ADHD Assessment in Brooklyn: The Practice's Steps and How to Prepare

The practice's ADHD assessment is available for children and adults, in person in Brooklyn or by telehealth. It combines a structured clinical interview (the DIVA-5 for adults and an age-appropriate version for children), standardized rating scales, collateral history from someone who knows you well, and a review-of-findings session with a written summary and a personalized treatment plan.

The most useful thing you can do beforehand is gather evidence about two things the diagnosis depends on: what you were like before age 12, and how symptoms show up in more than one part of your life. The rest of this page explains each step, why it is there, and what to have ready.

What the assessment includes

Each component answers a different question. The interview maps symptoms and history; the rating scales put numbers on what you and others observe; the collateral history checks your memory against someone else's; and the review session turns all of it into a decision and a plan. The practice's own description is clear that rating scales "support, but do not replace, clinical diagnosis".

The DIVA-5 is a semi-structured interview used internationally to diagnose ADHD in adults. It covers each of the 18 DSM-5 symptom criteria for two periods, adulthood and childhood before age 12, offers concrete examples for each one, and is ideally completed with a partner or family member present as an informant. Because it asks for examples rather than yes-or-no answers, it rewards preparation: the more specific your memories and documents, the easier it is for the clinician to judge whether each criterion is met.

The rating scales are a separate layer. What they measure, why a high score on its own does not make a diagnosis, and how self-report and observer forms differ are explained in ADHD rating scales explained.

The steps, in order

The first contact with the practice is a free discovery call, by phone or text, where the team answers questions about care options, scheduling and insurance. The assessment itself then follows the sequence the practice publishes on its comprehensive ADHD assessment page:

1. Complete the intake form or call the office.
2. Payment is processed.
3. Attend the 60-minute diagnostic session.
4. Receive a diagnosis and a personalized treatment plan.
5. Begin treatment with the practice's therapy, coaching or prescriber team.

Current fees are listed on the insurance and payment page. Dr. Lewis and all of the practice's practitioners are out of network with all insurance plans, including Medicare and Medicaid, and payment is due at the time of service. The practice provides a superbill you can submit to your insurer for possible out-of-network reimbursement. Before booking, it helps to check your out-of-network mental health benefits so the cost is not a surprise. If you are weighing the cost against other ways of being evaluated, paying for an ADHD evaluation compares the routes.

Why childhood history and a second informant are required

ADHD is diagnosed against specific criteria, and two of them shape the whole assessment. Under the DSM-5-TR criteria, as summarized by the CDC, several symptoms must have been present before age 12, and several must be present in two or more settings, such as home, school or work. Symptoms also need to have been present for at least the past six months, and people 17 and older need at least five symptoms from a list rather than the six required for younger children.

That is why an assessment cannot rely on how you feel today. Adults are often poor witnesses to their own childhood, and current stress, depression or poor sleep can color memory. Someone who knew you as a child, or who sees you at home while your manager sees you at work, helps establish both the timeline and the two-or-more-settings requirement.

For children, the American Academy of Pediatrics guideline says the diagnosis should rest on information obtained primarily from parents or guardians, teachers, other school personnel and involved mental health clinicians, documenting symptoms and impairment in more than one major setting. The guideline also asks clinicians to screen for coexisting conditions such as anxiety, depression, learning and language disorders, tics and sleep apnea. A longer explanation of why checklists alone fall short is in How ADHD Is Actually Diagnosed, and the conditions most often mistaken for ADHD are covered in ADHD look-alikes.

How adults can prepare

A little preparation makes the 60-minute diagnostic session far more productive. Aim to arrive with documents and names rather than general impressions.

