Getting the Right Help: Your Complete Guide to Mental Health Treatment
If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, getting professional help is critical. This guide will walk you through the types of help available, how to access them, and what to expect along the way.
Immediate Crisis Resources
988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
Call or Text: 988
Available 24/7, free, confidential support for anyone in emotional distress or suicidal crisis.
- What they provide: Crisis counseling, suicide prevention, emotional support
- Who answers: Trained crisis counselors
- Languages: English and Spanish, with translation for 150+ languages
- Deaf/Hard of Hearing: Use your preferred relay service or dial 711 then 988
- What happens when you call: Connected to local crisis center, counselor will listen, assess situation, create safety plan, provide resources
- Will they send police?: Only as last resort if life in immediate danger
988 also has specialized services:
- Veterans Crisis Line: Press 1 after dialing 988
- Spanish speakers: Press 2 after dialing 988
- LGBTQ+ support: Trevor Project (866-488-7386) for under 25
Crisis Text Line
Text HOME to 741741
- For those who prefer texting to talking
- 24/7 support from trained crisis counselors
- All texts are confidential
- Average response time under 5 minutes
Emergency Services
Call 911 if:
- Someone has attempted suicide
- Someone is about to attempt suicide right now
- Someone is in immediate life-threatening danger
- Someone has overdosed or is unconscious
What to tell 911:
- "This is a mental health emergency"
- Describe the situation calmly
- Mention if weapons are involved
- Request CIT (Crisis Intervention Team) officers if available
- Stay on the line
Walk-In Crisis Centers
Many communities have crisis stabilization units where you can walk in 24/7:
- Assessment by mental health professionals
- Short-term stabilization (a few hours to a few days)
- Connection to ongoing treatment
- Alternative to ER or police involvement
- Find locations: 988 counselors can provide local addresses
Types of Mental Health Professionals
Psychiatrists (MD or DO)
What they do:
- Medical doctors specializing in mental health
- Can diagnose mental health conditions
- Can prescribe medication
- May provide therapy (but often focus on medication management)
Best for: Medication evaluation and management, complex cases, co-occurring medical conditions
Average cost: 00-00 per session without insurance
Psychologists (PhD, PsyD)
What they do:
- Doctoral-level mental health professionals
- Can diagnose mental health conditions
- Provide therapy and psychological testing
- Cannot prescribe medication (except in a few states)
Best for: Complex therapy cases, psychological testing, research-based treatments
Average cost: 50-00 per session without insurance
Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW, LICSW)
What they do:
- Master'''s-level therapists
- Provide therapy and counseling
- Focus on person-in-environment perspective
- Can help connect to community resources
- Cannot prescribe medication
Best for: Therapy, case management, connecting to community services
Average cost: 5-00 per session without insurance
Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC, LPCC)
What they do:
- Master'''s-level therapists
- Provide therapy and counseling
- Similar training to LCSWs
- Cannot prescribe medication
Best for: Individual, couples, or family therapy
Average cost: 5-00 per session without insurance
Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners (PMHNP)
What they do:
- Advanced practice nurses specializing in mental health
- Can diagnose mental health conditions
- Can prescribe medication
- May provide therapy
- Often more accessible than psychiatrists
Best for: Medication management when psychiatrists aren'''t available
Average cost: 00-50 per session without insurance
Peer Support Specialists
What they do:
- People with lived experience of mental health challenges
- Provide support, encouragement, and practical guidance
- Help navigate treatment system
- Offer hope through shared experience
- Cannot diagnose or prescribe
Best for: Supplemental support, understanding what recovery looks like, reducing isolation
Cost: Often free through community mental health centers
Types of Treatment
Outpatient Therapy
Standard outpatient: 1 session per week with therapist
- Best for: Stable individuals working on ongoing issues
- Duration: Ongoing, typically months to years
- Cost: 5-00 per session
Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)
Structure: 3-5 days per week, 3 hours per day
- Group and individual therapy
- Skills training
- Psychiatric management
- Best for: Recent hospital discharge, high risk but stable enough to live at home
- Duration: 2-6 weeks typically
- Usually covered by insurance
Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP)
Structure: 5 days per week, 6-8 hours per day
- Most intensive outpatient option
- Similar to hospital care but you go home at night
- Best for: High risk, need intensive support, step-down from inpatient
- Duration: 1-4 weeks typically
- Usually covered by insurance
Inpatient Hospitalization
24/7 psychiatric hospital care
- When: Immediate risk of suicide, unable to keep self safe
- What happens: Safety, stabilization, medication adjustment, discharge planning
- Duration: 3-10 days typically (insurance often limits)
- Voluntary or involuntary
- Covered by most insurance (though you'''ll have copays/deductibles)
Residential Treatment
Live-in treatment facility for weeks to months
- When: Need more than outpatient but medically stable
- Structure: 24/7 support, intensive therapy, skills training
- Duration: 30-90 days typically
- Cost: 0,000-0,000+ (insurance may cover part or all)
How to Find a Mental Health Provider
Through Insurance
- Call member services number on your insurance card
- Ask for list of in-network mental health providers
- Request providers specializing in: Suicide prevention, depression, anxiety, trauma (whatever applies)
- Ask about: Copays, deductibles, session limits
- Get pre-authorization if required
Online provider directories:
- Insurance company website
- Psychology Today directory (filter by insurance)
- TherapyDen (LGBTQ+ affirming)
- Inclusive Therapists (BIPOC and marginalized communities)
- Zocdoc (filter by insurance and availability)
Community Mental Health Centers
Publicly funded centers that serve everyone regardless of ability to pay
- Sliding scale fees based on income
- Accept Medicaid
- Comprehensive services (therapy, medication, case management)
- Often have crisis services
- Find yours: SAMHSA Treatment Locator (findtreatment.gov or call 1-800-662-4357)
University Training Clinics
Universities with psychology/social work programs often have low-cost clinics:
- Supervised graduate students provide therapy
- Evidence-based treatment
- Very low cost (0-0 per session)
- High quality despite being trainees
- Google "[your city] university counseling clinic"
Teletherapy Platforms
Online therapy options:
- Insurance-covered: Teladoc, MDLive, Amwell
- Subscription services: BetterHelp, Talkspace (60-00/month unlimited messaging)
- Traditional therapists offering video: Most providers now offer telehealth
- Pros: Convenient, accessible, no commute
- Cons: Not appropriate for crisis, need good internet, some insurance doesn'''t cover
For Those Without Insurance
Free/low-cost options:
- Community mental health centers: Sliding scale
- NAMI support groups: Free peer support
- Open Path Collective: 0-0 per session with vetted therapists
- University training clinics: 0-0 per session
- Churches/faith communities: Sometimes offer free counseling
- Employee Assistance Programs (EAP): Usually 3-6 free sessions
- Crisis services: Always free (988, crisis centers)
What to Expect in Treatment
First Appointment (Intake)
Usually 60-90 minutes, more assessment than therapy:
- Detailed history (symptoms, previous treatment, family history)
- Current concerns and goals
- Risk assessment (suicide, self-harm)
- Mental status exam
- Diagnostic impressions
- Treatment recommendations
- Safety planning if needed
Be honest about suicidal thoughts - they need to know to help you.
