ADHD Evaluation and Treatment

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a disorder that typically manifests in childhood with two categories of core features: hyperactivity/impulsivity and/or inattention. Adults with ADHD may have organizational challenges, experience difficulty focusing and completing tasks, impulsivity and increased levels of activity. The most common ADHD symptoms in adults are inattention and hyperactivity. To meet criteria for a diagnosis of ADHD, two or more areas of daily life must be affected, including: interpersonal relationships, cognitive/adaptive functioning and/or educational/career achievement.

There is no single medical, physical, or genetic test for ADHD. However, a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation can be provided by a qualified mental health professional or physician. Treatment includes behavioral strategies aimed at improving organizational skills and interpersonal relationships and decreasing distractions. ADHD can also be managed by medication therapy. Students may request accommodations for learning and testing at educational institutions.

Evaluation and Treatment for ADHD at the Student Health and Wellness Center

The Student Health and Wellness Center (SHWC) has implemented the following guidelines for students requesting prescription medications for ADHD. Please review each category to determine if applicable to you:

Requesting medications with no previous diagnosis of ADHD by a qualified physician, psychologist, or other qualified health care provider:

  • Please make the necessary arrangements to undergo a comprehensive evaluation for ADHD, which includes testing, assessments, and diagnostic interviews. SHWC does not provide such evaluations. In addition, as not all outside assessments are of appropriate quality and accuracy, SHWC reserves the right to refuse to prescribe medication, even if a medication recommendation was also provided in the assessment.
  • To facilitate the review process, SHWC clinicians may request to discuss the results of the evaluation with the outside clinician who conducted the evaluation. For this purpose, we will need your written permission to release that information. It is helpful to obtain this permission in advance to minimize delays in the review process. Please access the Release of Medical Information Form via the SHWC webpage under Health Forms.

Requesting medications with a previous diagnosis of ADHD by a qualified physician, psychologist, or other qualified health care provider

  • Please provide recent documentation of the diagnosis and any supporting documents used by the clinician to make the diagnosis. Again, outside documentation alone may be insufficient for SHWC to prescribe medication. Please ensure documentation is on letterhead, typed, dated, and signed by the outside clinician.
  • Supporting documents cannot come from a family member or friend.

If you are not requesting medications:

Nothing needs to be done at this time. If you decide in the future that you would like to request ADHD medication including for temporary and or urgent needs, please review the information above.

Documentation Requirements:

Please ensure that documentation is an evaluation/treatment summary and/or a (neuro) psychological assessment supporting the diagnosis. Clinician progress/visit notes are not sufficient. The evaluation should encompass the following, as appropriate:

  • History of symptoms including symptom onset
  • Methodologies used to perform the diagnostic evaluation
  • Description of the present functional limitations and impairment in at least two major settings
  • Assessment of possible comorbid diagnoses including learning disorders
  • Corroboration by a parent/adult documenting past and current symptoms and impairment in at least two major settings
  • Diagnostic statement and a list and record of medications that have been prescribed
  • Suggested educational accommodations
  • In addition to the professional evaluation, students should provide a written description of current self-identified symptoms and/or functional difficulties in at least two settings

How to Submit Documentation:

Documentation should be sent to the Student Health and Wellness Service by any one of the following ways:

  • Fax: 404-756-1237
  • E-mail: SHWCrequests@msm.edu 
  • Mail to: Medical Records Office, C/O Pequitta Clark, Health Information Management (HIM) 455 Lee Street SW, Atlanta, Ga, 30310.
  • Hand delivered to the receptionist in the SHWC office on the third floor, Suite 300A in the Morehouse Healthcare at West End building on Lee Street. Please indicate that the information should be given to the Medical Records Office.

Medication Treatment

Given the complexities of determining whether an ADHD diagnosis is appropriate and the considerations for treatment with a controlled-substance, SHWC will not provide stimulant medication for ADHD at initial visits; students on chronic medication should work closely with their current non-SHWC provider to arrange for continued access to controlled-substance stimulants while the student is exploring the possibility of SHWC prescribing controlled-substance stimulants.

Students will be asked to sign the SHWC Controlled Medication Agreement if a controlled substance will be prescribed by an SHWC health care provider.

This agreement will be reviewed and signed by your primary care provider or psychiatrist when you receive your first prescription for ADHD medications. The purpose of this agreement is to ensure compliance with all applicable state and federal laws regarding controlled medications. This agreement also serves to prevent any confusion about the proper use of these controlled-substance medications. Lost or stolen medications will not be replaced. Periodic urine drug screening may occur at the discretion of SHWC and failure to pass drug screenings will result in a termination of SHWC-prescribed controlled-substance medications. Medications for ADHD are potentially lethal and have been associated with substance use disorder. Giving or selling medications to others is against the law and a violation of Morehouse School of Medicine policy.

Requesting Classroom Accommodations

Students seeking academic accommodations should contact the Office of Disability Services, meet with the access coordinator, Marla Thompson, and submit supporting documentation in accordance with the Morehouse School of Medicine’s Request for Accommodations Procedures.

Office of Disability Services
Phone: (404) 756-5200
Fax: (404) 752-1639
Email: ODS@msm.edu