tips on lowering ADHD costs by getting your insurance company to pay for medication, treatment, and other therapies.”

ADHD Treatment Costs: The Struggle to Afford Meds and Therapy – Survey of over 600 ADDitude Magazine readers

 

The Affordable Health Care Act and Mental Health

The Affordable Care Act has new regulations to make sure that mental health treatment is covered to the same extent as physical care. Therapies for depression, anxiety, and substance abuse — which often come along with ADHD — are among a core set of 10 services called “essential health benefits” that must be covered with no out-of-pocket limit. Included in these are prescription medications, which are usually a major component of ADHD treatment. Knowing that a pre-existing condition won’t exclude you from getting affordable insurance is also a bonus. So is the option of keeping children on their parents’ policies until they’re 26. (1)

Before health reform, one out of five people who bought their own insurance had no mental health benefits. This change is long overdue. One drawback may be that by placing the primary care physician is at the center of treatment, Doctors may decide to treat ADHD themselves by just prescribing medication, rather than referring to a specialist. With the high rate of mental health issues and Learning Disabilities so commonly associated with ADHD, however, a complete diagnosis and a holistic treatment plan may be beyond the expertise of primary providers. (2) They may not appreciate the value of parent training to managing behavior or family therapy to educate and help all members of the family.

The news for low-income families is not as good. “In 2012, the Supreme Court gave states the choice of whether to join the Medicaid expansion or not. Unfortunately, almost half of the states have decided not to do so. That means that 6 to 7 million Americans won’t enjoy this enhanced access.”(3) Even with Medicaid, finding a physician will be difficult. “Under the present Medicaid reimbursement rates, physicians are paid only about $45.00 for a basic visit, while $75 per visit is the break-even point for most private practices. So the physician has to take a $30 loss for every Medicaid patient that he or she sees and has increased paperwork to even get the reimbursement.” (4)

Find Health Insurance

Find Health Insurance at HealthCare.gov – (Link works)You may qualify for Medicaid or lower subsidized rates.

Find Insurance for young adults – (Link works.) May be covered under parents’ plans or be subsidized.

Enroll in Medicaid (Link works) or (https://www.healthcare.gov/medicaid-chip/getting-medicaid-chip/)
Are you eligible for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP – Link works) Note: Make sure to enter your state for correct information.

Low-Income Help

Find low cost and or government-sponsored clinics – Nationwide
A searchable directory of mental health treatment facilities and support services from SAMHSA.gov

Alternatively, let your fingers do the walking. Check the Community Pages in your local phone book under Mental Health for local federally funded clinics. They accept Medicaid, Medicare, most insurances and will adjust their rate according to your income. (Note: Some areas do not consider adults with ADHD (alone) as qualified for treatment. Others will treat if it’s in combination with another mental disease or disorder). Children’s clinics, however, deal with ADHD concerns on a regular basis.

Or, use Google. I had good results using the words community mental health with city, county, and/or state

The Department of Vocational Rehabilitation is another possible way to go. You do, however, have to prove you are not employable or under-employed due to your ADHD or combination of disabilities. I know quite a few people who got a lot of help through DVR a number of years ago (including paying for a diagnosis for ADHD,) but their funding has been hit. – Find your state’s Voc-Rehab services

Clinical trials don’t cost a thing and you may even be reimbursed for your time.
(There’s no guarantee you’ll get the drug being tested, but you can often get a free evaluation for ADHD.) For a listing of current studies, see the National Institute of Mental Health.

2-1-1 is an Information and Referral service to help people connect with important community services and help them find help in their community more easily. Call 2-1-1 or Search for a 2-1-1 Call Center. Available in many states, 2-1-1 can help you find organizations that may assist with a broad range of needs. You may find help paying for medications or financial assistance with other essential needs such as food, clothing, rent and utility assistance, child care, employment supports, services for older adults, etc.

Social Security Income and Social Security Disability Income

Supplemental Security Income, or SSI, provides monthly income for those who cannot work due to a disability such as depression, bipolar disorder or other mental disorders. You must meet strict eligibility criteria to qualify.

The basics of SSDI – “Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is available to any worker who has a “disability” as defined by the federal government and who has paid into the Social Security system for a specified amount of time, depending on their age. In order to qualify as “disabled,” an SSDI applicant must show that he is almost completely unable to work at any job whatsoever.”

