Finding mental health care

A peer specialist has walked a similar road. They use their own lived experience of mental health or substance use challenges, plus training, to support others in recovery. They help you notice your strengths, set goals and believe things can get better.

Peer support isn’t therapy, and it isn’t meant to replace it. It adds something different: hope from someone who “gets it.” In 2024, about 2.8 million U.S. adults with a mental health condition got support from a peer support specialist or recovery coach.

Where to find peer support

• Community mental health centers and recovery centers
• Support groups run by mental health nonprofits
• Some hospitals, clinics and veterans’ programs
• Ask your doctor or call the SAMHSA National Helpline

Licensed professional counselors and mental health counselors usually have a master’s degree in counseling, psychology or a related field, plus supervised clinical experience. They can assess what’s going on and offer one-to-one and group counseling.

Other kinds of counselors you may meet

• Marriage and family therapists: trained to work with couples and families
• Alcohol and drug counselors: specially trained in substance use
• Pastoral counselors: clergy with clinical training
• Art and music therapists: use creative activities in therapy

A clinical social worker has a master’s degree in social work. They can assess, offer counseling, and help with “case management” and advocacy. That means they can also help with the practical side of life, like housing, benefits or connecting with services.

You’ll often find social workers in hospitals, schools, community clinics and veterans’ services. They are a big part of the mental health workforce.

A clinical psychologist has a doctoral degree in psychology. They are trained to assess what’s going on, including with in-depth testing, and to offer individual and group therapy.

Psychologists are a good choice if you want a careful assessment (for example, of attention or learning differences), or therapy for something that feels complicated or long-standing. School psychologists work with children and school staff.

A psychiatrist is a medical doctor with special training in mental and emotional health. A psychiatric or mental health nurse practitioner is a nurse with graduate training in the same area. Because of their medical training, they can look at how your physical health and mental health connect.

Many psychiatrists focus on medical care and may not offer talk therapy themselves. They often work alongside a therapist or counselor. For any questions about medical treatment, please consult with your clinical provider.

You don’t need a specialist to start. A primary care provider can do a first mental health check and refer you to a mental health professional. NIMH encourages people not to wait to be asked: start the conversation yourself.

Why start here

• You may already have a relationship with them
• They can check if a physical issue (like thyroid problems or poor sleep) is part of the picture
• They know local services and can write referrals
• Some clinics have a counselor right in the same building

If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or thinking about suicide, you can call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7. If a life is in danger right now, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.

Other crisis lines

• Veterans: call 988 and press 1, or text 838255
• After a disaster: call or text 1-800-985-5990 (Disaster Distress Helpline)
• New and expecting parents: call or text 1-833-852-6262 (National Maternal Mental Health Hotline)
• Text HOME to 741741 (Crisis Text Line)

FindTreatment.gov is run by SAMHSA, the U.S. agency for mental health and substance use services. You can search by location and filter by the kind of help, payment options (including free or sliding-scale care) and age group.

Prefer to talk to a person? The SAMHSA National Helpline (1-800-662-4357) is free, confidential and open 24/7, in English and Spanish. It gives referrals to local services and support groups. They won’t ask for personal information, though they may ask for your ZIP code to find places near you.

There are online directories where therapists post a profile with their photo, training, specialties, languages, fees and which insurance they take. Many professional and advocacy groups also keep directories.

How to use them well

• Filter by your ZIP code, insurance, and what you want help with
• Read a few profiles and notice who “sounds” like someone you could talk to
• Look for language, cultural or faith background if that matters to you
• Shortlist three to five people and contact them all

Your insurer can tell you which providers near you are covered. Many have an app or online search. Look for the phone number on the back of your insurance card, often listed as “behavioral health” or “mental health.”

Questions to ask your insurer

• Which therapists near me are in network and taking new patients?
• What will I pay per visit (copay or coinsurance)?
• Do I have a deductible to meet first?
• Do I need a referral or approval before I start?
• Are video or phone sessions covered?

An EAP is a voluntary, work-based program that helps employees with personal or work problems, including stress, family issues and substance use. Core services like assessments, short-term counseling and referrals are free and confidential.

