A: Community mental health centers operated by the county or local nonprofit organizations generally operate on a sliding scale where the fee charged is based on income. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration maintains an online mental health services locator where you can search for these centers in your area. In addition, you can contact the psychiatry or psychology department of a local medical school or university. Ask whether there are clinics where social work interns or graduate students provide services for a reduced fee. Primary care physicians can also be a resource for those who don’t have mental health benefits as part of their insurance. Another valuable resource that we link to on our website is a database assembled by Psychology Today. It’s a therapist directory that you search geographically, with a profile of each therapist, including his or her specific area of practice interest. The listings detail what insurance therapists take, what their fees are, and whether they have a sliding scale.
Q:
What do I do if I’m having trouble getting my insurance company to pay for care?
A: First, it’s extremely important to be familiar with the extent of your coverage; second, we encourage people not to take "no" for an answer. If you are being denied for a treatment that you feel should be covered, enlist the help of your treating professional in the appeals process. We had one situation last year where a mom called us, saying that even though the psychiatrists were recommending residential treatment for her child, the insurance company was refusing to pay. We were able to get the number of the ombudsman for her insurance program, who made the argument very strongly, and the company reversed its decision and approved the treatment.
