Fall 1999 - IP; Passport to Practice/Heller

PASSPORT TO PRACTICE

Attention Deficit Disorder: They All Don't Outgrow It!/Robert Resnick

Attention Deficit Disorder: Marketing Tips/Kal Heller

**PASSPORT TO PRACTICE**
	Attention Deficit Disorder: They All Don't Outgrow It!/Robert Resnick
	Attention Deficit Disorder: Marketing Tips/Kal Heller

Robert Resnick, Ph.D. ABPP, FAClinP
Past President of APA

APA Council Representative

Kal Heller, Ph.D.
Independent Practice

Needham, MA

Co-Coordinator of Marketing for the Brochure Project

This is one of a series of articles aimed at helping you to develop and market specialty services for specific problems and populations. “Passport to Practice” articles are each based on one of the eight brochures developed and published by the Brochure project, a joint venture of the Divisions of Psychotherapy and Independent Practice. To order brochures or get further information about the Brochure Project call (602) 912-5303 or FAX (602) 957-4828.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Marketing Tips
Kal Heller, Ph.D.

It is estimated that 3-5% of all children and about 2-3.5% of all adults could be diagnosed as having Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). This means that in most classrooms, from preschool through graduate school, there is at least one child or young adult with sufficient symptoms of inattentiveness, impulsivity, or hyperactivity to meet the criteria for this diagnosis. It also suggests that in the workplace, every group, team, or department that contains at least 40-50 people probably have at least one adult who would meet the criteria for ADHD. One might extrapolate from this data and guess that in about every 30-35 marriages, one spouse has ADHD. The variation in symptoms and the presence throughout the life span creates an exceptional need for a wide range of services for people with ADHD that can fit, in a specialized or comprehensive manner, into almost any practice.

Creating A Plan

The challenge for psychologists is that many have already developed specialties in this area. This is where the marketing concept of “external evaluation” becomes particularly important. What is the need in the community? What is the nature of the competition? If you practice near a large university or medical center that offers a comprehensive range of ADHD-focused services, you must carefully define where you can have a successful niche. For example, many of these large centers have long-waiting lists and some are known to only send reports to schools but not do on-site consultation. So you could promote rapid feedback or ongoing work with schools as a way to carve out your share of the referrals.

Treating ADHD is a team process. It requires educators, physicians and mental health professionals to be collaborating on behalf of the child and family. For adults, it may also require a career counselor, human resources specialist or contact with an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) to effect workplace change. Either way, family will need to be involved. This may present a challenge for solo practitioners but it really isn’t that difficult to create a small network of professionals who can work together to cover the range of services. You can create a more formal association by having an “800” number that offers access to a group with ADHD specialties or have an incorporated “ADHD Clinic.”

For those who prefer solo practice you might focus on a narrower niche that doesn’t require as much formal teamwork, e.g., educational consultation, marital therapy where one spouse has ADHD, neuropsychological assessments with a specialty focus on ADHD children or adults, assessment and private school/college placement, or consulting to camps and community organizations.

The Brochure

Regardless of which service model you select, the brochure can play an important role in developing referrals. Mailers to counselors, physicians, educators, or human resources staff will offer information to help diagnose as well as understand the treatment needs for people with ADHD. Sent with a cover letter, you can describe your specialty services, and then follow up with a phone call and, hopefully, a meeting to build a working relationship. If you are doing a workshop for parents, adults, or educators, the brochure becomes a wonderful handout that the audience will take away to serve as a reminder of you when the need arises. Extra brochures should be supplied to potential referral sources so they can be given to prospective patients. This contributes to a positive sense of you and your practice before the first contact. Placing them in your waiting room is reassuring to current ADHD patients but also will be picked up by other patients who already like your work and have a friend who needs help with ADHD.

Additional “Service Products” for ADHD:

1. Parent Training: There are many packages already developed that can be incorporated into an effective, time-limited parent training program that could be marketed as a service to individual families or done as a parenting group. These programs are very behaviorally oriented, usually some form of token economy, so it needs to fit your general approach. There can be sub-specialties that take advantage of the frequency with which there is a comorbid diagnosis. For example, “Parent Training for Children with ADHD and Learning Disabilities” or for “Children with ADHD and Oppositional Disorders.”

2. The Workplace and the Adult with ADHD: This service is very much on the cutting edge because so few employers realize that the reason for a workplace problem is a treatable condition known as ADHD. There are many adults who missed out on the increased awareness of ADHD and were never diagnosed as children. This could be a prime opportunity to consult with the business community, starting with workshops for local business groups and expanding to human resources professionals and EAP organizations. Besides educating employers, this offers the opportunity to do diagnostic evaluations and workplace accommodation, as well as other treatment opportunities.

Concluding Thoughts

All the concepts of marketing are quite visible in developing a specialty in working with ADHD. It is present across the population at a relatively high rate of incidence. The needs are great and varied. But because it has become a very hot subject (and therefore with controversies about overdiagnosis, overmedication, and experimental treatments), it requires carefully thought out plans as to how to differentiate your services from the competition. Few disorders require staying on top of the research as much as this one because the neurochemical and psychological concepts of understanding and treating this disorder are in a constant state of development and change. But that also creates excitement and satisfaction for psychologists who develop an expertise in this area.

Kalman M. Heller, Ph.D. has been in private practice for 30 years, specializing in serving children, families, and couples. He is the Division 42 representative to the Practice Directorate’s Business of Practice Network and is the Co-coordinator of Marketing, along with Dr. Laurie Kolt, for The Brochure Project. Dr. Heller is the author of Strategic Marketing: How To Achieve Independence and Prosperity In Your Mental Health Practice. You can reach him at: 992 Great Plain Avenue, Needham, MA 02492; phone (781) 444-3450; fax (781) 449-3134; email: KHeller714@aol.com; or visit him at www.drheller.com.

