|
|
Treatment > Finding a Therapist
How to Find a Therapist
Who Can Provide Mental Health Treatment
New York State does not regulate the use of the title “therapist” or “psychotherapist.”
This means that people who do not have the training and qualifications to provide talk therapy or
medication therapy can use this title to describe themselves.
It is important to ask a therapist what education, training and experience he or she has, and if
he or she is licensed or certified by the state.
To find out if a therapist is licensed or certified, contact the New York State Education Department:
Telephone 800-342-3729
Web site http://www.op.nysed.gov/opsearches.htm
To use this site:
- Click on the address above.
- To check a psychiatrist, choose the “Medicine (Physicians including MDs and DOs)” profession.
- To check a psychologist, choose “Psychology”.
- To check a clinical social worker, choose “CSW”.
- To check a psychiatric nurse, choose “Nurse-RN” or “Nurse Practitioner-Psychiatry.“
- In the box at the bottom of the page, enter the name of the person you are checking,
last name (space) first name (no comma).
The four mental health professions the state licenses or certifies are:
- Psychiatry: The state licenses medical doctors (MD). A psychiatrist is a medical doctor or MD who has completed an
additional three-or four-year residency training in the diagnosis and treatment of mental illnesses and taken Board
Examinations in Psychiatry. The Boards may be in adult or child and adolescent psychiatry. Psychiatrists can provide
both medication therapies and talk therapies. Sometimes they only provide medication therapy for people who get talk
therapy from another provider, either a psychologist, social worker or nurse. A child psychiatrist has additional
training in the treatment of mental health problems in children and adolescents. Psychiatrists' fees are usually higher
than those for other mental health professionals.
- Psychology: A psychologist has earned a doctoral degree (PhD, PsyD, or EdD) in one of four areas: clinical,
counseling, school or developmental psychology. Psychologists are trained to assess individuals for intellectual,
cognitive, neurocognitive and personality functioning. Clinical, counseling and, sometimes, school psychologists
provide mental health treatment. In addition to 3 to 4 years of coursework, psychologists in training for the
mental health field work several hundreds of hours practicing the skills of a psychologist, with supervision from
advanced psychologists, social workers and psychiatrists. Part of this on-the-job training includes a full-time
internship working with various persons with mental health problems. In New York State, all psychologists must
complete 1750 hours of supervised work after both completing their doctoral program and passing the
New York State licensure exam in order to become a certified psychologist.
- Social Work: An LMSW has a Masters of Social Work degree and has passed
the ASWB (Association of Social Work Boards) Masters (or Advanced) examination. An LCSW has a Masters of
Social Work degree with at least 12 semester hours of coursework that prepares
the practitioner to practice as a clinical social worker, has three years of post-
degree experience in psychotherapy under the supervision of an LCSW, licensed
psychologist or psychiatrist, and has passed the ASWB Clinical examination.
- Nursing: A clinical specialist in Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing must first
complete training and licensure to become a registered nurse (RN). Additional training in
psychiatric nursing must be completed at the master’s degree level (MA, MS, MN). The clinical
specialist designation (CS) can be given after two years of supervised post-master's experience
and completion of a certification exam. A psychiatric nurse may help to monitor medication
therapies provided by a psychiatrist and provide talking therapies.
Helpful information about mental health professionals may also be obtained by calling the following
four professional organizations that credential professionals working as mental health therapists.
They can tell you if the therapist has the basic education and experience necessary to provide mental
health treatment. They can not tell you if the person is an expert in treating a particular problem.
- American Psychiatric Association - 703-907-7300
- National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology - 202-783-7663
http://www.nationalregister.org
- National Association of Social Workers/
Register of Clinical Social Workers - 800-724-6279
- American Nurses Association Register for Certified Clinicians - 202-554-4444
To help determine if a particular individual can provide the therapy you need, you must ask the
therapist about his or her specific training and experience with treating the problems for which
you are seeking help.
Here is other information you may find helpful in finding appropriate mental health treatment.
Getting Started
What To Expect From Mental Health Treatment
How Much Does Mental Health Treatment Cost, and Does My Health Insurance Cover This Expense?
Return to the top of the page.
|
