ADHD Treatment for Carolina Students

To initiate the process of transferring management of your ADHD medication to CAPS, please do two things:

1. Walk into CAPS for an initial assessment (no appointment necessary).  If you can, bring your testing documentation with you.  See below for the forms of documentation that CAPS will accept.
2. Submit your documentation to CAPS for review. You may submit the required documentation in one of the following ways:
   • In person: bring a copy of it to your initial visit at CAPS
   • By email: [email protected]
   • By fax: 919-966-4605 (Attn: Health Information Management)

All documentation becomes part of your confidential medical record. 

Accepted Forms of ADHD Documentation

To prescribe ADHD medication for you, your CAPS provider needs clear objective documentation of the testing and evaluation done to diagnose your ADHD.  To ensure accurate diagnosis and safe, effective treatment, CAPS accepts two types of documentation for consideration of ADHD medication:

• (1) computerized neurocognitive testing (e.g., CNS Vital Signs) plus a psychiatric evaluation by a licensed psychologist, neuropsychologist, psychiatrist or psychiatric nurse practitioner; and
• (2) a comprehensive psychoeducation evaluation by a licensed psychologist or neuropsychologist.

Computerized Neurocognitive Testing (e.g., CNS Vital Signs) + Psychiatric Evaluation

CAPS may accept computerized neurocognitive testing (e.g., CNS Vital Signs) results when submitted along with a psychiatric evaluation by a licensed psychologist, neuro-psychologist, psychiatrist or psychiatric nurse practitioner.

Required Cognitive Domains

• Composite Memory (Verbal and Visual)
• Psychomotor Speed
• Reaction Time
• Complex Attention
• Cognitive Flexibility
• Processing Speed
• Executive Functioning
• Social Acuity
• Reasoning
• Working Memory
• Sustained Attention
• Simple Attention
• Motor Speed

Computerized neurocognitive testing data must be interpreted by a licensed psychologist, neuropsychologist, psychiatrist or psychiatric provider. Raw data alone is not accepted, and validity must be achieved in each section.

Comprehensive Psychoeducational Evaluation

CAPS will also accept a recent psychoeducational evaluation, if it includes all of the following:

Appropriate identification

• Student’s full name, date of birth and date of evaluation
• Evaluator’s name, credentials, office address, contact information, signature and date of report

Tests performed (must include all)

• Cognitive/intelligence test (WAIS-IV or Stanford-Binet 5, RIAS-2, Woodcock Johnson-IV)
• Achievement test (Woodcock-Johnson IV, WIAT)
• Test of sustained attention (TOVA or CPT)
• ADHD self-report forms (e.g., Brown or Conners)
• Collateral reports (e.g., Brown or Conners forms filled out by parent, partner or caregiver)

Diagnostic interview (must include all):

• Complete psychosocial and educational history
• Complete mental health and medical history, including current treatment regimen and medications
• Description of current ADHD symptoms

Clinical evaluation (must include all):

• All test results and standard scores
• Interpretation of test results
• Clinical diagnosis (if applicable)
• Summary and personalized recommendations

CAPS Review of Submitted Documentation

When you submit your documentation, CAPS staff will review it to determine if it meets CAPS standards.

• If it does, CAPS will contact you to schedule a Medication Evaluation appointment with a CAPS medication provider.
• If it does not, CAPS will send you a list of outside providers for testing and/or medication and, if appropriate, schedule you for Referral Coordination.

Clinical Judgment

Please note: A previous diagnosis or previous treatment does not guarantee continuation of ADHD medications, especially controlled substances such as stimulants.  Final decisions about ADHD diagnosis or treatment eligibility—including the prescription of stimulant medications—are made at the sole discretion of the evaluating CAPS provider, based on clinical judgment, documentation and current standards of care.

CAPS reserves the right to:

• Request additional information
• Refer the student for further testing
• Decline ADHD diagnosis or treatment if clinical standards are not met

Stimulant Medication Contract

Students being prescribed stimulants by CAPS are required to read, understand and sign the CAPS Stimulant Medication Contract.  This agreement outlines:

• Safe use of prescribed medications
• Monitoring and compliance expectations
• Prohibited behaviors (e.g., sharing or misusing medication)

This contract must be signed prior to initiating or continuing stimulant treatment through CAPS.

Campus Health Pharmacy and Student Stores Pharmacy fill prescriptions for ADHD medications that are written by outside providers, as well as CAPS providers. A Campus Health Pharmacist with review with you the CAPS Stimulant Medication Contract. You must agree to and sign the contract to obtain your prescription for medication.

CAPS does not conduct ADHD testing.  If you would like to be evaluated for ADHD, CAPS can help you get connected with an outside provider to do that.  Providers in this area offer two basic types of evaluations: 

• computerized neurocognitive testing + psychiatric evaluation
• full psychoeducational evaluation   

Computerized Neurocognitive Testing (e.g., CNS Vital Signs) + Psychiatric Evaluation

• Involves a battery of computerized neuropsychological and neurocognitive tests that evaluate functioning in various cognitive domains, including attention, memory, processing speed, executive function and cognitive flexibility.  
• Results must be evaluated by a licensed psychologist, neuropsychologist, psychiatrist or psychiatric nurse practitioner.
• Used to identify neurocognitive deficits associated with ADHD and other clinical conditions, like anxiety and depression. 
• Does not assess for learning differences. 
• Can be quite efficient and cost-effective: testing itself typically takes 45 minutes and entire evaluation less than 2 hours. 

Comprehensive Psychoeducational Evaluation

• A comprehensive assessment of your cognitive abilities (like memory, attention and processing speed), academic achievement and social-emotional functioning. Used to identify not only ADHD, but also potential learning differences, developmental delays, or other issues that may be impacting your academic or overall performance.
• Involves a combination of clinical interviews; standardized tests (including IQ and achievement tests, as well as tests of functioning in various cognitive domains like memory, attention and processing speed); and behavioral observations.  
• Must be conducted by a licensed psychologist or neuropsychologist.
• Can be quite time-consuming and expensive: typically requires 2-4 visits, each lasting several hours, and typical cost—before insurance—ranges from $1500-$3000 or more.  Out-of-pocket cost to you will depend on insurance benefits. An estimate will be given in advance.
• A full psychoeducational evaluation is typically required to get ADHD accommodations for the LSAT, MCAT, GRE and other similar tests.
• But you do not need one to get academic accommodations for ADHD at Carolina through the University Compliance Office (UCO). Learn more about student accommodations.