Adult ADHD Psychiatrist in New York City

"ADHD specialist" is not a license category in New York. Anyone can use the phrase, and in New York City it is attached to psychiatrists, primary care doctors, nurse practitioners, psychologists, coaches and app-based companies alike. What actually decides who can evaluate you, who can prescribe and what rules they follow is the license each person holds. This page sorts out the professions under New York law as of October 2026, shows how to check a license yourself, and explains where Dr. John C. Shershow, M.D., a psychiatrist who focuses on adult ADHD, fits.

Who can diagnose and treat adult ADHD in New York

CHADD, the national ADHD advocacy organization, lists clinical psychologists, physicians (psychiatrists, neurologists, family doctors), nurse practitioners and clinical social workers as professionals who can diagnose adult ADHD, and it advises asking about each person's training and experience with adults, which can matter more than the type of degree. The full breakdown is in who can diagnose ADHD in New York.

What a psychiatrist adds

A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who has trained specifically in psychiatric diagnosis and treatment. For adult ADHD, three things follow from that:

• Sorting out lookalikes. The 2024 American Family Physician review of adult ADHD says other mental disorders should be considered in the differential, because ADHD overlaps with anxiety, mood, personality, impulse control and substance use disorders. Separating these, or recognizing when they occur alongside ADHD, is core psychiatric work.
• Medical context. Health history, current medications, sleep and substance use all affect both the diagnosis and the safety of any medication. A physician reviews them as part of the same evaluation.
• One clinician from diagnosis to treatment. If medication is appropriate, the psychiatrist who evaluated you can prescribe it and manage it over time. With a psychologist's diagnosis, you would need a separate prescriber.

None of this makes other professions a poor choice. Many primary care doctors treat adult ADHD, and American Family Physician published its review to help them do it. A psychiatrist tends to make the most sense when the picture is complicated: symptoms that might be anxiety or depression, past medication that did not work or caused side effects, or a diagnosis that has been questioned. The comparison is in psychiatrist or primary care for adult ADHD.

Every prescriber follows the same New York rules

New York's controlled-substance regulation on prescribing (10 NYCRR 80.63) is written for "a practitioner." A psychiatrist does not get looser stimulant rules than a nurse practitioner or a family doctor. Every prescriber must check the state Prescription Monitoring Program registry no more than 24 hours before prescribing a controlled substance, and every Schedule II prescription follows the same supply and refill limits. A clinician who says a specialty exempts them from these rules is not describing New York law. The rules themselves are covered on the ADHD medication management in NYC page.

How to check a New York license in five minutes

1. Look up the license. The New York State Education Department's Office of the Professions runs a free online Verification Search for licensed professions, including physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and psychologists. It shows whether the license is current and registered.
2. Read the Physician Profile. The New York State Department of Health publishes the New York State Physician Profile for licensed doctors, with background information the physician supplies.
3. Check for discipline. The Department of Health's Office of Professional Medical Conduct oversees complaints about physicians, physician assistants and specialist assistants, and its site lets you search for disciplinary actions.
4. Match the license to your location. The Education Department says a practitioner must hold a New York license, or be otherwise authorized, when providing services to a patient located in New York. A clinician licensed only in another state cannot treat you by video while you are in the city.
5. If you will sometimes be in New Jersey, check the New Jersey license as well. Dr. Shershow holds both, which matters for commuters; see the ADHD psychiatrist in New Jersey page.

Step-by-step instructions are in how to verify a psychiatrist's license in New York.

Questions to ask any NYC ADHD clinician before you book

• Who will do my evaluation, and what license do they hold?
• If medication is recommended, can the same person prescribe it and follow up?
• What does the evaluation include: childhood history, input from someone who knew me, screening for anxiety, depression and sleep problems?
• Do you do neuropsychological testing, or refer for it when it is needed?
• For video visits, which states are you licensed in?
• What are the fees, and how does insurance work with your practice?

A longer list, with the reason behind each question, is in questions to ask before booking an ADHD evaluation.

Where Dr. Shershow fits

Dr. Shershow is a psychiatrist who focuses on adult ADHD and sees adults 18 and older. He is licensed in New York and New Jersey. He provides the psychiatric evaluation and diagnosis, a treatment plan, medication management when medication is appropriate, and ongoing psychiatric follow-up, with follow-up visits held by secure video while you are physically in New York or New Jersey. He does not provide neuropsychological testing, therapy or coaching, and does not treat children or teens. You can read more about Dr. Shershow and how adult ADHD treatment works at the practice.

For fees, insurance and how the first visit is arranged, call the office or use the call-back form on this page. Staff can tell you the current fees and how insurance works with the practice.