Apply for SSDI

Social Security Disability and ADHD (link works) – This article focuses primarily on children. – They need to show a MARKED inability to succeed in school and strong documentation is required. For adults: Adults must be unable to earn more than $960 per month gross (with that inability also caused by MARKED impairments. Most importantly, to win disability benefits from the Social Security Administration based on attention deficit, or ADHD, a person must have measurable functional deficits, in the context of school or work performance. (URL: https://www.disabilitysecrets.com/adhd-attention-deficit-social-security-disability.html)


SSI / SSDI Outreach, Access and Recovery – SOAR
Help for the homeless with mental illnesses, a process where eligible individuals can have their disability case expedited. SOAR’s online training course (Link works – Or copy and paste) https://soarworks.samhsa.gov/ is about 16 hours long, but it leads you through all the steps to help clients apply for SSI or SSDI. – To be eligible you must be at least 18, diagnosed with a serious mental illness as well as homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. The SOAR process is designed to have a decision for disability claims within 90 days.

• “Image courtesy of Luigi/FreeDigitalPhotos.net” Modified on Canva.com

References

(1) “The Affordable Care Act: Good for ADHDers”
by Katherine Ellison – www.additudemag.com/adhdblogs/19/10545.html
(2) “An Update on How the U.S. Affordable Care Act Impacts Mental Health Care”
By John M. Grohol, PSY.D. – http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2013/11/01/an-update-on-how-the-u-s-affordable-care-act-impacts-mental-health-care/
(3) “Affordable Care Act : Will It Impact Your ADHD Child’s Treatment?” http://newideas.net/adhd-affordable-care-act-impact
(4) “One of the Best Things to Happen to People With ADHD? Obamacare” by Dennis Thompson Jr. http://www.everydayhealth.com/news/obamacare-best-thing-happen-people-with-adhd/

For more resources and ideas on saving money, see our Money Matters Board
Follow ADHD – ADD freeSources’s board Money Matters on Pinterest.

Find an Organizer

I love clutter

This article is part of the series: Find Treatment and Support. You may want to start there.

What to look for – Try a Local search – Online Directories – Hoarding – FREEBIES and For Professionals

It is not uncommon for someone with ADHD to be overwhelmed by a chronic lack of organization of their space and poor time management skills. At some time, it may be necessary to call in an organizer. Most can help with both issues. Traditional organizing techniques, however, often need to be adjusted when working with clients with ADHD. Most of us know what to do, but struggle to initiate action, evaluate the importance of our stuff and begin to de-clutter our space.

Organizing what is left so you can find it later is problematic and keeping everything in its place an on-going chore. You’ll need to develop and refine new organizing systems. Maintaining your organized environment will probably not come naturally. Creating new habits takes time and you may need additional help to keep things up. Remember, the goal is NOT perfection. Getting through the day with less frustration and being able to accomplish your work more efficiently is good enough.

Choose your organizer carefully and move on if you are feeling judged or shamed. Most organizers have worked with ADHD clients. Some have developed successful techniques that work with our wiring or even pursued specialized training through the Institute for Chronic Disorganization. Make sure that there is a good “fit” between you. Ideally, you will find one who is sensitive enough to your needs, but firm enough to do you some good.


Local Search: Another problem with finding a suitable organizer is, of course, that they work locally. You may need to let your fingers do the walking in your local Yellow Pages under organizers. Also, try a Google or Bing search. Whoever you contact, ask them questions about their expertise and what their experience in working with clients with ADHD has been like. If you can, try an introductory meeting.

There are also online directories that can help you find an appropriate organizer.

National Association of Professional Organizers Directory  Choose # 3- Optional – Special Populations – ADHD

The Institute for Chronic Disorganization trains organizers and awards certificates for different degrees of training. They maintain a List of Graduates.

You might get lucky using ADHD Directories. Many will contain a few listings

Note: Hoarding issues signal a need for specialized treatment, and often require both therapy and a highly skilled organizer. See the IOCDF Hoarding Center for photos on different stages of hoarding. Compare these with the state of your home. You can also find providers to work with you here. You may also assess your stage of clutter by choosing from the Clutter-Hoarding Scales from the Institute for Challenging Disorganization. (Please donate.)  You can also find highly trained professional organizers who work with hoarding there.