Ongoing Therapy Sessions
Typical structure (45-60 minutes):
- Check-in: How has your week been?
- Review: Homework or goals from last session
- Work: Focus on current issues, skills, processing
- Plan: Homework, goals for next week
- Schedule: Next appointment
Types of Therapy That Work for Suicidal Ideation
Evidence-based treatments:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Change negative thought patterns
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): Manage emotions, distress tolerance, designed for suicidal individuals
- CAMS (Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality): Suicide-specific treatment
- Interpersonal Therapy (IPT): Improve relationships and social functioning
- ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy): Acceptance and values-based living
Medication Management
If seeing a psychiatrist or prescriber:
- Initial appointment: 30-60 minutes
- Follow-ups: 15-30 minutes every 1-4 weeks initially, then monthly/quarterly
- Discuss symptoms, side effects, effectiveness
- Medication adjustments
- Lab work if needed
Common medications for depression/suicidal thoughts:
- Antidepressants (SSRIs, SNRIs)
- Mood stabilizers (if bipolar)
- Antipsychotics (low-dose for severe depression)
- Anti-anxiety medications (short-term)
- Sleep medications
Insurance and Costs
Understanding Your Insurance
Key terms:
- Copay: Fixed amount per session (0-0 typically)
- Coinsurance: Percentage you pay after deductible (e.g., 20%)
- Deductible: Amount you pay before insurance kicks in
- Out-of-pocket maximum: Most you'''ll pay in a year
- In-network: Providers contracted with your insurance (cheaper)
- Out-of-network: Not contracted (you pay more)
Mental Health Parity
By federal law, insurance must cover mental health the same as physical health:
- Can'''t have higher copays for mental health
- Can'''t have more restrictive limits
- Must cover mental health in ER same as physical emergencies
- If denied, appeal - insurance often illegally denies mental health claims
Medicaid
- Expanded in most states
- Covers mental health treatment
- Low or no cost
- Apply through Healthcare.gov or state Medicaid office
- If denied, ask why and appeal
When Treatment Isn'''t Working
Don'''t Give Up
If you'''re not improving:
- Give it time: Therapy takes weeks, meds take 4-6 weeks
- Be honest with provider: "This isn'''t helping"
- Try different approach: Different therapy type or medication
- Get second opinion: Especially for medication
- Increase intensity: Move from outpatient to IOP or PHP
- Address barriers: Trauma, substance use, medical issues
It'''s Okay to Change Providers
You don'''t have to stay with a provider who isn'''t a good fit.
Change if:
- You don'''t feel heard or understood
- They'''re not addressing your suicidal thoughts
- You don'''t trust them
- Their approach doesn'''t match your needs
- Scheduling is consistently difficult
- They'''re judgmental or dismissive
You don'''t owe anyone an explanation. Just call and request transfer of records to new provider.
Resources
Find Treatment
- SAMHSA National Helpline: 1-800-662-4357 (free, confidential, 24/7)
- SAMHSA Treatment Locator: findtreatment.gov
- NAMI HelpLine: 1-800-950-6264 (M-F 10am-10pm ET)
- Psychology Today: psychologytoday.com/us/therapists
- Open Path Collective: openpathcollective.org
- Inclusive Therapists: inclusivetherapists.com
Crisis Support
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988
- Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741
- Veterans Crisis Line: 988, press 1
- Trevor Project (LGBTQ+ youth): 1-866-488-7386
- Trans Lifeline: 1-877-565-8860
- Blackline (Black community): 1-800-604-5841
Support Groups
- NAMI Connection: Free peer support groups
- DBSA: Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance
- AFSP: American Foundation for Suicide Prevention loss survivor groups
- Online: r/SuicideWatch, 7 Cups, NAMI online communities
Taking the First Step
Getting help can feel overwhelming, especially when you'''re already in crisis. You don'''t have to figure it all out at once.
Right now, you can:
- Call 988 - they can help connect you to local resources
- Go to your insurance website and find one in-network therapist
- Call that therapist and leave a message
- Google "[your city] community mental health center" and call them
- Call 1-800-662-4357 (SAMHSA) and ask for help finding treatment
The hardest part is starting. But you'''re worth it, and help is available.