Louisville-area families can now access ADHD therapy services for children and adolescents based on a sliding-scale fee from a group of University of Louisville psychologists. The treatment services recently were added to the low-cost evaluation services begun earlier this year.
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder often first diagnosed in childhood. Children with ADHD may have trouble paying attention, difficulty getting along with others or a tendency to squirm or fidget. Once a child has a diagnosis of ADHD, they can be treated with behavior therapy, now available through UofL, and medication prescribed by a physician.
UofL faculty member and ADHD specialist Paul Rosen, associate professor in the UofL Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, and his colleagues are providing behavioral therapy based on an affordable sliding-scale fee thanks to $20,500 in funding received from the WHAS Crusade for Children.
“The need for ADHD services usually increases substantially a few months into the school year as teachers get to know the students and recognize when they are having problems,” Rosen said. “The first months often are when they fall behind their classmates and once they fall behind, untreated ADHD makes it much harder for them to catch up. The sooner we can get kids evaluated and treated for ADHD, the sooner we can help them and the better they will do.”
The behavioral treatment will help children and adolescents age 6-17 with ADHD learn to manage frustration and emotions and improve organization skills, as well as provide counseling and therapy.
The UofL ADHD Evaluation Service was launched earlier this year, offering affordable ADHD evaluations that can be started immediately and completed in one to two weeks. Families can access either service via the UofL ADHD Evaluation Service website. Services are available both in-person and fully online, making it possible for the team to work with families anywhere in the Kentuckiana region.
A parenting support group also is planned for launch in the next few weeks.