FREEBIES

Free Fact Sheets for the general public on a wide variety of issues from Challenging Disorganization. Includes Time Management, Overcoming Procrastination, Readiness for Change, Should I Work with an Organizer or a Friend and more!

For Professionals

Institute for Challenging Disorganization offers specialized information for Professional Organizers. Fact Sheets, Reading Recommendations, Family Organization Modules and more. They also provide training and certification for helping clients with Chronic Disorganization. Also see their Clutter Hoarding Scales. (Please donate.)

Go back to Find more Treatment services

See our Pinterest Board on Organization Techniques

Follow ADHD – ADD freeSources’s board Organization Techniques for ADHD on Pinterest.

ADD-ADHD Directories

AD-HD-keneyeam-bucket

This collection of exclusively ADHD Directories is part of the series: Find Treatment and Support. You may want to start there.

CHADD’s Professional Directory –www.chadd.org – For more results and less frustration, don’t use the professional sort, just choose a state. (ADD coaches work over the phone, so leave the state box empty.

ADDA’s Professional Directory – http://www.add.org/ professional-directory For better results and less frustration, just choose a state. (For ADD coaches, however, leave the state box empty.)

Find Hospital and University AD/HD Centers from the National Resource Center for ADHD – Some listings are out of date.

ADDitudeMag.com – Find professionals, schools, camps, products, services, and support groups. Offers Free listings for support groups and maintains a Calendar of ADHD events. Attractive paid listings, but free listings are also available. (Note: Free listings are very basic and contain no contact information, but Google helped a lot)

Washington State

Washington State ADHD Service Providers

Learning Disability Association of Washington online directory

Other Directories to try

Professional Medical Directories with ADHD Search Options can be a good choice. They all have good geographical searches and may provide a search option for insurance coverage. Most also offer a broad description of the provider’s services. But do your research! Although many providers claim to treat ADHD, far fewer express an interest, let alone a level of expertise.

Professional Medical Directories without an ADHD search option absolutely have the most listings and excellent geographical sort options.

Quick Links:
Find Treatment and Support
Find Support

If you know of any other ADHD Directories and you’ve had good luck with them, please let us know so we can add them to the list.

“Image courtesy of Keneyam / photobucket.com/”

Be sure to visit us on Pinterest!

Visit ADD Resources’ profile on Pinterest.

 

Supplemental Treatment Providers for ADHD

Treatment for ADHD is multi-faceted

Treatment for ADHD is multi-faceted

This article is part of the series: Find Treatment and Support. You may want to start there.

Finding a doctor for diagnosis is only the initial step in managing your ADHD symptoms. The list of additional resources below can help you move forward in your understanding of yourself and the challenges of ADHD. For optimal treatment for ADHD, you may find a need for a variety of professionals from different fields.

See Find Treatment for diagnosis, medical or psychological providers. These include:
Child Psychiatrists, Psychiatrists, Child Psychologists, Clinical Psychologists, Psychologists, General Practitioners, Pediatricians, Neurologists, Behavioral Neurologists, Therapists, Marriage and Family Therapists, Clinical Social Workers, Social Workers and Counselors.

Other types of professionals/services may include ADHD Coaches, Professional Organizers, Support groups, Lawyers, Educational Consultants, Advocates, Information and Parent support organizations, Private Schools, Tutors,  and Residential Treatment Facilities. Professionals with an interest in or specialize in treating ADHD will often list their services in ADHD Directories as well.

Find an ADD Coach or Coach Training

Find an Organizer

Find Support – Make in person or online connections

You may find advocates, tutors, a few coaches, legal help and more here:
Wright’s Law – Yellow Pages for Kids with Disabilities Listings for educational consultants, advocates, advisors, psychologists, diagnosticians, health care specialists, academic tutors, speech/language therapists, and attorneys. You’ll also find government programs, grassroots organizations, disability organizations, legal and advocacy resources, special education schools, and parent support groups. A good resource for finding help for kids, but there’s no sort for ADHD specific providers

Find a Lawyer/ Advocates for IDEA or 504’s – Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates The Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA) can provide a list of lawyers who specialize in disability rights. Visit their Web site or call in Washington DC 202-544-2210.

