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ADHD in Kids: Signs, Testing, and Therapy in WV
How families in Mercer, McDowell, and Wyoming counties can request an ADHD evaluation for a child, what scheduling looks like, and how school and insurance fit in.
ADHD evaluations are one of the most common things parents call us about. Usually the call starts the same way: a teacher said something, homework is taking three hours, or you have been wondering for a while and finally decided to ask.
This guide is about the practical side of that. How to request an evaluation in southern West Virginia, what it costs, how your child’s school fits in, and who to call.
What this post does not do
This post will not tell you whether your child has ADHD, and no website can. Attention problems in a child can have a lot of different explanations, and sorting that out is what an evaluation is for. That is a clinical judgment made by a qualified professional who has met your child, reviewed information from home and school, and taken the time to look at the whole picture.
Southern Highlands provides children’s evaluations and outpatient services in Mercer, McDowell, and Wyoming counties. To request one, call (304) 425-9541, or reach the Children’s Clinic in Princeton directly at 304-818-2225.
For general, plain-language background on ADHD written by a public health agency rather than a treatment provider, the National Institute of Mental Health maintains a page on it at https://www.nimh.nih.gov/.
You do not have to be sure before you call
A lot of parents wait because they are not certain there is a problem. They do not want to overreact, or they are worried about labeling their child.
You do not need to arrive at a conclusion first. That is backwards. Asking for an evaluation is how you find out. If the evaluation finds nothing that needs treatment, that is a useful answer too, and you have not lost anything but an appointment.
You also do not need a referral from your pediatrician to schedule with us. You can call directly.
Where children get evaluated in southern West Virginia
Rural families have real barriers here that families in Charleston or Roanoke do not. The nearest specialist may be an hour away. Private practices may not be taking new pediatric patients. Getting there means time off work and gas money.
Your options in this part of the state generally include:
Community mental health centers. Southern Highlands is the CCBHC for this region, which means we are set up to serve everyone in our service area regardless of insurance status. Children’s outpatient services run out of our Children’s Clinic in Princeton and our Mullens clinic.
Your child’s school. Schools can conduct their own educational evaluations as part of the special education process. A school evaluation and a clinical evaluation are different things and answer different questions, but they can inform each other, and many families end up doing both.
Your pediatrician. Some pediatricians handle this in their office and some refer out. It is worth asking yours.
Telehealth. For families in McDowell and Wyoming counties especially, video appointments can remove a long drive from the equation. Ask when you call whether telehealth is an option for the specific service you need.
How to schedule with Southern Highlands
Call (304) 425-9541. This is our main number and staff can direct you to children’s services.
Call the Children’s Clinic in Princeton at 304-818-2225. This is the direct line for children’s outpatient services.
Walk in. You do not have to have an appointment to start the process. Front desk staff can take your information and get your child scheduled.
Ask your child’s school to help. If your child already receives school-based services, or if the school counselor has raised concerns, the school can make a referral with your written permission.
What to bring to the first appointment
Bringing these makes the first visit go faster and gives the evaluator more to work with:
- Your insurance card, or your Medicaid card
- A photo ID for yourself
- Your child’s report cards, progress reports, or any written communication from teachers
- Any testing the school has already done, including a 504 plan or IEP if your child has one
- A list of any medications your child takes, including ones prescribed by other providers
- Records from any previous counseling or evaluations
- Names and numbers for your child’s pediatrician and school counselor
If you do not have all of this, come anyway. Staff can help you request records.
An evaluation is a process, not a single quick visit
This surprises some parents who expect a fifteen-minute appointment and an answer. An evaluation generally involves gathering information from more than one source and more than one setting, which takes more than one sitting.
Ask at scheduling how many appointments to plan for and roughly how long each one runs. That is a fair question and it helps you arrange work and childcare in advance. Staff would rather tell you up front than have you miss appointments.
Working with your child’s school
School collaboration is a real part of children’s behavioral health work, and it is one of the more useful things a parent can set in motion.
Ask how the clinic and school can coordinate. A parent or guardian authorization is commonly used before routine information is exchanged. Information can also be used or disclosed in circumstances permitted or required by law, and records maintained by a school may be governed by FERPA rather than HIPAA. Ask the clinic and school to explain what they would share, the legal basis, and how long any authorization lasts before you sign it.
Ask the school in writing about a 504 plan or an IEP. These are educational plans, not medical ones. A written request from a parent starts a formal timeline the school has to follow. Put the request in writing and keep a copy.
