LGBTQ+ Affirming Adult ADHD Care in New York

Written by the practice's editorial team. Published October 13, 2026; updated October 19, 2026. Part of the New York Adult ADHD Guide, weigh your options section. Medically reviewed by John C. Shershow, M.D. on October 19, 2026. Editorial policy

Key points

A 2020 study of 641,860 people found transgender and gender-diverse people reported higher rates of several diagnoses, including ADHD, than cisgender people.
A 2026 New Zealand population study found ADHD in 8.0% of non-heterosexual 15- to 24-year-olds versus 3.6% of heterosexual peers.
New York Executive Law section 296(2)(a) bars public accommodations, which include clinics and hospitals, from discriminating based on sexual orientation or gender identity or expression.
As of October 2026, Callen-Lorde provides behavioral health only to its primary care patients who are uninsured or have Medicaid, Medicare or ADAP.
NYC Health + Hospitals lists Pride Health Services at eight sites, including Bellevue, Elmhurst, Jacobi, Lincoln, Metropolitan and Woodhull.

LGBTQ+ adults who want an ADHD evaluation in New York usually have two questions at once. Will the clinician get the ADHD question right? And will they be comfortable being fully open about their identity, relationships, hormones or past experiences with health care? Both questions matter clinically, because an accurate ADHD evaluation depends on a complete history. This page covers what research says about ADHD in LGBTQ+ adults, what New York law protects, the public and nonprofit LGBTQ+ health programs in New York City, and how to judge whether any practice is a good fit.

What the research shows, and what it does not

Several large studies find higher rates of ADHD among transgender, gender-diverse and non-heterosexual people than among cisgender or heterosexual peers.

Transgender and gender-diverse adults. A 2020 study in Nature Communications pooled five datasets with 641,860 people. Transgender and gender-diverse participants had, on average, higher rates of autism and of other neurodevelopmental and psychiatric diagnoses, including ADHD, than cisgender participants. The diagnoses in that analysis were self-reported.
A US health system. A 2026 study of 12,504 patients age 12 and older in a US health system found significantly higher rates of neurodevelopmental disorders, including ADHD, among transgender and gender non-conforming patients than among cisgender patients, along with higher rates of anxiety, depression, PTSD and substance use disorders.
A whole-population study. A 2026 study linking New Zealand's 2023 Census to health records for people age 5 to 24 found ADHD in 9.9% of transgender young people versus 3.4% of others. Among 15- to 24-year-olds, prevalence was 8.0% in non-heterosexual young people versus 3.6% in heterosexual peers.

These are associations. They do not show why the rates differ, and they do not mean that being LGBTQ+ causes ADHD or that any individual has it. The minority stress model, reviewed by Ilan Meyer in 2003, describes how stigma, prejudice and discrimination create a stressful social environment that raises rates of mental health problems in lesbian, gay and bisexual people. That matters for an ADHD evaluation, because chronic stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and substance use can all affect attention, and they can also occur alongside ADHD. A careful evaluation has to sort these out rather than assume. For more on the research, see ADHD in LGBTQ+ adults.

What New York law says about discrimination in health care

The New York State Human Rights Law makes it unlawful for a place of public accommodation to discriminate based on sexual orientation or gender identity or expression, among other characteristics, including disability (Executive Law section 296(2)(a)). The law's definition of a place of public accommodation names dispensaries, clinics and hospitals (Executive Law section 292(9)). If you believe you were treated unfairly, the steps for filing a complaint are covered in filing a disability discrimination complaint in New York.

A law against discrimination is a floor, not a guarantee of good care. What people usually mean by "affirming" is a clinician who uses your name and pronouns, asks about partners and family without assumptions, and treats your identity as part of your history rather than as the explanation for your symptoms.

LGBTQ+ health programs in New York City

Two well-known programs offer LGBTQ+ focused primary care with behavioral health services. Neither is described here as an ADHD clinic. Check current details with each program directly, since services and intake rules change.