Advice on finding an attorney from CHADD’s National ADHD Resource.Center

National Disability Rights Network – (Link works) Every state and territory of the United Sates has an organization designated to provide independent protection and advocacy services to eligible people with developmental and other disabilities and/or mental illness. Cover both school and workplace rights. Services include: Information and Referral, Training and Publications, Legal Representation, System Impact Litigation and Abuse or Neglect Intervention.

Center for Parent Information – Every State has at least one Parent Center that provides information and training to parents of children with disabilities, birth to 26. Find your State’s Parent Center and connect with a world of expertise and resources

LAW HELP – helps low and moderate income people find free legal aid programs in their communities, and answers to questions about their legal rights.

Legal Services Corporation – Government site – Legal Aid programs – Look for Find Legal Aid in the upper right corner of the page

Private Schools and Treatment Facilities

National Association of Private Schools for Exceptional Children (NAPSEC) (Link works)
NAPSEC is a nonprofit association of private special education schools that serve both privately and publicly placed individuals with disabilities. Free referral service.

Note: Many private schools and treatment centers advertise in ADDitude Magazine (Bound version or in their ADHD Directory) as well as in CHADD’s Provider Directory or their Attention 2.0 on-line magazine.

Educational Consultants  – Directory of educational consultants who specialize in helping parents find appropriate places for children with behavioral and/or emotional problems. When you have a need for specialized placement, they know what’s available and for how much.

In need of intensive care? Oppositional Defiant Disorder or the more severe Conduct Disorder are common comorbidities. Later in life, addictions can be a problem.

Psychology Today’s Facilities Guide – Detailed listings for residential treatment facilities, treatment programs, wilderness programs, therapeutic services and young adult programs

Treatment 4 Addiction – (Link works) Drug Rehab Resource Page contains the SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) database, as well as many private treatment centers, therapists, and addiction professionals.

Tutors/ Advocates

You may find tutors and/or advocates listed in an ADHD Directory, but chances are you’ll need to ask for referrals from local groups, do a computer search and or try the phone directories. Again, ask questions about their general experience and specific knowledge of ADHD. (I don’t know of any professional directories for these fields. If you do, please let us know.)

An article with tips on Choosing a tutor for a child with LD.

Quick Links:
Find Treatment and Support
Find Support
Finding Mental Health services

For more information, see our Pinterest page on Finding Help and Support

Follow ADHD – ADD freeSources’s board Finding help and support for ADHD on Pinterest.

Find Support for ADHD

Join an ADHD group if you can. You're not alone. Take this step to build knowledge and coping skills.

This collection is part of the series: Find Treatment and Support. You may want to start there.

ADHD Support Groups

Join an ADHD support group if you can. Realizing that you’re not alone and that others are facing common challenges is a tremendous step towards building knowledge and coping skills. Change may come slowly, but sharing the journey with others who have been through the ropes can help lift your burden and point the way towards new options.

Many groups also have a list of providers that have been recommended by members over the years. Those attending meetings may share the names of providers they are currently working with. If you cannot find a group nearby, try an online forum or Blog. See the bottom of the page for a few of these.

Ned Hallowell M.D. offers these tips for being a welcome member of a group in ADDitude Magazine’s article, “Your ADD Life.” (Link works)

  • “Save chatter for the right time. Some ADHD support groups schedule casual social periods along with group sharing, while others provide opportunities to mingle only before and after the official meeting.
  • Balance personal disclosures. Observe one or two meetings before jumping in. Sharing too much may make other members uncomfortable – sharing too little can make you seem standoffish.
  • Be supportive. Aim for a three-to-one ratio – three responses to others’ comments for every personal comment you make.”

Find a local Support Group

A search at Google
Try Support, your city, and ADHD (Because groups are often held in nearby suburbs, you might try your whole state instead of a specific city to find nearby groups, for example: your state, adhd & support (maybe include parent or adult)

Try Meetup – Find or start a Meetup group near you

ADDMeetup.com “Find Attention Deficit Disorder Groups Near You. Meet other local people dealing with ADD and ADHD. Gather to share your experiences, progress, and thoughts with one another.” Search by country then city. They have groups all over the world. 223 ADD meetup groups worldwide. Thanks to ADHD coach Pete Quily.