How to use your EAP

• Ask HR, or check your benefits website, for the EAP phone number
• You can usually call without telling your manager
• Ask how many free sessions you get
• Ask for a referral for longer-term help if you need it

See the “Your rights at work” and “Work & mental health” guides for more about work and mental health.

Community mental health centers and community health centers (sometimes called federally qualified health centers) serve people in their local area. Many offer counseling and often charge based on what you can afford. SAMHSA’s helpline can point you to facilities that use sliding fees or accept Medicaid or Medicare.

Some are Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs). They must serve anyone who asks for mental health or substance use care, whatever their ability to pay, where they live or their age, and they offer crisis services 24/7.

Your state or county health department website usually lists local public mental health services.

Colleges and universities often offer mental health services through a campus health or counseling center, as well as peer support groups. For younger students, school counselors, psychologists and social workers can help and can connect families with outside care.

Some universities with psychology or counseling programs also run clinics open to the public, where trainees see clients under close supervision, often at a lower fee. It’s worth asking nearby universities if they have one.

Veterans can find VA providers through the VA’s online locator. People on Medicare can find providers through Medicare’s “Care Compare” tool.

See “Veterans: getting care & support” for a full map of VA care, Vet Centers and community care.

• No travel, which makes it easier to fit into your day
• Appointments are often easier to get, and at more varied times
• Helpful if you can’t drive or live far from services
• Some people find it less intimidating than walking into an office

• You need a steady internet connection and a working device, or a phone
• Tech glitches can interrupt a session
• It may feel less private if people at home can hear you
• Some people feel uneasy having their home on camera
• Insurance coverage for telehealth varies, so check first

Check that

• The platform protects your privacy and confirms who you are
• The provider is licensed in the state where you live
• You know what happens if the call drops, or if there’s an emergency
• You know the cost and whether insurance covers it

Some providers offer a free first call to see if you’re a good fit. Your primary care provider can also refer you to someone who offers virtual care.

• Write down what’s been going on and when it started
• Note any big stresses or life changes
• Jot down your questions so you don’t forget them
• Think about any family history of mental health challenges
• If it helps, bring a trusted person to the waiting room or to part of the visit

• What experience do you have helping people with what I’m going through?
• What kind of therapy do you use, and how does it work?
• What will our goals be, and how will we know it’s helping?
• How long do people usually come for?
• How does confidentiality work, and what are its limits?
• What are your fees? Do you take my insurance or offer a sliding scale?

NIMH says rapport and trust are essential, and treatment works best when you have a good relationship with your mental health professional. It’s okay if you don’t click with the first person you meet.

Ask yourself after a session or two

• Did I feel listened to, not judged?
• Did they explain things in a way I understood?
• Did they respect my culture, values and identity?
• Do I feel a little more hopeful, or clearer about next steps?

If therapy isn’t helping after a fair amount of time, talk about it with your therapist. You can also look for another professional or a different approach. There is no one-size-fits-all treatment.

Talking about feelings is hard enough in your first language. If English isn’t your strongest language, look for a provider who speaks your language. Many directories let you filter by language, and the SAMHSA Helpline has staff who speak Spanish.

Tips

• Ask any clinic: “Do you have a professional interpreter, and is there a cost?”
• Try not to rely on your children to interpret private health details
• Ask for written information in your language
• It’s okay to ask someone to slow down or explain again

Culturally responsive care means the professional takes your background seriously: your family, community, faith, traditions and experiences, including racism or discrimination. They don’t expect you to fit one “standard” way of healing.

Questions you can ask

• “Have you worked with people from my background or community?”
• “How do you include family or faith in therapy, if I want that?”
• “How would you handle it if I felt misunderstood?”

In many communities, people turn first to family, friends and faith leaders for support. That can be a real strength. Trusted community members can also help you find professional care that fits your values.

Pastoral counselors are clergy with clinical training, which some people find comforting. See “Culture & mental health” for more on culture, and “When faith and therapy meet” for bringing faith into care.

People with disabilities have the same right to good mental health care as anyone else. Care should be accessible: in a building you can get into, in a format you can use, and with communication that works for you.

