Adult ADHD evaluation and treatment for Pompano Beach — structured diagnosis, careful prescribing.

RECO Integrated Psychiatry is 18 miles north of Pompano Beach — about 28 minutes up I-95 from Cresthaven or Lighthouse Point. Adult ADHD evaluation uses the ASRS screen, a DIVA-5 or CAADID structured interview, and a documented developmental history rather than a two-question telehealth checklist. Stimulant and non-stimulant options are prescribed with blood pressure and heart rate monitoring at every visit, and controlled-substance follow-up runs on the visit cadence Florida DEA rules require.

The route from Pompano Beach to RECO Integrated Psychiatry’s Delray Beach office runs 18 miles north on I-95 — roughly 28 minutes outside rush hour. That drive gives adults across Cresthaven, Lighthouse Point, Sea Ranch Lakes, and Hillsboro Shores meaningful clinical separation from the daily routine while keeping specialist psychiatric care inside the same South Florida corridor. Clients arrive for structured ADHD treatment that pairs a defensible diagnostic workup with disciplined stimulant and non-stimulant prescribing — the opposite of a two-question telehealth screen.

The diagnostic protocol that actually confirms ADHD

DSM-5-TR criteria for adult ADHD require symptom onset before age 12, symptoms present in two or more settings, documented functional impairment, and systematic rule-out of alternative explanations. Depression, generalized anxiety, obstructive sleep apnea, active substance use, and thyroid dysfunction can each mimic the attention and executive-function complaints that bring adults into evaluation. A brief checklist administered over video is not a diagnostic workup — it is a marketing intake.

RECO’s evaluation uses the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS) as an initial screen, followed by a structured diagnostic interview — the DIVA-5 or the CAADID — to anchor symptom counts, chronicity, and cross-setting impairment. Developmental history reaches back to childhood through school report cards, discipline records, or a parent or sibling informant where personal memory doesn’t support the timeline. The PHQ-9 and GAD-7 are administered at baseline to quantify comorbid mood and anxiety severity, and sleep and substance-use histories are documented in the same visit.

Overdiagnosis is a real risk in the current prescribing environment. The protocol is built to catch adults whose attention complaints are better explained by an untreated mood disorder, sleep-disordered breathing, or occupational burnout — and to confirm ADHD clearly in the adults who genuinely have it, so treatment can proceed without ambiguity or later doubt.

Stimulant options and how we choose

Methylphenidate-class agents — Concerta, Focalin XR, Ritalin LA, Jornay PM — and amphetamine-class agents — Adderall XR, Vyvanse, Mydayis — are equally first-line for adult ADHD. Individual response varies and cannot be reliably predicted from history alone; a subset of adults responds substantially better to one class than the other, and a therapeutic trial of both is often warranted before concluding a stimulant isn’t effective.

Long-acting formulations are preferred over immediate-release. Steadier plasma levels reduce end-of-dose rebound, minimize the diversion risk that accompanies pocketed short-acting tablets, and support a more predictable functional profile across the workday. Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine) is a prodrug — inactive until enzymatically cleaved in red blood cells — with reduced abuse liability, and is a first-choice agent for adults with any substance use history.

Dosing is titrated on visit-anchored feedback rather than message-based adjustments. Titration follows response and tolerability, with a clear ceiling above which incremental benefit no longer justifies cardiovascular or appetite-suppression cost. Controlled-substance refills follow Florida DEA rules and require an active prescribing relationship, not asynchronous refill requests.

Non-stimulant options for when stimulants aren’t the fit

Not every adult with ADHD is a stimulant candidate. Atomoxetine (Strattera), a selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, is FDA-approved for adult ADHD with a 4-6 week onset and no controlled-substance status; it is reasonable first-line for adults with active substance use disorder, tic disorders, or significant baseline anxiety. Viloxazine (Qelbree) is a newer non-stimulant with a similar mechanism and, in some patients, a slightly faster clinical response.

Alpha-2 agonists — guanfacine extended-release and clonidine extended-release — are effective as adjuncts, particularly for residual hyperactivity, impulsivity, and sleep-onset difficulty that persist after stimulant titration. Bupropion, while off-label for ADHD, has reasonable evidence in adults with comorbid depression or nicotine use disorder and can consolidate two prescriptions into one.

For adults with cardiovascular contraindications — poorly controlled hypertension, significant arrhythmia history, structural heart disease — the non-stimulant pathway is not a compromise. It is the correct pathway. The same is true for clients in early recovery from stimulant, cocaine, or methamphetamine use disorder, where reintroducing a controlled stimulant carries meaningful relapse risk and where non-stimulant response is often clinically sufficient.

Cardiovascular safety and the monitoring we run

Stimulant initiation in adults requires a documented cardiovascular history — personal and first-degree family — a resting blood pressure and heart rate, and an EKG in adults over 40 or with any cardiac, syncope, or unexplained-palpitations history. Current American Heart Association guidance does not require routine EKG in asymptomatic younger adults, but the threshold to order one is low when the history is uncertain.

Follow-up visits include blood pressure and heart rate at every contact. Sustained resting hypertension above roughly 140/90 mmHg, or a resting heart rate consistently above 100, prompts a dose reduction, a switch to non-stimulant, or cardiology co-management before continuing. Height and weight are tracked, and clinically meaningful appetite suppression is addressed with meal-timing adjustments, calorie-dense snacks, or a structured weekend medication holiday where appropriate.

This monitoring framework is standard psychiatric practice. The distinguishing feature is that RECO actually runs it — every visit, documented in the chart — rather than deferring indefinitely after a stable start.

What to expect on your first visit

The initial evaluation runs 60-90 minutes and is scheduled in person at the Delray Beach office, with follow-ups available by telepsychiatry for Florida residents once the diagnostic relationship is established. Clients are asked to bring any prior psychiatric records, a current medication list, and — where possible — a childhood school document or a family informant available by phone during the visit.

The evaluation covers the ASRS, DIVA-5 structured interview, PHQ-9 and GAD-7, sleep and substance-use screening, and a review of medical history and medications that might explain or complicate the presentation. If ADHD is confirmed and medication is indicated, a prescription is initiated at the same visit; if the picture is more consistent with a mood, anxiety, sleep, or substance disorder, that becomes the treatment focus first, with ADHD reassessed once the primary condition is stabilized.

Insurance and admissions from Pompano Beach

RECO Integrated Psychiatry is in-network with Florida Blue, Aetna, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare, Humana, and Blue Cross Blue Shield plans. Verification of benefits is completed before the initial visit, and out-of-pocket costs are reviewed transparently so there are no surprise balances after the fact. Self-pay is available for clients who prefer to keep psychiatric care off insurance records.

Admissions from Pompano Beach — including Cresthaven, Lighthouse Point, Sea Ranch Lakes, and Hillsboro Shores — typically schedule within one to two weeks. The office is 18 miles north on I-95 with parking on site. Telepsychiatry follow-ups reduce the drive to a single in-person visit for most stable clients, though controlled-substance prescribing continues to require periodic in-person contact under current Florida rules.

Serving residents of: Cresthaven, Lighthouse Point, Sea Ranch Lakes, Hillsboro Shores.