I need to see a Psychiatrist/Therapist. How can I find one?

Psychotherapeutic services require a very personal connection with a provider, and it’s not uncommon to go through a trial-and-error process to find a provider who is a good “fit” for you/your loved one. The important thing is to find one that you/your loved one trusts, where you feel “heard” by the provider. In the meantime, you may want to consider the following resources for finding a mental health provider: 

Low-Cost or No-Cost Resources 

• SAMHSA Treatment Locator is a source of information about treatment facilities in the United States or US Territories for substance use/addiction and/or mental health problems. Use the treatment locator to search by location, and narrow the search by distance, service type, service setting, type of care, payment accepted, whether payment assistance is available, and more. Contact SAMHSA at (800) 662-4357.  
• The Health Resources and Services Administration (an agency of the US Department of Health and Human Services) operates the Find a Health Center webpage, which offers a treatment locator to search for Federally-Funded Health Centers that provide care to underserved areas or populations regardless of ability to pay.  
• The National Council for Mental Wellbeing offers a CCBHC finder to help you locate Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics in your area. CCBHCs are clinics that provide a comprehensive range of mental health and substance use services. CCBHCs typically serve everyone, regardless of insurance or financial status. 
• National Association of Free & Charitable Clinics offers a treatment locator to search for clinics in your area that provide free or low-cost behavioral health services for economically disadvantaged individuals.   
• HelpWhenYouNeedIt is an online service that offers a searchable directory of over 350,000 listings nationwide of private and public resources, including local mental health & substance use treatment and free clinics.  
• Open Path is a non-profit nationwide network of mental health professionals dedicated to providing in-office and online mental health care at reduced rates to clients in financial need. Open Path requires an initial, one-time “lifetime” membership fee of $65. You can reach Open Path at (800) 268-2833.  
• Theravive is a network of licensed psychotherapists who strive to make mental health care safe, affordable, and accessible. Theravive provides a resource directory of low-cost therapists, listed by state, and a directory of therapists who provide telehealth services (U.S. & Canada).  
• Give an Hour offers barrier-free access to mental health care for those impacted by human-made trauma, including military/veterans, and those affected by mass violence, opioid crisis response, interpersonal violence, and rare disease caregivers. Give an Hour provides a referral to free therapy from a mental health professional who has donated an hour of their time.  

Public Health Coverage (Medicaid, Medicare)  

• You may wish to start by calling the number on the back of your insurance card and requesting a list of referrals for psychiatrists/therapists in your area. If the insurance company refers you to providers who are not accepting patients, do not accept your insurance, or do not meet your needs, you can call them back and ask for additional referrals. 
• Medicare.gov has a treatment locator to search for providers that take Medicare in your area. 
• SAMHSA Treatment Locator is a source of information about treatment facilities in the United States or US Territories for substance use/addiction and/or mental health problems. Use the treatment locator to search by location, and narrow the search by distance, service type, service setting, type of care, type of payment accepted and more. Contact SAMHSA at (800) 662-4357.  
• Psychology Today offers a “Find a Therapist” link on the site; you can also search for a psychiatrist here. Use the locator to search by location, and filter the search by insurance carrier, mental health issues treated, type of therapy offered, languages spoken and more.  
• Zocdoc offers a treatment locator where you can search for therapists and psychiatrists. Search by specialty, location, preferred date of service, and insurance carrier.  
• American Psychological Association is the largest scientific and professional organization of psychologists in the United States. Their website offers a psychologist locator where you can search for a therapist; search by location and then filter by insurance carrier, treatment methods, specialization, languages spoken and more.  
• Open Counseling is a for-profit organization sponsored by BetterHelp that provides a searchable directory of public resources for accessing local mental health & substance use treatment.  
• American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy(AAMFT) is the professional association for the field of marriage and family therapy. Their website offers online education and training, webinars, and publications related to marriage and family therapy, and a “Find a Therapist” directory that is searchable by zip code. Inquire with the individual provider whether they accept Medicaid or Medicare.  

Private Insurance  

• You may wish to start by calling the number on the back of your insurance card and requesting a list of referrals for psychiatrists/therapists in your area. If the insurance company refers you to providers who are not accepting patients, do not accept your insurance, or do not meet your needs, you can call them back and ask for additional referrals.  
• SAMHSA Treatment Locator is a source of information about treatment facilities in the United States or US Territories for substance use/addiction and/or mental health problems. Use the treatment locator to search by location, and narrow the search by distance, service type, service setting, type of care, type of payment accepted and more. Contact SAMHSA at (800) 662-4357.  
• Psychology Today offers a “Find a Therapist” link on the site; you can also search for a psychiatrist here. Use the locator to search by location, and filter the search by insurance carrier, mental health issues treated, type of therapy offered, languages spoken and more.  
• Zocdoc offers a treatment locator where you can search for therapists and psychiatrists. Search by specialty, location, preferred date of service, and insurance carrier.  
• American Psychological Association is the largest scientific and professional organization of psychologists in the United States. Their website offers a psychologist locator where you can search for a therapist; search by location and then filter by insurance carrier, treatment methods, specialization, languages spoken and more.  
• Open Counseling is a for-profit organization sponsored by BetterHelp that provides a searchable directory of private resources for accessing local mental health & substance use treatment.  
• Choosing Therapy is a for-profit organization sponsored by BetterHelp that provides basic information about therapy methods, types of therapists, choosing a therapist, preparing for a first session, and offers a therapist locator for finding licensed therapists. Use the therapist locator to search by location, and filter the search by specialty, type of insurance accepted, level of experience, languages spoken and more.  
• Doctor on Demand provides online/telehealth psychotherapy and psychiatry services. Some insurance plans may participate; verify with your insurance carrier whether Doctor on Demand is an in-network provider.  
• e-psychiatry is an online service which provides access to virtual therapy services in all 50 states; they accept most insurance. Once matched with a provider, individuals schedule a first appointment and connect over videoconferencing, phone, or messaging.   
• Talkspace is an online telehealth service that offers virtual therapy and evaluation/psychiatric medication management services. (They accept most insurance and self-pay; individuals should verify participation in their health plan.) 
• American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy(AAMFT) is the professional association for the field of marriage and family therapy. Their website offers online education and training, webinars, and publications related to marriage and family therapy, and a “Find a Therapist” directory that is searchable by zip code. 

Self-Pay Options 

• e-psychiatry is an online service which provides access to virtual therapy services in all 50 states; individuals without insurance may elect to self-pay. Once matched with a provider, individuals schedule a first appointment and connect over videoconferencing, phone, or messaging.   
• Good RX Care is a fee-based telehealth service that offers evaluation and psychiatric medication services fora limited range of mental health conditions, including depression and anxiety. (Note: this service is not available in every state.) 
• LemonAid Health is a fee-based telehealth service that offers evaluation and psychiatric medication services, and medication delivery, for a limited range of mental health conditions including depression and anxiety.  

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