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1. Start with Your PCP (or Pediatrician)

Call the office of your child's primary care doctor to schedule an appointment specifically to discuss concerns about ADHD.

Tip* Mention the Reason - Inform the office staff that you would like to discuss your child’s behavior and potential ADHD symptoms. This helps the doctor prepare for the visit.

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2. Bring Data

A short log of when/where the behaviors appear and how they affect school, home, friends.

 

3. Rule-Out & Refer 

At the visit the doctor will:

• review medical history / sleep / hearing / vision;

• decide if labs or an in-office screener are needed;

• issue a referral to a specialist (psychologist, psychiatrist, neurologist, or developmental-behavioral pediatrician) if criteria are met.

 

4. Specialist Evaluation

• Comprehensive testing may include cognitive, executive-function and rating-scale batteries plus interviews with you and the school. Results feed directly into 504/IEP planning.

 

5. Results & Plan
Meet again with the doctor to review the report, choose treatments (behavior therapy, parent-training, meds, classroom supports) and set up 3-month check-ins.

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Inland Empire Providers:

• No insurance coverage?

  • Apply for Medi-Cal

• Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP): Visit iehp.org or call 800-440-IEHP (4347)

  • IEHP members received Free Autism and ADHD Screenings for members below the age of 21

• Riverside University Health System (RUHS): Visit ruhealth.org or call 800-720‑9553

• ​Kaiser: Visit kp.org, download the Kaiser Permanente App,  or call 833-KP4CARE (833-574-2273)

• UC Riverside Health Pediatrics:  Visit ucrhealth.org or call (844) 827-8000​

• Loma Linda University Children's Hospital 877-558-6248

• San Bernardino County Public Health Clinics 800-722-4777  

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🩺  How to Find an In-Network Provider (Any Insurance)

1. Log in to your plan’s portal (IEHP, Kaiser, Blue Shield, etc.).

2. Choose “Behavioral Health” → “Pediatrics” or search “ADHD Evaluation.”

3. Filter by distance and “Accepting New Patients.”

4. Write down the NPI number shown for each provider—your PCP’s referral desk will need it.

5. Call the office and ask:

   • “Do you do initial ADHD evaluations for children?”

   • “What paperwork should I bring?”

   • “Do you need my PCP’s electronic referral first?”

6. For HMOs/Medi-Cal be sure your PCP submits the referral in the plan’s system (IEHP uses e‐Consult; Kaiser auto-routes internally).

7. If the wait list is >10 weeks, ask the plan for a “timely-access” exception or an out-of-network authorization.

 

Adapted from IEHP, Kaiser Permanente, and Covered California insurance portal guides (2024-2025), including recommendations from the California Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) on accessing behavioral health services.​​​​​​​​