Guide to Mental Health Services: Various Forms of Support and Treatment available
Finding Mental Health Support: A Comprehensive Guide
Navigating the world of mental health support can be overwhelming, but there are numerous resources available to help. Here's a guide to some of the key organisations and services that can support you in your search for treatment, support groups, and other assistance.
Finding Treatment Facilities
ADAA, ARTA, IOCDF, NEDA, and SAMHSA are all organisations that can help you start your search for inpatient or outpatient treatment facilities. These facilities often specialise in specific areas such as eating disorders, complex psychiatric disorders, or substance use disorders.
Finding a Psychiatrist
The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) offers a Find a Physician database, allowing you to search for a psychiatrist by city, state, province, and zip code. The American Psychiatric Association (APA) also provides a Find a Psychiatrist database, with the option to tailor your search to include the general demographic the psychiatrist serves and whether they accept insurance payments. NAMI has affiliate organisations in every state and can help find psychiatrists in your state. For Black individuals, The Black Mental Health Alliance can help locate a Black psychiatrist or psychiatric nurse in your area.
Support Groups
Support groups can be a vital source of peer support, an adjunct to treatment, and a way for family members and loved ones to learn about mental health conditions and provide support. Organisations such as Immigrants Rising, Mental Health America, NAMI, and SMART Recovery can help find in-person or virtual support groups. Online support networks like The Trevor Project and the National Sexual Assault Hotline also offer support for specific communities.
Financial Assistance
The Patient Advocate Foundation offers free case management, direct financial assistance through the Co-Pay Relief Program, small grants for non-medical expenses, and more. The Medicine Assistance Tool (MAT) can help find resources for free or reduced-cost prescription medications. Rx Hope is a searchable database or directory of patient assistance programs and pharmaceutical companies that offer free or reduced-cost medications.
Digital Health Applications
Digital health applications approved or cleared by the FDA can also be reimbursed through government-funded health insurance programs such as Medicare and Medicaid, helping to lower expenses related to treatment. Employee wellness programs promoted by both private companies and public institutions also provide mental health support that can lead to cost savings.
Emergency Situations
If you're in an emergency situation, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline provides immediate help by calling 988, texting 988, or starting an online chat. Crisis Text Line provides support by texting HOME to 741741 or sending a message to 1-443-787-7678 on WhatsApp. The Veterans Crisis Line and The National Domestic Violence Hotline also provide support for specific situations.
Clinical Trials and Research
Research Match is a program that can pair you with relevant clinical studies based on your volunteer profile. You can search for new and upcoming clinical trials by using the National Library of Medicine's database.
Local Resources
Entering your zip code into the Find Help search tool can identify an even broader network of social services near you. HRSA's Find a Health Center tool can help find free or lower-cost care at clinics funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration. StrongHearts Native Helpline and BlackLine offer support for specific communities.
Mind-Body Interventions
A growing body of mind-body interventions can have a particular benefit to your mental health, such as art therapy, creative writing, dance therapy, deep-breathing exercises, meditation, music therapy, tai chi, yoga, and more. Various organisations can help find specialized therapy provided by accredited professionals in your area.
Online Resources
NeedyMeds is a searchable database that can connect you with patient assistance programs, coupons, rebates, drug savings cards, and free samples. Healthline's FindCare tool and services like HelpPRO can help locate mental health professionals in your area. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center has a Search the Studies tool that allows filtering by the center running the study.
Specialised Support
Trans Lifeline offers support for transgender, nonbinary, or questioning individuals. Teen Line offers support for teenagers seeking mental health support. The Trevor Project provides support for young people in the LGBTQIA+ community. If you're experiencing domestic violence, the National Domestic Violence Hotline provides support. If you're a veteran in crisis, the Veterans Crisis Line provides support.
Your Local State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP)
Your local State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) can provide free, one-on-one assistance with questions about eligibility or enrollment for government-funded health insurance programs.
In a Mental Health Crisis
Sometimes, people experiencing a mental health crisis can benefit from a short stay in a hospital or residential treatment facility. If you've been prescribed medication for a mental health condition, resources such as DailyMed, FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS), and MedlinePlus can provide information about side effects, drug interactions, or warnings.
Peer-to-Peer Support
BlackLine offers peer-to-peer support for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. If you're in the United States, organisations such as mental health support and addiction counseling centers, as well as public health programs linked to Medicaid and Medicare, offer assistance in finding ways to reduce medical costs for people with mental illnesses.
International Resources
ASHP maintains a list of affiliated Hispanic providers in 20 states, plus Mexico City and Puerto Rico. For those outside the United States, The Trevor Project offers an online social network for LGBTQIA+ communities worldwide.
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