ADD Care Meetup Group Meet other local Parents and Caregivers of children with ADD/ADHD. Offer support and share advice with others.

Find Nationwide support groups

CHADD Directory – CHADD is the national leader in support groups. Current listings of their many groups. Most are for parents, a few are for adults but adults with ADD are welcome at all meetings. Please note: CHADD now offers an Accessibility and Language option that includes text to audio in any language as well as oher features.  Look for it on the top right-hand corner. Pressing the link brings up Recite me, an amazing tool!

 

Attention Deficit Disorder Association-Southern Region– Texas and neighboring areas – Find their many groups and access knowledgeable volunteers.

Washington State ADHD Support groups  3 Meetup groups for Adults in Seattle and Olympia, 4 Parent groups affiliated with CHADD in Bellevue, Kirkland, Renton, University Place, and Silverdale.

Virtual Peer Support groups at ADDA

Canadian Support groups – Thanks to Pete Quily

International Support groups – Thanks to Pete Quily – Link works. Or copy and paste http://www.addcoach4u.com/internationaladhdsupportgr.html

United Kingdom ADHD Service map – Find a group

Individual groups

Manhattan Adult Support Group –  Facebook page

Try this Meetup page for another Manhattan group ( Same name, different meetings)

Start your own ADHD Support Group

Can’t find an ADHD support group in your area? – Follow these basic steps to “Start your own support group for ADD adults and/or parents of ADHD children.” – by Michael Sandler –  Link works

Meetup – Find or Start a Meetup group near you – Explore the many tips they offer for facilitators.

Support Group Tips from ADDA – Corrected link to their Support Group Manual by Ari Tuckman

Virtual Support

ADDA Virtual Peer Support – Would you like to meet with other adults with ADHD without leaving the comfort and privacy of your home? ADDA members*  have the opportunity to connect with peers for support in a safe non-judgmental environment 2 evenings a week. 90-minute phone calls every Tuesday and Thursday at 9 pm Eastern time. 5 pm Pacific. (*Membership in ADDA is $50, $20 for students.)

Reach Further –(Sorry, I need to update this listing. I no longer know the cost of this group.) A truly affordable ADHD coaching group offered by Jennie Friedman. Facebook community for accountability, online meetings, and shadow coaching available a few times a week.

The ADHD Enclave on Mighty Networks with  Liz Lewis –   Facebook pages too much? Try the Enclave. Basic membership is $150 a month, $200 for the year. Community membership with live bi-weekly small-group sessions includes daily body double sessions. The Park for Moms with ADHD is $80 a month.

Online support groups 

If there’s no group meeting nearby, try an online forum or Blog. Here are a few possibilities:

.

ADHD group on Reddit

ADDitude Mag Forums

 

 

Social Networks/Communities

Facebook has a number of sites dedicated to ADHD. Try a search to find the best ones for you. For a woman’s group, I like:

Some of these groups are open, but many support groups are closed to members only.  No one but you will see posts from those sites on their personal Facebook page.

For women’s groups, I like

There’s even a group for Wives Of Husbands With ADD/ADHD.

For both men and women, you can share your dirty laundry without judgment on

For a more off-the-wall approach, try

For parents, many Facebook pages provide information and posts, with comments being the way their readers interact.

For parents facing very difficult behavior, Surviving the Storm is somewhere you can feel comfortable and get understanding support and advice. Do a search for the three Oppositional Defiant Disorder Facebook support groups and find your favorite.

ADD freeSources has a mix of posts about both children and adults, but is open and not a traditional support group.

Collection of Facebook groups from Our ADHD Story

Yahoo ADHD support groups

 

See my Pinterest Board below for more ideas.

Let us know if you know of any other active social sites. Thanks.

Quick Link: Find Treatment and Support

• “Image courtesy of renjith krishnan/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net”

Modified on Canva – http://www.canva.com

Visit our Pinterest board: Finding Help and Support for ADHD
Follow ADHD – ADD freeSources’s board Finding help and support for ADHD on Pinterest.