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		Robert Resnick, Ph.D. ABPP, FAClinP Past President of APA APA Council Representative	Kal Heller, Ph.D. Independent Practice Needham, MA Co-Coordinator of Marketing for the Brochure Project
This is one of a series of articles aimed at helping you to develop and market specialty services for specific problems and populations. “Passport to Practice” articles are each based on one of the eight brochures developed and published by the Brochure project, a joint venture of the Divisions of Psychotherapy and Independent Practice. To order brochures or get further information about the Brochure Project call (602) 912-5303 or FAX (602) 957-4828.
	Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Marketing Tips Kal Heller, Ph.D. It is estimated that 3-5% of all children and about 2-3.5% of all adults could be diagnosed as having Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). This means that in most classrooms, from preschool through graduate school, there is at least one child or young adult with sufficient symptoms of inattentiveness, impulsivity, or hyperactivity to meet the criteria for this diagnosis. It also suggests that in the workplace, every group, team, or department that contains at least 40-50 people probably have at least one adult who would meet the criteria for ADHD. One might extrapolate from this data and guess that in about every 30-35 marriages, one spouse has ADHD. The variation in symptoms and the presence throughout the life span creates an exceptional need for a wide range of services for people with ADHD that can fit, in a specialized or comprehensive manner, into almost any practice. Creating A Plan The challenge for psychologists is that many have already developed specialties in this area. This is where the marketing concept of “external evaluation” becomes particularly important. What is the need in the community? What is the nature of the competition? If you practice near a large university or medical center that offers a comprehensive range of ADHD-focused services, you must carefully define where you can have a successful niche. For example, many of these large centers have long-waiting lists and some are known to only send reports to schools but not do on-site consultation. So you could promote rapid feedback or ongoing work with schools as a way to carve out your share of the referrals. Treating ADHD is a team process. It requires educators, physicians and mental health professionals to be collaborating on behalf of the child and family. For adults, it may also require a career counselor, human resources specialist or contact with an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) to effect workplace change. Either way, family will need to be involved. This may present a challenge for solo practitioners but it really isn’t that difficult to create a small network of professionals who can work together to cover the range of services. You can create a more formal association by having an “800” number that offers access to a group with ADHD specialties or have an incorporated “ADHD Clinic.” For those who prefer solo practice you might focus on a narrower niche that doesn’t require as much formal teamwork, e.g., educational consultation, marital therapy where one spouse has ADHD, neuropsychological assessments with a specialty focus on ADHD children or adults, assessment and private school/college placement, or consulting to camps and community organizations. The Brochure Regardless of which service model you select, the brochure can play an important role in developing referrals. Mailers to counselors, physicians, educators, or human resources staff will offer information to help diagnose as well as understand the treatment needs for people with ADHD. Sent with a cover letter, you can describe your specialty services, and then follow up with a phone call and, hopefully, a meeting to build a working relationship. If you are doing a workshop for parents, adults, or educators, the brochure becomes a wonderful handout that the audience will take away to serve as a reminder of you when the need arises. Extra brochures should be supplied to potential referral sources so they can be given to prospective patients. This contributes to a positive sense of you and your practice before the first contact. Placing them in your waiting room is reassuring to current ADHD patients but also will be picked up by other patients who already like your work and have a friend who needs help with ADHD. Additional “Service Products” for ADHD: 1. Parent Training: There are many packages already developed that can be incorporated into an effective, time-limited parent training program that could be marketed as a service to individual families or done as a parenting group. These programs are very behaviorally oriented, usually some form of token economy, so it needs to fit your general approach. There can be sub-specialties that take advantage of the frequency with which there is a comorbid diagnosis. For example, “Parent Training for Children with ADHD and Learning Disabilities” or for “Children with ADHD and Oppositional Disorders.” 2. The Workplace and the Adult with ADHD: This service is very much on the cutting edge because so few employers realize that the reason for a workplace problem is a treatable condition known as ADHD. There are many adults who missed out on the increased awareness of ADHD and were never diagnosed as children. This could be a prime opportunity to consult with the business community, starting with workshops for local business groups and expanding to human resources professionals and EAP organizations. Besides educating employers, this offers the opportunity to do diagnostic evaluations and workplace accommodation, as well as other treatment opportunities. Concluding Thoughts All the concepts of marketing are quite visible in developing a specialty in working with ADHD. It is present across the population at a relatively high rate of incidence. The needs are great and varied. But because it has become a very hot subject (and therefore with controversies about overdiagnosis, overmedication, and experimental treatments), it requires carefully thought out plans as to how to differentiate your services from the competition. Few disorders require staying on top of the research as much as this one because the neurochemical and psychological concepts of understanding and treating this disorder are in a constant state of development and change. But that also creates excitement and satisfaction for psychologists who develop an expertise in this area. Kalman M. Heller, Ph.D. has been in private practice for 30 years, specializing in serving children, families, and couples. He is the Division 42 representative to the Practice Directorate’s Business of Practice Network and is the Co-coordinator of Marketing, along with Dr. Laurie Kolt, for The Brochure Project. Dr. Heller is the author of Strategic Marketing: How To Achieve Independence and Prosperity In Your Mental Health Practice. You can reach him at: 992 Great Plain Avenue, Needham, MA 02492; phone (781) 444-3450; fax (781) 449-3134; email: KHeller714@aol.com; or visit him at www.drheller.com.
click Brochure graphic to go to the Brochure ordering page
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