ADHD medication management in Maryland for children, teens and adults
Medication management with a licensed nurse practitioner and therapy for ADHD, by video or phone, for children from age 6, teens and adults anywhere in Maryland.
Medication and therapy in one practice. Maryland Medicaid accepted.
- Fully licensed therapists, no supervision needed
- Licensed nurse practitioners for medication
- ABA led by a board certified behavior analyst
- Maryland Medicaid accepted
What's included in ADHD care
ADHD care at Hearthway can include medication management, therapy, or both. Medication care starts with a psychiatric evaluation of about 60 minutes with a licensed nurse practitioner, who reviews attention, focus and behavior at home, school or work, past treatment, sleep, and your goals. Therapy helps with the struggles ADHD brings, such as organization, frustration and emotional regulation.
For children, parents are part of every step. Therapists coach parents on behavior strategies, and with your permission we coordinate with your child's school and pediatrician.
ADHD looks different at each age. For children, it often shows up as trouble at school, with friendships or with following routines at home. For teens, it can affect grades, mood and independence. For adults, it often affects work, finances and relationships. Our clinicians tailor care to the age and the setting where ADHD gets in the way most.
Therapy for ADHD can use cognitive behavioral therapy, solution-focused therapy and motivational interviewing, and for younger children play- and activity-based approaches with parent coaching on behavior strategies.
Adults can start ADHD care on their own, without a parent or referral, by calling our office or sending the form.
Medication, therapy, or both
There is no single right answer. Here is how the options compare.
Many families start with one and add the other later. Your therapist and nurse practitioner can talk to each other with your permission, so a change in one part of the plan is reflected in the other.
For a child, a common starting point is a psychiatric evaluation with a parent present, plus parent coaching through therapy. For an adult, it may be medication management alone, or therapy focused on organization and routines. Your clinician talks through the choice with you at the first visit and you decide together.
Whatever you choose, the plan is reviewed regularly. If something isn't helping, it changes.
| Option | Who it can suit | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Medication management | Children 6 and up, teens and adults whose symptoms get in the way day to day | Evaluation, then 15 to 30 minute follow-ups every 2 to 12 weeks |
| Therapy | Anyone who wants skills for home, school or work, with or without medication | 45 to 55 minute sessions, usually weekly or every other week to start |
| Both, coordinated | Families who want one team | Your nurse practitioner and therapist coordinate in one practice, with your permission |
Controlled medications and telehealth
Some ADHD medications are controlled substances. Federal and state rules add extra steps for prescribing them by telehealth. If one of these rules applies to you or your child, your nurse practitioner explains what it means for your care before any decision is made.
Your nurse practitioner explains every option, including non-medication approaches, expected benefits and possible side effects. Decisions are made with you, and we can't promise any particular medication will be prescribed.
Your nurse practitioner also reviews other medications and supplements you take, sleep, and family history, because these affect which options are safe and sensible. If labs or vital-sign checks are needed, your nurse practitioner orders them.
If a controlled medication isn't the right fit, or a rule means it can't be prescribed by telehealth in your situation, your nurse practitioner talks through the other options with you, including non-stimulant medication and therapy-based approaches, and what each would involve.
What drives the cost
The psychiatric evaluation is the intake visit and is billed like other visits, and follow-ups are shorter. Therapy sessions are billed per visit. How often you need each depends on how things are going.
With Maryland Medicaid you can come to us directly, without a referral. Medicaid mental health care is managed by Carelon Behavioral Health, and our office requests approval where needed. For other insurance we check your coverage before the first visit, and self-pay rates are available by phone.
Plain terms: a copay is a set amount you pay each visit, coinsurance is a percentage you pay after your deductible, and a deductible is what you pay each year before your plan starts paying. We share an estimate after checking your benefits, and you can ask for a Good Faith Estimate if you pay yourself.
ADHD care for rural Maryland families
Getting a child to a psychiatric appointment can mean missing school and work, especially in rural Maryland where prescribers can be an hour or more away. Visits by video or phone from home remove the drive, and short follow-ups fit around the school day.
We serve every Maryland county and Baltimore City, with a focus on Western Maryland, Southern Maryland and the Eastern Shore. Your child needs to be in Maryland during each visit.
For a visit you'll need a private place, a phone, tablet or computer with a camera for video or any phone for audio, a list of current medications and your preferred pharmacy, and your insurance card. A parent or guardian takes part in visits for children and teens, and decisions are made together.
Telehealth also helps parents who would otherwise need to leave work for every appointment. Short medication follow-ups of 15 to 30 minutes can fit into a lunch break or the end of a school day.
What we don't do, and what comes next
We don't offer psychological testing. If you need formal testing, we can tell you where to look. After a plan is in place, your nurse practitioner checks in at each follow-up and adjusts as needed, and refill requests are handled during business hours.
Clinicians may provide school or work letters related to your care when appropriate. Ask at your visit.
With your written permission, we coordinate with your child's school and pediatrician so everyone works from the same plan. If ADHD isn't the whole picture, for example if anxiety or low mood is also present, your clinician addresses that too or refers you to other care when it would serve you better.
As things improve, follow-ups may be spaced further apart. Plans are reviewed as children move into new school years and as teens become adults, because what helps at 8 is often different from what helps at 15.
How to get started
Step 1: Contact our office
Call (443) 824-4842 or send the form. Tell us the age of the person who needs care.
Step 2: Coverage check
We verify your insurance and explain any costs before you schedule.
Step 3: Evaluation
A psychiatric evaluation with a nurse practitioner, or a therapy intake, by video or phone. A parent joins for children and teens.
Step 4: Plan and follow-ups
Medication follow-ups, therapy sessions or both, with school coordination if you want it.
Related services
- Medication management
A psychiatric evaluation and ongoing medication care with a licensed nurse practitioner, by video or phone, for ages 6 and up anywhere in Maryland.
- Online therapy
One-on-one therapy with a licensed clinician by secure video or phone, for children from age 6, teens and adults anywhere in Maryland.
- Child and teen therapy
Therapy for children 6 to 12 and teens 13 to 17 with a licensed clinician, by video or phone from home anywhere in Maryland.
Further reading
- Psychiatrist vs therapist: which one do you need?
A therapist helps you understand what you're going through and build skills to handle it, through regular talk-based sessions.
Questions families ask
At what age can my child get ADHD care?
From age 6, for both medication management and therapy.
Will my child be prescribed medication?
Not necessarily. Your nurse practitioner recommends a plan after the evaluation, which may or may not include medication. Decisions are made with you.
Do you do ADHD testing?
No. We don't offer psychological testing. We can point you toward places that do.
Can you talk to my child's school?
Yes, with your written permission. We coordinate with schools and pediatricians.
Do you treat adult ADHD?
Yes. Medication management and therapy are available for adults by video or phone.
Is ADHD care covered by Medicaid?
We accept Maryland Medicaid. Medicaid mental health care is managed by Carelon Behavioral Health, and our office requests approval where needed.
Request an appointment
Leave your details and our office will call you back during business hours (Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern). Or call (443) 824-4842.
Please don't include medical history, diagnoses, Social Security numbers or insurance ID numbers.