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Treatment > Finding a Therapist
How to Find a Therapist
How Much Does Mental Health Treatment Cost,
And Does My Health Insurance Cover This Expense?
Many people considering mental health treatment have concerns about the costs for such services.
The following should help give you an idea about the typical range of fees and how insurance reimbursement
and sliding fee scales work. It is important to remember that being unable to pay standard fees should
not prevent someone who is having emotional or behavioral problems from getting quality treatment.
Mental health clinics run by nonprofit agencies, universities, and state and local governments provide
therapy services on sliding fee scales based on a person’s income and ability to pay.
Fees
In general, fees charged at community mental health clinics are lower than those charged by
therapists in private practice. In Westchester County, typical fees charged by therapists in
private practice range from $50 to $200 per session. Typical fees at a community mental health
center range from $5 to $150. The fee is usually based on a person’s income and the number of
people in the family. This is called a sliding scale fee system. This site has a database of
mental health services including community clinics with sliding fee scales.
To help you decide where to go for treatment you can afford, you can call a clinic to ask how their
sliding scale works and what your fee would be.
Provider Lists
Mental health treatment is completely or partially covered by many medical insurance plans.
This includes Medicaid, Medicare and Child Health
Plus, as well as other plans. Health insurance plans usually have rules about using mental health
services. If you have health insurance with mental health coverage, it is important to know
and follow your company’s rules. If you have already found a therapist with whom you would like
to work, this therapist can tell you if your insurance will pay for your treatment and what steps
you need to take to begin services.
Many insurance companies have lists of therapists who are “in-network,” whom they will
reimburse for providing services to their members. If this is the case, it may be necessary to
choose a therapist from a list provided by your insurance company. Some insurance companies
provide “out-of-network” or indemnity benefits that may cover a portion of the fee charged by
a therapist who is not on their list. Ask your insurance company if either of these benefits
applies to you.
Here is other information you may find helpful in finding appropriate mental health treatment.
Getting Started
Who Can Provide Mental Health Treatment?
What To Expect From Mental Health Treatment
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