• Old report cards, especially teacher comments ("talks in class", "does not finish work", "capable but careless"). Grades matter less than the comments.
• The name and contact details of someone who knew you before age 12, such as a parent, older sibling or relative, and a note on whether they are willing to answer questions or complete a form.
• A current partner, close friend or roommate who can describe daily life now.
• A list of every current medication and supplement, with doses, and any past ADHD or psychiatric medication and how it went. The article on preparing your medication history has a template.
• Any earlier evaluations, including school testing, neuropsychological reports or a prior diagnosis.
• Two weeks of rough notes on sleep, caffeine, alcohol and cannabis use. Be honest; these change how symptoms are interpreted and which treatments are safe.
• Concrete examples from work and home: missed deadlines, late bills, lost items, unfinished projects, and what you already do to compensate.

If you were never diagnosed as a child, that does not rule out ADHD. What matters is whether the pattern can be traced back. The practice's article on adult ADHD evaluation covers adult diagnosis in more detail.

A simple preparation timeline

Spreading the preparation out makes it manageable, especially if paperwork is not your strength. One workable sequence:

If you have ADHD, the preparation itself may be hard, and that is useful information too. Tell the clinician which parts you struggled with and why; how you approached the task can illustrate the very problems you are describing.

How parents can prepare a child

For children the preparation shifts toward school information: teacher rating forms, report cards, any Individualized Education Program or other school accommodation plan, and recent pediatric records. Parents should also think about how to explain the visit in words a child understands. That checklist is long enough to deserve its own page, so it is covered in preparing your child for an ADHD evaluation.

What an assessment can and cannot tell you

An assessment does not always end with a simple yes or no. It is worth knowing the possible outcomes in advance, so the result does not feel like a surprise and you know what each one leads to.

When two conditions are present, the order of treatment matters. The guides on ADHD and anxiety and ADHD and depression explain how clinicians usually decide.

A psychiatric ADHD assessment is a clinical diagnosis. It is not the same as neuropsychological testing, which measures memory, processing speed, academic skills and learning disorders through standardized tasks that can take considerably longer than a clinical interview. Some people need both, for example when a learning disorder is suspected or a school or testing agency asks for specific test results. The differences are set out in psychiatric evaluation vs psychological testing and neuropsychological testing for ADHD. Medical problems that can mimic attention difficulties, such as thyroid disease or sleep disorders, are covered in medical causes to rule out.

Common mistakes that weaken an assessment

Most of these are easy to avoid once you know about them:

• Filling in rating scales on an unusually bad or unusually good day, instead of describing a typical week.
• Stopping a prescribed medication before the visit without asking the prescriber. Bring the medication list instead and let the clinician decide what matters.
• Choosing an informant who only sees you at your best, or only at your worst. Someone who sees ordinary days is more useful.
• Leaving out alcohol, cannabis, nicotine or heavy caffeine use. These change how symptoms are read and which treatments are safe.
• Assuming that good grades or a demanding job rule ADHD out. Many capable people compensate with long hours and stress; the practice's article on ADHD in high achievers discusses this.
• Treating an online quiz result as a diagnosis, or arriving determined to get a particular answer. An open mind gives the clinician a clearer picture.
• Not mentioning sleep. Snoring, very late bedtimes or shift work can all look like inattention.

Special situations

Adults diagnosed later in life

Many adults, especially women, reach an assessment after years of being told they were anxious, disorganized or not trying hard enough. A late diagnosis can bring relief and grief at the same time. The practice's articles on ADHD in women and late-diagnosed ADHD explore both. If symptoms have shifted with hormonal changes, mention it; ADHD in perimenopause explains why that matters.

Children and teenagers

For children, what happens after diagnosis depends on age. The American Academy of Pediatrics guideline recommends behavioral parent training and/or behavioral classroom interventions as the first-line treatment for preschool children aged 4 to 5, with methylphenidate considered if those do not bring significant improvement and moderate-to-severe problems continue. For children aged 6 to 11, it recommends FDA-approved ADHD medication together with behavioral treatment, preferably both parent training and classroom interventions. For adolescents, it recommends FDA-approved medication with the teen's assent and encourages training or behavioral interventions as well.

