February 2021 Update:

As we are nearing one year of the global pandemic, it is clear that assessing, treating and supporting mental health is tremendously important during this stressful time. The pandemic is having a significant impact on people’s mental health, and having the right diagnosis, support and treatment plan is critical.

Dr. Handelman continues to assess children, teens and adults for ADHD and treatment of ADHD, as well as the co-existing conditions that are often present. We are generally doing consultations in person – unless provincial restrictions or guidelines prohibit in person assessments. This allows for a much better assessment.

Dr. Handelman provides a specialty assessment for ADHD and co-existing conditions. As part of this comprehensive assessment, there are five components:

1. Standardized Rating Scales and Questionnaires – These are completed prior to your Assessment. These allow you to document thoroughly the nature of your symptoms, challenges as well as strengths. Using a standardized questionnaire provides important, statistically relevant information, which is used to help with diagnosis, and also to guide Dr. Handelman for the clinical interview. This allows you to have more confidence in the accuracy of your diagnosis.
2. Cognitive Testing – While most assessments for ADHD include a clinical interview, we include objective, standardized computer-based testing of attention and cognition. This allows us to measure how your brain is functioning, and adds a whole new dimension to our assessments. We gain insights into how your brain is functioning – and how that relates to your symptoms, diagnoses, day to day challenges, as well as your strengths. The testing is completed in the office, on the day of your clinical interview. This testing will give you a clear understanding of how your brain is working now, and point to the current challenges and opportunities for treatment. (these tests can also be repeated later – after treatment – to measure improvement)
3. A Thorough Clinical Interview – You will have 1 hour (or more) to explain concerns, symptoms, challenges, and discuss opportunities. To ensure that you have enough time to cover what you need to – Dr. Handelman schedules these assessments to allow for a time buffer – so you can discuss what you need to within the time allotted. These interviews are done in person – to allow for the best and most thorough clinical assessment.
4. A Feedback Report: After the questionnaires, testing and clinical interview are completed, Dr. Handelman will review, interpret the questionnaires and cognitive testing, and report on his findings and recommendations. He will write a Feedback Report which summarizes all of the elements of the assessment, the diagnoses and recommendations for treatment.
5. A Feedback Session: Approximately one week after your clinical interview, you will have a one hour Feedback Session. This session is generally done virtually i.e. via telemedicine (to lower direct in person contact during the pandemic). Dr. Handelman will explain the Feedback Report, as well as diagnosis and treatment recommendations. He will also share his view of your strengths and opportunities – because assessing and treating ADHD is not only about getting symptoms out of the way, it’s also about living with your strengths and living up to your potential. You will have time to ask your questions, and ensure that you have the answers that you need. This feedback session gives you more time to understand the diagnosis and treatment, and ask the questions you have. You will not feel rushed – at the end of a clinical interview – feeling that you didn’t have enough time to listen, think and ask the questions you have.

OHIP will cover Dr. Handelman’s clinical time with you (ie the interview and feedback session). A fee is payable for the standardized questionnaires, the cognitive testing, the interpretation of the results and the report writing. Patients may be eligible for insurance reimbursement for some or all of the testing fee – though you will have to check with your insurance provider to ensure your coverage. If this assessment isn’t right for you, then we encourage you to see one of the other experts in the community for assessment of ADHD.

Due to the high demand for assessments, Dr. Handelman will provide consultations and treatment recommendations, with specific recommendations for treatment going back to your referring doctor. Referring physicians should be prepared to receive the patient back and work on the implementation of the treatment recommendations.

We understand that many patients want to be able to work with Dr. Handelman for ongoing follow up – but he is currently unable to provide ongoing follow up due to the high patient load he is currently carrying. After reviewing the situation, Dr. Handelman decided to continue to offer consultations and treatment recommendations without providing ongoing follow up. The rationale for this is that it allows you the opportunity to get the right diagnosis and treatment plan set up, to help you to get on track. If you require ongoing follow-up from a specialist, then we recommend that you speak to your referring doctor, and ask for a referral to another doctor or clinic. You are certainly welcome to check back with us in about 12 months, to see if we are able to provide follow up at that time. That said, we encourage you to not wait or delay your treatment on the chance that Dr. Handelman may be able to provide follow up in the future.

To see Dr. Handelman for a consultation, you’ll need to get a Medical Doctor to send a referral, and then our office will contact you to start the process of completing the initial questionnaires and then booking the consultation. At the end of the process, the referring physician will receive a consultation report, and the patient and/or family will receive a report summarizing the findings of the assessment, along with treatment recommendations.

Please click here for a copy of the new referral form.

Please note that the Centre for Integrative Mental Health does have other services, including psychotherapy for kids, their parents, and teens & adults for ADHD, behavioural management, depression/anxiety and more. You do not need a referral to access these services.

Please contact our office if you have any questions about our consultations or services.