Know that school-based services exist. Southern Highlands provides school-based services in Mercer, McDowell, and Wyoming county schools. When a child is seen at school, there is no drive, no missed work for you, and no pulling them out of the house for an evening appointment.
Bring the school’s observations to the clinic. Teachers see your child in a setting you do not. What they have written down is genuinely useful information for an evaluator.
If your child already has a diagnosis
Some families come to us with an evaluation already done somewhere else and are looking for ongoing services rather than testing. That is fine, and it is common when a family moves into the area or when a pediatrician has been managing things and wants to hand off.
Bring the paperwork. Call (304) 425-9541 and say you have an existing diagnosis and are looking to establish care.
Cost, Medicaid, and insurance
WV Medicaid and WV CHIP. Medically necessary children’s behavioral health services may be covered when eligibility, provider, service, authorization, and current program requirements are met. Ask billing and the plan to verify the specific evaluation or treatment.
Private insurance. Coverage, network status, authorization, exclusions, deductibles, coinsurance, and copays vary by plan and service. Call the number on the card and ask about the specific evaluation or treatment.
Medicare. Coverage and coordination depend on the child’s eligibility, the service, provider participation, and any other insurance. Ask billing and the plans to verify the order and likely member responsibility.
No insurance. Ask whether a household-income-based sliding fee applies to the specific service, what documentation is required, and whether payment arrangements are available.
If you are not sure what you have or whether it will cover this, call and ask before you worry about it. Staff handle these questions every day and can look at your specific situation.
Getting to appointments
Distance is the barrier people underestimate in this region. Some things that help:
- Ask about telehealth for appointments that do not require an in-person visit
- Ask about school-based services if your child qualifies, which removes the trip entirely
- Stack appointments on a day you are already coming into town
- Ask about the earliest and latest appointment slots if you work daytime hours
- Ask about transportation assistance available through WV Medicaid
If medication comes up
Whether medication is appropriate for a particular child is a decision between a family and a prescriber. It is not something to work out from an article, and this post is not going to weigh in on it.
If it comes up, Southern Highlands has medical providers who conduct psychiatric evaluations and provide medication management, and they coordinate with pediatricians. Write down your questions before that appointment and ask every one of them. You are entitled to a real conversation about it, and a good prescriber expects one.
If you want general reference information about ADHD treatment approaches from a neutral source, NIMH (https://www.nimh.nih.gov/) and SAMHSA (https://www.samhsa.gov/) both publish material for families.
If your child is in crisis
An ADHD evaluation is not an emergency service. If your child is in immediate danger, or is talking about suicide or self-harm, use these instead:
- 911 for immediate physical danger
- 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, by call or text (https://988lifeline.org/)
- 1-800-615-0122 for the Southern Highlands crisis line, 24 hours a day
- Walk into our Crisis Stabilization Unit
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a referral to schedule an evaluation?
No. You can call (304) 425-9541 and schedule directly. A referral from a pediatrician or school is welcome but not required.
Which locations serve children?
Children’s outpatient services are based at our Children’s Clinic in Princeton, with children’s services also available at our Mullens clinic. School-based services are available in Mercer, McDowell, and Wyoming county schools.
What if we do not have insurance?
We use a sliding fee scale based on household income. Call (304) 425-9541 and ask for the business office to find out what documentation to bring.
Can this be done by telehealth?
Some services can. Ask when you call, because it depends on the specific service and on your child’s age.
Does the school have to be involved?
Routine clinic-school coordination commonly uses a parent or guardian authorization. Information may also be disclosed in circumstances permitted or required by law, and school-held records may be governed by FERPA rather than HIPAA. Ask the clinic and school what information would be exchanged and why.
My child’s teacher brought this up and I have not seen it at home. What do I do?
Schedule the evaluation and bring what the teacher told you. Information from different settings is exactly what an evaluator wants, including when it does not match.
How do I get school records or previous evaluations?
Ask your child’s school office for the education record and ask any previous provider for a records release. If that is difficult, tell staff at intake and they can help you request them.
If you would like to request an evaluation or children’s services in Southern West Virginia, call Southern Highlands at (304) 425-9541, or the Children’s Clinic in Princeton at 304-818-2225. We serve Mercer, McDowell, and Wyoming counties. You can contact the clinic directly, but a health plan or particular service may apply referral, authorization, eligibility, or medical-necessity rules.