Teenagers often describe their own behavior differently from the adults around them, and the guideline notes they tend to minimize their problems; it advises gathering information from at least two teachers or other sources and says it is essential that adolescents agree with and take part in the evaluation. If your child is old enough, talk with them about the visit beforehand rather than presenting it as something being done to them. For more on the parent side, see parent training for child ADHD and child psychiatrist or pediatrician for ADHD.

If you already have a diagnosis

If you were diagnosed elsewhere and want a second look, or need a new prescriber, bring the earlier report. Ask on the discovery call whether an outside evaluation can be reviewed and which parts of the assessment would still be repeated.

If you need documentation for school or work

Colleges, testing agencies and employers each set their own documentation requirements for accommodations, and those requirements can change. Find out what yours asks for before the assessment, then ask the clinician whether the written summary will cover it. The guides on college and testing accommodations, 504 plans and IEPs and workplace accommodations explain the processes.

In person or by telehealth

The assessment is offered in person and by telehealth. Dr. Lewis sees patients in person in Brooklyn and by telehealth for patients physically located in a state where she holds an active medical license, and the team confirms eligibility for your state before your first visit. What counts is where you are at the time of the visit, not where you live, which matters if you travel. The details are in seeing Dr. Lewis by telehealth.

For a telehealth session, choose a private room, test your camera and audio, and keep your documents within reach. If your collateral informant lives elsewhere, ask the team how they would like that person to take part.

What happens after the assessment

The assessment ends with a diagnosis and a personalized plan, and treatment then begins with the practice's therapy, coaching or prescriber team. Plans may include lifestyle changes, nutrition and supplements, psychotherapy, executive-function coaching, and medication when appropriate. Sometimes the answer is not ADHD, or not only ADHD; anxiety, depression or a sleep problem may need treatment first or alongside.

Useful questions for the review session include: Which symptoms are driving the diagnosis? What else did the clinician consider and rule out? What should improve first, and how will progress be measured? What is the plan if the first treatment does not help? Write the answers down or ask for them in the written summary.

If you want to compare the main options before your review session, see adult ADHD treatment options compared and stimulant vs non-stimulant medication.

If medication is part of the plan: New York realities

Stimulants are the ADHD medications with the strongest evidence in the American Academy of Pediatrics review, and both methylphenidate and amphetamine are Schedule II controlled substances. That status brings practical rules that are worth knowing before you start:

• Federal rules prohibit refills of Schedule II prescriptions; each supply needs a new prescription.
• A prescriber may issue several prescriptions totaling up to a 90-day supply only when specific conditions are met, including that state law allows it, and the regulation does not require or encourage seeing patients only every 90 days.
• In New York, prescribers must consult the state prescription monitoring program registry before prescribing a Schedule II, III or IV controlled substance, with limited exceptions.
• Federal law has generally required at least one in-person medical evaluation before a clinician prescribes a controlled substance by telemedicine. Temporary federal flexibilities that allow remote prescribing without that visit have been extended through December 31, 2026, and what applies after that date depends on further federal rulemaking. If you expect to be seen only by telehealth, ask the team how this affects your plan.
• Since 2023, the FDA has required a class-wide Boxed Warning on stimulants that asks prescribers to assess each patient's risk of misuse, abuse and addiction before prescribing and to monitor throughout treatment.

In practice, this means regular follow-up visits, especially early on while the dose is adjusted. Non-stimulant options, which are not controlled substances, may suit some people better; your prescriber can explain the tradeoffs. Do not start, stop or change any medication on your own while you are being assessed.

Stimulant treatment also involves checking heart rate and blood pressure over time, explained in ADHD medication and heart monitoring. If a pharmacy cannot fill a prescription, what to do during a stimulant shortage covers the options; ask your prescriber before substituting anything.

When an assessment is not the right first step

An ADHD assessment is a planned outpatient evaluation, not urgent care. If attention problems are new and sudden, or come with severe depression, mania, psychosis or heavy substance use, those need attention first, and your primary care doctor or an urgent evaluation is the better starting point. If you are thinking about suicide or are in crisis, call or text 988 (the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or go to the nearest emergency room.