	Callen-Lorde Community Health Center	NYC Health + Hospitals Pride Health Services
Locations	Chelsea (Manhattan), Brooklyn and the Bronx	Bellevue, Elmhurst, Gouverneur, Judson, Jacobi, Lincoln, Metropolitan and Woodhull
Behavioral health	Counseling, substance use supports and psychiatry for primary care patients. Psychiatry is usually by referral from your Callen-Lorde medical or mental health provider.	Behavioral health services and referrals, alongside primary care that includes hormone therapy
Who can use behavioral health	As of October 2026, only Callen-Lorde primary care patients who are uninsured or have Medicaid, Medicare or ADAP. Private insurance is not among the groups its behavioral health page lists.	Ask the site. The system states it serves New Yorkers regardless of ability to pay.
Cost	Sliding fee scale. Callen-Lorde states that no one is turned away for inability to pay.	Financial help, MetroPlusHealth and NYC Care for people who cannot get insurance
First visit	New patient visits must be in person, per its FAQ	Varies by site

If you are uninsured, NYC Care is the city's program for New Yorkers who cannot afford or do not qualify for health insurance. Other options are in low-cost adult ADHD care in New York.

Other resources that are not clinics: the Association of LGBTQ+ Psychiatrists keeps a referral database of LGBTQ-friendly psychiatrists who are members, and The LGBT Community Center in Manhattan runs support programs and hosts recovery meetings. In a crisis, call or text 988; more options are in mental health crisis lines in New York.

What makes an ADHD evaluation fit well

The diagnostic criteria for ADHD are the same for everyone. What changes is how much of your history a clinician can see. A few points come up often for LGBTQ+ adults:

Your full medication list. Include hormones, PrEP or HIV medication and anything bought outside a pharmacy. Any prescriber needs the whole list to think about interactions and side effects.
Stress and safety history. Periods of hiding your identity, family rejection, or housing or job instability can affect sleep, mood and concentration. Saying so helps a clinician separate those effects from lifelong ADHD symptoms.
Substance use. Higher rates of substance use disorders have been reported in some LGBTQ+ groups. Being honest about use is part of a safe medication decision, and it does not by itself rule out treatment. See ADHD and substance use.
Childhood records under another name. School reports and old records may use a former name. Bring them anyway, and tell the office how you want to be addressed. Ways to proceed without records are in ADHD evaluation without childhood records.

Questions to ask any practice before booking

How do you record my name and pronouns, and will they appear on visit notes, portal messages and prescriptions?
Who will see my records, and what goes to my insurer? (The basics are in who can see your ADHD diagnosis.)
Does the evaluation consider anxiety, depression, trauma and substance use, or only ADHD?
Do you provide therapy, or will I need a separate therapist?

More general questions are in questions to ask before booking an ADHD evaluation.

Where Dr. Shershow's practice fits

Dr. John C. Shershow, M.D. is a psychiatrist who focuses on adult ADHD and sees adults located in New York or New Jersey. His adult ADHD evaluation covers current symptoms, childhood, school and work history, health (medical history, medications, sleep and substances) and other explanations such as anxiety, depression, sleep problems or stress, and ends with what it found and the treatment options that fit. Treatment can include medication management when medication is appropriate, with follow-up visits by secure video. The practice does not provide therapy, so if affirming psychotherapy is what you need, plan to find a therapist separately. To ask anything else, including how names and pronouns are handled, call the office or use the call-back form on the contact page.

Questions

Are LGBTQ+ people more likely to have ADHD?

Several large studies find higher rates of ADHD among transgender, gender-diverse and non-heterosexual people. The studies show associations, not causes, and some rely on self-reported diagnoses. A diagnosis for any one person depends on an individual evaluation.

Can Callen-Lorde diagnose and treat my ADHD?

Callen-Lorde lists psychiatry for initial evaluations and follow-up, usually by referral from your Callen-Lorde medical or mental health provider. As of October 2026, behavioral health is available only to its primary care patients who are uninsured or have Medicaid, Medicare or ADAP. Call Callen-Lorde to ask whether ADHD evaluation is part of what its psychiatry team offers.

Is it illegal for a New York clinic to treat me differently because I am transgender?

The New York State Human Rights Law prohibits discrimination in places of public accommodation based on gender identity or expression and sexual orientation, and the law's definition of public accommodation includes clinics and hospitals. You can file a complaint with the New York State Division of Human Rights.

Do I need to tell an ADHD clinician about hormone therapy?

Yes. Any prescriber needs your full medication list, including hormones and PrEP or HIV medication, to think about interactions and side effects. Sharing it also gives the clinician a fuller picture of your health history.

Does Dr. Shershow's practice offer LGBTQ+ affirming therapy?

No. The practice provides adult ADHD evaluation, treatment planning, medication management when appropriate and psychiatric follow-up, not therapy. Call the office to ask how names and pronouns are recorded or anything else about visits.

Sources

This article is general information, not medical or legal advice. Rules and coverage change; check the linked sources for the current position, and speak with a clinician or attorney about your own situation.

LGBTQ+ affirming ADHD care in New York