Questions before first appointment

question mark
A few things to talk about before your appointmentWingedWolf / Foter / CC BY-NC-ND

This article is part of the series: Find Treatment and Support. You may want to start there.

Before you make an appointment, check out your provider’s credentials and evaluate their knowledge about ADHD In reality, you may never speak directly to a service provider and must rely on their office staff. When you call for information or at your first visit, ask several of the following questions to assess whether they have the ability and inclination to work with people with ADHD.
1) Do you diagnose ADHD? Do you accept my insurance?
2) How long have you been diagnosing this disorder? (Do you treat adults?)
3) What percent of your practice has a primary diagnosis of ADHD? Do you focus on children, teens and/or adults?
4) How familiar are you with the day to day tribulations of having ADHD? (You’re trying to learn if they or some one they are close to has this condition. How intimate is their understanding of ADHD on a daily basis?)
5) What is your treatment philosophy? (Will the clinician work with you and be open to suggestions or will he/she call all the shots. Is their treatment of ADHD the same for everyone or is it individually tailored?)
6) In a subtle way, learn what they do to keep current in their knowledge about adult ADHD and its treatment protocols.
7) How do you make a diagnosis? How many visits will it take and how much will it cost?
8) How long will I have to wait for an appointment?
9) Ask psychologists how they handle the medication part of treatment as psychologists do not have prescriptive authority. Ask physicians (and other medical personnel with prescriptive authority) what medicines they use to treat ADHD.
10) Keep track of those you have called and how they answered these questions.
Unfortunately, given many providers’ busy schedules, you may have to settle for the more limited information that a secretary or receptionist has available. If you do have specific concerns, try asking them to help you get your questions answered. You should feel comfortable with your choice.
(These questions are taken from The ADHD To-Do List by Cynthia Hammer for ADD Resources.org – No longer online. Used with permission)

Please let us know if you feel we could deal with this subject better.

Be sure to visit us on Pinterest!

Visit ADD Resources’ profile on Pinterest.

 

Finding Mental Health Services

Finding Mental Health Services

This article is part of the series: Find Treatment and Support. You may want to start there.

Information – Find Treatment – Non-profits

How to Access Behavioral Health or Mental Health Services – Good article on insurance and descriptions of mental health professionals

American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry – Link works. Extensive information for Families relevant to many disorders: Anxiety, ADHD, Autism, Bipolar disorder, Conduct disorder, Depression, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, and more. Includes a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist Finder

Find Treatment

Find low cost and or government-sponsored clinics – Nationwide – A searchable directory of mental health treatment facilities and support services from SAMHSA.gov

Locate Affordable Healthcare in Your Area
HRSA (Health Resources and Services Administration) health centers care for you, even if you have no health insurance. You pay what you can afford, based on your income. Health centers provide:
• checkups when you’re well
• treatment when you’re sick
• complete care when you’re pregnant
• immunizations and checkups for your children
• dental care and prescription drugs for your family
• mental health and substance abuse care if you need it

SAMHSA Health Information Network Behavioral Health
Treatment and Substance Abuse Services Locator

Local Searches
Use Google. I had good results using the words community mental health with your county and or state.

Let your fingers do the walking. Check the Community Pages in your local phone book under Mental Health for local federally funded clinics. They accept Medicaid, Medicare, most insurances and they should adjust their rate according to your income. How to qualify for Medicaid or Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). (Link works — Just click through or https://www.healthcare.gov/medicaid-chip/getting-medicaid-chip/)

If you qualify for Medicaid, you’re covered in full. (Note: most clinics will diagnose and treat children with ADHD, but many will not treat adults. Some areas do not consider ADHD in adults to be serious enough to qualify for treatment, but will treat if it’s in combination with another mental disorder.)

Note: Make sure to Look for hospitals with Mental Health or Behavioral Health treatment as well. They’re not just for emergencies.

Online Directories

Check these Medical Directories:
Professional Medical Directories

Professional Medical directories with search options

The Medicare Participating Physician Directory can assist you in finding a psychiatrist who accepts Medicare. Copy and paste: https://www.medicare.gov/physiciancompare/

Non-profits for Help and Support

Mental Health America.org (Copy and paste: https://www.mhanational.org/our-affiliates)  is the country’s leading nonprofit dedicated to helping ALL people live mentally healthier lives. Provides information, advocacy, and direct help to consumers in many states. Although they don’t cover all states, there are 320 affiliates nationwide. – Especially see their Get Help section – Many of the resources don’t apply directly to ADHD, but out of such a great selection- you should find something. – The site’s Conditions section is extensive!

