Adult ADHD care at the Jersey Shore: Monmouth and Ocean counties

The Shore counties include several college campuses and many commuters who ride the train or ferry to Manhattan. Ocean County had an estimated 673,746 residents in July 2025 and Monmouth 651,035, according to the Census Bureau, making them the fifth and sixth most populous counties in New Jersey. This article covers the public resources that serve both counties, what they can and cannot do for an adult who may have ADHD, and the rules that apply to visits from the Shore as of October 2026.

Psychiatric screening services

New Jersey designates a psychiatric screening service in each county. The state Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) describes them as being for psychiatric emergencies, crisis intervention services, information and referral. The two Shore counties are organized very differently.

These details come from the DMHAS list updated October 8, 2026. Ocean County residents should note that the county's only listed service is in Lakewood. For any crisis, call or text 988 first; it works from every county at any hour. For non-emergency support and referral, DMHAS lists NJ Mental Health Cares at 866-202-HELP (4357), open 8 am to 8 pm daily. See mental health crisis resources in New Jersey.

None of these services is the place for a routine ADHD evaluation or for starting ADHD medication.

County mental health offices

• Monmouth County Office of Mental Wellness and Supportive Services serves residents through mental health and substance use resources and distributes a resource guide for the county. In 2026 the county commissioners combined the Mental Health Board and the Local Advisory Council on Substance Use Support Services into a single advisory board for the office. The office lists its phone as 732-431-6451.
• Ocean County Mental Health Board is a public advisory body of seven to twelve members that, according to the county, guides and strengthens mental health services in Ocean County.

County offices plan and fund services; they do not evaluate individuals for ADHD. They can point you to county-supported clinics, and any clinic should be asked directly whether it evaluates adults for ADHD. Lower-cost routes are in low-cost adult ADHD care in New Jersey.

Where Shore adults get evaluated

This guide did not find a hospital program in Monmouth or Ocean County that describes itself as dedicated to adult ADHD as of October 2026. The usual routes are:

• Private psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners, found through an insurer's directory and checked on the state license lookup.
• Primary care, where some clinicians diagnose and treat adult ADHD and others refer.
• Telehealth with a New Jersey-licensed clinician, which saves driving but, for stimulant patients, still involves some in-person visits under state law (below).

Whether you need psychological testing in addition to a psychiatric evaluation is a separate question, covered in adult ADHD testing and evaluation in New Jersey.

Campus disability offices

Ask the office for its guidelines before an evaluation, so a clinician's report addresses what it needs. More in ADHD accommodations at New Jersey colleges.

Support groups

NAMI Greater Monmouth serves Monmouth County, and NAMI New Jersey lists an affiliate page for Ocean County as well; the state organization says its 18 affiliates cover all 21 counties. These groups offer peer support and classes, not diagnosis or prescriptions. More in adult ADHD support groups in New Jersey.

Commuters: train, ferry and which state's rules apply

NJ Transit's North Jersey Coast Line runs direct from New York Penn Station and Newark Penn Station to stations from Aberdeen-Matawan to Long Branch, with most trains farther south connecting at Long Branch. SeaStreak ferries link Highlands and Atlantic Highlands with New York City.

For care, what matters is where you are during the visit. A clinician must be licensed in the state where the patient is physically located. A video visit from a private room at work in Manhattan is a New York visit; the same visit from home in Monmouth or Ocean County is a New Jersey visit.

For a patient located in New Jersey on a Schedule II stimulant, P.L.2026, c.40 (effective July 8, 2026) requires an in-person visit within 30 days of a telehealth start, a contact at least every three months (in person or by real-time two-way audio and video), and an in-person visit at least once a year. New York follows federal rules, whose telemedicine flexibilities run through December 31, 2026. Details are in telehealth ADHD prescriptions in New Jersey.

Where Dr. Shershow fits

Dr. John C. Shershow is a psychiatrist who focuses on adult ADHD and is licensed in New Jersey and New York. He sees adults 18 and older for ADHD evaluation and diagnosis, treatment planning, medication management when medication is appropriate, and ongoing follow-up, with follow-up visits held by secure video. For a video visit you must be physically in New York or New Jersey. The office will explain how visits are arranged for patients located in New Jersey and can tell you the current fees and how insurance works with the practice. Local detail is on the Red Bank and Jersey Shore page and the Monmouth County page.

A short checklist for Shore adults

1. Save 988 and your county's screening line, for emergencies only.
2. Ask your insurer for clinicians in your plan's network who evaluate and treat adult ADHD.
3. If you commute, decide where your video visits will usually happen and tell the clinician.
4. If you will need stimulant medication by telehealth from New Jersey, ask early how the in-person visits will work.
5. Students: get your campus office's documentation guidelines first.