MPCA News

Nationally Recognized Psychologist Dr. Robert Resnick Speaks in Ashland, Montana

How did the Ashland Community Health Center (CHC), located in a small community of 500 in southeastern Montana, recruit a nationally-recognized psychologist and author to speak on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)? “Normally, experts like Dr. Resnick don’t do this type of education in communities this small,” says Ashland CHC Behavioral Health Director Art McDonald, “but he and his family wanted to participate in a western thing, so they stayed at our place a few days and helped with a roundup.”

Most recently noted for his book, “The Hidden Disorder: A Clinician’s Guide to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Adults,” Dr. Resnick is a renowned professor at Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, Virginia, since 1996. Prior to that, he served as Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics at Virginia Commonwealth University, where he chaired the Division of Clinical Psychology and founded the Attention Deficit Disorders Clinic. As part of his commitment to optimum health care delivery, he has testified before Congress on national health and research in psychology. He has a career-long interest in attention deficit disorders and has presented nationally and internationally on this topic.

Sponsored jointly by the Ashland CHC and the Montana Psychological Association, Dr. Resnick spoke in June to an audience of 22 in the small community of Ashland. CHC Executive Director Kaaren Rizor described the lecture as “an excellent learning opportunity for our community.” The audience, though small, was diverse and included teachers, psychologists, clinicians, nurses, and members of the community. “The lecture lasted 7.5 hours and there was nothing but total, concentrated attention by every person there,” commented McDonald, who was instrumental in bringing the speaker to Ashland. “Dr. Resnick manages ADHD in children and adults; as many as one third of children who have it don’t outgrow it. Untreated ADHD can lead to really bad outcomes for people but we learned from Dr. Resnick that it can be treated. This education is important especially for rural areas where ADHD exists and may go undiagnosed if clinicians don’t feel capable of managing it.”

Was Dr. Resnick’s western experience in Ashland everything he and his family wanted? “I think so,” says McDonald, “they seemed to enjoy the roundup on horseback… and Dr. Resnick did not get bucked off.”

Montana Primary Care Association 1805 Euclid Avenue Helena, MT 59601 Phone: (406) 442-2750 Fax: (406) 449-2460