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to improving the lives of persons living with serious mental illness and their families. NAMI has organizations in all 50 states, as well as in Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. There are also more than 1,200 local affiliates spanning all 50 states, D.C. and Puerto Rico. Provides information, support, and advocacy. www.nami.org

Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health (FFCMH): A national parent-run non-profit organization focused on the needs of children and youth with emotional, behavioral or mental disorders and their families.
Chapters/ State Locator

Parent Training and Information Centers – Parent Centers serve families of all ages (birth to 26) and all disabilities (physical, cognitive, behavioral, and emotional). They provide a variety of services including one-on-one support and assistance, workshops, publications, and Web sites. Find the Parent Centers in your area

For more information, see our Board below: Mental Health and Comorbidities Web sites.

“Image courtesy of SalvatoreVuomo/FreeDigitalPhotos.net” Modified on Canva.com

Quick Links:
Find Treatment and Support
Find Support

Follow ADHD – ADD freeSources’s board Mental Health & Comorbid Websites on Pinterest.

Medical Directories – ADHD option

Medical File And Stethoscope-renjith krishnan-FDP

This collection of Directories is part of the series: Find Treatment and Support. You may want to start there.

Live and Work Well – An extensive listing of ADHD physicians and therapists Lists service providers in the United Behavioral Health system, but they could provide care to others not in this system. Sorts for Medicaid or Medicare providers, Area of Expertise (Attention Deficit Disorder) and clinician type- Psychiatrists (MD), Master’s-Level Clinicians (e.g., MFT, LCSW), Psychologists (LP, PhD) and Nurse Practitioners (e.g., NP, MHNP)

Psychology Today – Find a Therapist, Psychologist, counselor or social worker – Under I’m looking for help with… Try ADHD, but I had better luck with Learning Disabilities, Life Coaching and don’t forget Child and Adolescent Issues.

Social Worker Finder– Can choose ADHD as specialty- also has an insurance option. If you live a major metropolitan area, you could try their advanced search for even more specific needs.

Find a Therapist -Network Therapy – Counselors, psychologists, therapists…Can choose ADHD as a specialty- also has an insurance option.

The following assume expertise with ADHD based on their professions.

Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist Finder from
the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) (Link works)

American Psychological Association (APA)- Psychologist Locator-
Sorts for ADHD, but not many names come up. Assume experience with ADHD, but ask anyway.

American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist Finder

(Link works)

Quick Links:

Find Treatment and Support
Find Support
ADHD Directories

Please help us keep this resources up to date. We appreciate your comments

• “Image courtesy of renjith krishnan/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net”

Be sure to visit us on Pinterest!

Visit ADD Resources’ profile on Pinterest.

 

Who can diagnose

This article is part of the series: Find Treatment and Support. You may want to start there.

You’ll find that many of the providers that diagnose and treat ADHD come from a variety of specialties; such as child and adolescent psychiatry, pediatrics and family medicine, as well as from adult psychiatry. Adults seeking experienced providers may need to seek help from sources they wouldn’t usually consider.

It is so important that the evaluating clinician is knowledgeable about ADHD. He or she must be experienced in recognizing ADHD, but also in recognizing other co-occurring conditions that may be present, as well as being able to tease out other conditions that may be confused for ADHD. Effective treatment begins with an accurate diagnosis. Misdiagnosis leads to ineffective treatment, more problems, and lots of frustration. So really do your research to find an experienced specialist.

• Psychiatrist: An MD who treats the brain and may prescribe medication
• Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner: May diagnose and treat, as well as prescribe medication.
• Registered Nurse Practitioner: May also diagnose and prescribe medication.
• Psychologist: A brain specialist who is not an MD and can’t prescribe meds
• Family doctor: Knows your family but may not have extensive knowledge of ADHD. Some will work with non-prescribing specialists to medicate
• Pediatrician: Some even specialize in treating ADHD. Can prescribe.
• Neurologist: A doctor who specializes in treatment of the brain and central nervous system – May prescribe
• Behavioral Neurologist: Another MD that specializes in brain and CNS disorders – May prescribe.
• Therapist: Masters degree in therapy – May diagnose and provide therapy, but cannot prescribe.
• Master level counselor – Has a master’s degree in counseling or psychology, but no prescription authority.
• Social worker: May provide diagnosis, counseling, and behavior assistance. Cannot prescribe.

