Pittsburgh College CHADD

CHADD - Children and Adults with Attention Deficit Disorders
Mission/Objectives
CHADD's primary objectives are: to provide a support network for parents and caregivers; to provide a forum for continuing education; to be a community resource and disseminate accurate, evidence-based information about AD/HD to parents, educators, adults, professionals, and the media; to promote ongoing research; and to be an advocate on behalf of the AD/HD community.
The mission of CHADD is stated as CHADD CARES. Specifically, CHADD works to improve the lives of people affected by AD/HD through:

Collaborative Leadership
Advocacy
Research
Education and
Support

CHADD has three current priority objectives: (1) to serve as a clearinghouse for evidence-based information on AD/HD, (2) to serve as a local face-to-face family support group for families and individuals affected by AD/HD, and (3) to serve as an advocate for appropriate public policies and public recognition in response to needs faced by families and individuals with AD/HD.

In addressing CHADD's first goal, CHADD operates the National Resource Center on AD/HD, which is funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CHADD is also readily able to disseminate information through a variety of media: ATTENTION! magazine, which is published six times a year and has a circulation of 86,000 and a readership of almost 100,000; News From CHADD, an e-newsletter that goes to 30,000 people on an almost weekly basis; the CHADD Web site (www.chadd.org), which averages 3.5 million hits a month by 75,000 unique visitors; the newly created NRC/ADHD Web site (www.help4adhd.org), which had 26,685 unique visitors in June 2003; and the 235 chapter network.

CHADD operates a National AD/HD Education Initiative, called "ASK: AD/HD. Science. Knowledge," a multi-year campaign designed to educate policymakers, the media, and the American public about the science behind AD/HD while simultaneously dispelling the myths about AD/HD.

In addressing the second goal, CHADD currently has 235 chapters in 43 states and Puerto Rico. We are currently not organized through a chapter in Alaska, Arkansas, Hawaii, New Mexico, North Dakota, Vermont, Wyoming, and the District of Columbia. All of the chapter coordinators are volunteers. Typically, they are mothers of school age children who run the chapters out of their homes. While most of the chapters began as parent support groups, the number of adult support groups is increasing. The success of these local groups depends on the energy, skill, dedication, and consistency of these parent volunteers. Local, face-to-face support is available to individuals living in these 235 communities and who have the benefit of skillful and committed local CHADD leaders.

History of the Organization
CHADD was founded in 1987 by a small group of parents of children with AD/HD and two treating psychologists in Plantation, Florida (near Miami). These parents came together because they felt frustrated and isolated, and there were few places to turn for support and information about AD/HD.

CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) is the nation's leading non-profit organization serving individuals with AD/HD and their families. CHADD has over 16,000 members in 200 local chapters throughout the U.S. Chapters offer support for individuals, parents, teachers, professionals, and others.

CHADD is a membership organization, produces the bi-monthly Attention! magazine (for members), and sponsors an annual conference. The National Resource Center on AD/HD (NRC) is the CDC-funded national clearinghouse for evidence-based information about AD/HD.

About CHADD

Contact information for all local chapters is available online through the CHADD Chapter Locator.

CHADD was founded in 1987 in response to the frustration and sense of isolation experienced by parents and their children with AD/HD.