Coping and support (2)
- Mental health: Overcoming the stigma of mental illness
- Intervention: Help a loved one overcome addiction
Definition (1)
- Mental health: What's normal, what's not
Symptoms (1)
- Mental illness in children: Know the signs
Treatments and drugs (1)
- Mental health providers: Tips on finding one
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continued:
Mental health providers: Tips on finding one
How can you find a mental health provider?
Here's where to start:
- Ask your health insurance company for a list of covered providers. Many insurance companies make a list of providers they cover available on the Internet.
- Seek a referral or recommendation from your primary care provider.
- Ask trusted friends, family or clergy.
- Check phone book listings under such categories as community service numbers, counselors, psychologists, psychiatrists or social services organizations.
- Search nonprofit, government or mental health organization websites that provide listings of providers.
- Check to see whether your company's employee assistance program (EAP) or student health center offer mental health services, or ask for a referral.
- Contact a local or national mental health organization by phone or on the Internet. One good place to start is with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).
What should you look for in a mental health provider?
Here are some things to keep in mind when considering a mental health provider:
- Which particular services they offer.
- Education, training, licensure and years in practice. Licensing requirements vary widely by state.
- Office hours, fees and length of sessions.
- Which insurance providers they work with, or if they work with Medicare or Medicaid.
- Areas of specialization.
- Treatment approaches and philosophy.
Don't hesitate to ask lots of questions. Finding the right match is crucial to establishing a good relationship and getting the most out of your counseling sessions or appointments.
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References
- Factsheet: Mental illness and the family: Finding the right mental health care for you. Mental Health America. http://www.nmha.org/farcry/go/information/get-info/mi-and-the-family/finding-the-right-mental-health-care-for-you/mental-illness-and-the-family-finding-the-right-mental-health-care-for-you. Accessed Jan. 7, 2011.
- Mental Health Professionals: Who They Are and How to Find One. National Alliance on Mental Illness. http://www.nami.org/Content/ContentGroups/Helpline1/Mental_Health_Professionals_Who_They_Are_and_How_to_Find_One.htm. Accessed Jan. 7, 2011.
- Counselors. Bureau of Labor Statistics. http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos067.htm. Accessed Jan 7, 2011.
- About psychiatric-mental health nurses (PMHNs). American Psychiatric Nurses Association. http://www.apna.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3292. Accessed Jan. 11, 2011.
- What is a psychiatrist? American Psychiatric Association. http://healthyminds.org/Main-Topic/What-is-a-Psychiatrist.aspx. Accessed Jan. 11, 2011.
- How to choose a psychologist. American Psychological Association. http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/choose-therapist.aspx. Accessed Jan 7, 2011.
- Psychologists. Bureau of Labor Statistics. http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos067.htm. Accessed Jan 7, 2011.
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