Note: The above list is congruent with recommendations of the National ADHD Research Center.

ADDitudeMag.com lists fewer qualified professionals, compares their relative training, the services they offer, and their relative fees. Link works – Who can Diagnose ADD? – What difference does it make?

 

Note: One professional’s criticism of this article promotes the view that a psychologist or psychiatrist is the best choice for the diagnostic process. Preferably one with access to a diagnostic tool or two. See below. (1) Note: Many well-known practitioners use checklists and thorough interviews with the patient, as well as rating scales from close family members and, in the case of children, teachers reports, to aid in the diagnostic process. There is limited research showing that Tova, Spect scans, and EEG-Based assessments are as accurate. See our Pinterest page on the Diagnosis and Treatment of ADHD for more information.

 

(1) Opposing Opinion from an Email sent to ADD Resources, a non-profit where this article was first posted.

Folks,
Your posting on “Who Can Diagnose?” is, in my opinion, both inaccurate and unethical. It is clearly understood in most of the professional community that psychological testing is required for a diagnosis of ADHD. In addition, for accommodation purposes colleges, grad schools, SAT/ACT etc only accept diagnoses from MDs and PhDs. There is a reason for this. An ADHD diagnosis is worthless without a complete diagnosis that considers all aspects of a person’s psychological situation/makeup; that is, co-occurring conditions. Moreover, ADHD is known to be over-diagnosed in boys. That is largely because under-qualified professionals are making decisions not based on reliable and validated psychometric testing (like TOVA), but on other grounds. I have spent a career picking up the pieces from misdiagnoses. I’m very disappointed to see an organization like yours promoting this kind of misinformation. If you think this is nonsense, try checking with the AMA, American Psychiatric Association or APA.
Ross Mayberry, Ph.D. – http://www.rossmayberryphd.com/

“Image courtesy of GrauCodin/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net”.
Modified on Canva

Medical Directories

Choose your providers carefully

Choose your providers carefully

Find a Provider/ No search for ADHD

This collection of Directories is part of the series: Find Treatment and Support. You may want to start there.

Find a Psychiatrist – Web MD – Copy and paste –  http://doctor.webmd.com/find-a-doctor/psychiatry – A list of physicians in the United States. – Does not sort for ADHD, but you may choose a specialist who is likely to have the requisite knowledge to diagnose and treat ADD. For example: Pediatrician, Psychiatrist, Development Behavioral Pediatrician, or Neurologist. To see if they accept your Insurance, click on Specialized Options (near the Find a provider button)

American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist Finder – Link works! Link works

From CHADD, the National ADHD Resources Center – Can you find me a doctor or mental health professional?- Links to every national organization of Professionals who treat ADHD, but there are glitches. Some contain no provider finder, a few have ADHD as a specialty, while with others, Developmental and Behavioral is the closest specialty option. Most of the Directories are reviewed elsewhere on this site.

Yellow Pages for Kids with Disabilities – Find listings for educational consultants, advocates, psychologists, diagnosticians, health care specialists, academic tutors, speech language therapists, and attorneys. You’ll also find government programs, grassroots organizations, disability organizations, legal and advocacy resources, special education schools, and parent support groups. Good resource for finding help for kids with ADHD, but there’s no sort for ADHD specific providers- you need to know what type of help you need.

Psychology Today: Find a Therapist, Psychologist, Counselor

Marriage and Family Therapists – American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists Extensive listings- most with plenty of information about their specialties

Quick Links:
Find Treatment and Support
Professional Medical directories with ADHD search option
Find more treatment services

Any suggestions on how to improve/abridge this collection of sites? Please let us know.

• “Image courtesy of renjith krishnan/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net”

Be sure to visit us on Pinterest!

Visit ADD Resources’ profile on Pinterest.