Things you can ask for

• A quieter waiting area, or to wait in your car until called
• A sign language interpreter or captioning
• A step-free or accessible office, or telehealth instead
• Longer appointments, or breaks during sessions
• Text or email instead of phone calls
• Written information in large print or plain language

Telehealth can be a lifeline in rural areas. Video needs good internet, but phone sessions can help when broadband is weak. Ask whether a provider offers phone-only sessions.

Rural patients who need mental health care are more likely than city patients to see a primary care provider. Some clinics now have mental health care built in, which can save travel and feel more private: no one knows why you’re at the doctor.

School-based health centers and community training programs like Mental Health First Aid help spot problems early and reduce stigma in rural areas.

Friends, family and faith leaders are often people’s first support in small communities. They can also help you take the step toward professional care.

Try

• “I’ve noticed things have been hard lately. I care about you.”
• “Would it help if we looked for someone to talk to together?”
• “Getting help is a strong thing to do.”
• “Whatever you decide with your provider, I’m behind you.”

Try to avoid

• “You just need to snap out of it.”
• “Therapy is for people who are really messed up.”
• “Why can’t you just handle it yourself?”
• Making care a threat: “If you don’t go, I’m leaving.”

• Sit together and look for therapists in their insurance network or nearby clinics
• Offer to make the first call with them, or role-play it first
• Help them check costs, sliding-scale options or their EAP at work
• Keep a shared list of names, numbers and who called back
• Offer a ride, or a quiet space for a telehealth session

Making the first call is often the hardest part. Offering to sit with a friend while they call, or helping them write an email, can make the difference between “someday” and “today.”

Practical support matters. Helping someone get to appointments and offering help with daily tasks are simple, powerful ways to support their care.

• Give a ride, or go with them the first time
• Lend a quiet room for a telehealth call
• Watch their kids during a session

Many people don’t get help because they think they should handle it alone, or they worry what others will think. When people talk openly about seeing a counselor, it chips away at that stigma.

Support groups and peer support specialists are a common source of help, often free. In 2024, about 5.8 million U.S. adults with a mental health condition (9.5%) got help from a support group.

Group members often know the local system well: which clinics are good, which have sliding fees, and how long the waits are.

NAMI, a national mental health nonprofit, runs free support groups for people living with mental health conditions and for families, plus a HelpLine for information and referrals: call 1-800-950-6264 or text “NAMI” to 62640 (weekdays, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET). It is not a crisis line.

Helping someone get care can be draining, especially if the system feels slow or confusing. You may feel worried, angry, guilty or exhausted. These feelings are normal.

• Share the load with other family or friends
• Join a family support group, like those offered by NAMI
• Keep your own routines, sleep and activities
• Consider counseling for yourself

This was the most common reason U.S. adults gave in 2024 for not getting care they felt they needed. But you wouldn’t expect to set your own broken arm. Mental health deserves the same care.

People see counselors for stress, grief, relationships, life changes, and to understand themselves better. Getting help early can stop things from getting worse.

EAPs, community health centers, sliding-scale fees, Medicaid, support groups and the free SAMHSA Helpline can all help. Parity laws also mean many insurance plans must cover mental health similarly to physical health.

Conversations with your provider are generally private and can’t be shared without your permission. EAP services are confidential too. Ask your therapist to explain the few limits at the start.

NIMH says virtual care can be effective for many conditions, including anxiety, depression and PTSD. The key is a licensed provider and a private, safe platform.

There is no one-size-fits-all treatment. It may take more than one provider or approach to find what works for you.

Call 1-800-662-4357 (TTY 1-800-487-4889). Information specialists connect you with local treatment, support groups and community organizations. They won’t ask for personal details, but may ask for your ZIP code.

It is a referral line, not counseling. If you have no insurance or limited coverage, they can point you to your state’s programs and to places with sliding fees.

Call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org, any time. Veterans can call 988 and press 1, or text 838255. You can also text HOME to 741741 to reach Crisis Text Line.

If a life is in danger right now, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.

Find A Helpline (findahelpline.com) is a free directory of checked helplines around the world, searchable by country and topic. The International Association for Suicide Prevention points people to it.

Worldwide, most people living with mental health conditions do not have access to effective care. If services are hard to find where you live, a local doctor, community health worker or trusted community or faith leader can be a first step.