If you need care that is in network with your plan, ask the team on the discovery call about options. This is one part of the practice's guide to choosing psychiatric care, which covers costs, telehealth and who treats what.

To begin with the practice, you can call (212) 621-7770, text (929) 600-7724 or email info@drlewis.com, or complete the intake form on the assessment page. The practice's clinicians have also written three published ADHD workbooks, listed on the ADHD workbooks and resources page.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need old school records to be assessed for ADHD?

They help but are not required. Teacher comments on report cards are often the most useful evidence of childhood symptoms. If records are gone, a parent, sibling or other person who knew you as a child can fill much of the gap.

What if no one who knew me as a child is available?

The clinician can still assess you, but the childhood part of the history will rely more on your own recall and any documents you have. Tell the team at the start so they can plan the collateral history around the people who are available, such as a partner or close friend.

Should I stop my current ADHD medication before the assessment?

No. Do not stop or change any medication on your own. Tell the team what you take, and ask your current prescriber whether anything should change before the visit.

Does the practice's assessment include neuropsychological testing?

The practice's published description lists a structured interview, rating scales, collateral history and a review-of-findings session. If you think you need neuropsychological or learning-disability testing, ask about it on the discovery call.

Can I use insurance for the ADHD assessment?

The practice is out of network with all insurance plans. Payment is due at the time of service, and the practice provides a superbill you can submit to your insurer for possible out-of-network reimbursement. Current fees are on the insurance and payment page.

Can ADHD start in adulthood?

Current diagnostic criteria require that several symptoms were present before age 12, so the clinician looks for signs in childhood even when the diagnosis is new. Symptoms often become more noticeable in adulthood as demands rise. The practice's article on adult-onset ADHD reviews what the research shows.

Can I be assessed by telehealth if I live outside New York?

Dr. Lewis sees patients by telehealth only when they are physically located in a state where she holds an active medical license, and the team confirms eligibility for your state before the first visit. Ask on the discovery call.

What if the assessment finds anxiety or depression instead of ADHD?

That is a useful result, not a wasted visit. The plan would then focus on the condition that best explains your symptoms, and attention can be reviewed again once it is treated.

Sources

1. What is ADHD?. American Psychiatric Association, 2025. psychiatry.org
2. Clinical Practice Guideline for the Diagnosis, Evaluation, and Treatment of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Children and Adolescents. American Academy of Pediatrics, Pediatrics 144(4):e20192528, 2019. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
3. Concerta (methylphenidate HCl extended-release tablets) prescribing information. Janssen Pharmaceuticals / DailyMed (NLM), 2026. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov
4. Adderall XR (mixed amphetamine salts extended-release) prescribing information. Takeda Pharmaceuticals / DailyMed (NLM), 2026. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov
5. 21 CFR 1306.12 Refilling prescriptions; issuance of multiple prescriptions. Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (DEA), 2026. ecfr.gov
6. New York Public Health Law Section 3343-A (prescription monitoring program registry). New York State Senate, 2025. nysenate.gov
7. FDA updating warnings to improve safe use of prescription stimulants used to treat ADHD and other conditions. U.S. Food and Drug Administration (Drug Safety Communication), 2023. fda.gov
8. Clinical Care of ADHD in Children. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2026. cdc.gov
9. Bias by gender: exploring gender-based differences in the endorsement of ADHD symptoms and impairment among adult patients. Frontiers in Global Women's Health (Platania NM, Starreveld DEJ, Wynchank D, Beekman ATF, Kooij S), 2025. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
10. Fourth Temporary Extension of COVID-19 Telemedicine Flexibilities for Prescription of Controlled Medications. Drug Enforcement Administration and HHS, Federal Register 90(247):61301-61306, 2025. govinfo.gov

Educational information, not medical, tax or legal advice. Decisions about diagnosis, medication and treatment belong with a clinician who knows your history.