Selecting Providers

Take the time to research who and where the mental health or substance abuse providers are in your area. You may feel lost and overwhelmed. But help is not far away.

Where to start? The best recommendations often come from trusted friends who have knowledge of practitioners in the field. There are a variety of additional sources available to you, including:

  • The Employee Assistance Program offered by your employer is a good place to start. The professionals associated with the program can walk you through the process of getting help, locating providers and making referrals.
  • Your family doctor may provide names of mental health professionals in your area
  • Your medical plan may have a behavioral health component, including listings of mental health providers. In all likelihood, your plan will maintain 24-hour telephone support for information.

Additional resources include:

  • Community social service and mental health agencies
  • Nurses, social workers and hospital psychiatric departments
  • Your local hospital’s wellness or lifestyle management service
  • College and university psychiatric, psychological, and social work departments are
  • Religious and spiritual organizations (who may refer you to pastoral or spiritual counselors)
  • Self-help groups – particularly helpful when substance abuse, gambling, overeating, sexual acting out or other behaviors have become addictive.

Becoming an informed consumer

The success of mental health treatment is dependent on a positive relationship between you and your provider. Your comfort level and confidence in the provider is key to ultimate success.

To that end, it is in your best interest to speak frankly to potential providers to get a feel for style, personality and “fit” for your particular needs.

You are essentially interviewing provider candidates. There is a bit of work involved in this stage of the process but it will pay dividends later when you begin to work together on treatment planning.

Don’t be afraid to ask provider candidates specific questions about experience, qualifications and philosophy of care. Consider your own personal preferences as well as you your perception of the nature of your issue. Demographic concerns should be addressed such as race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, location of office, times available, nationality, language, age, belief in God, beliefs, political orientation, etc.

Ask yourself and answer honestly as to whether differences in any of those areas might interfere in your getting help. Ultimately these decisions are yours to make – but the providers you are speaking to are trained to help you work through the decision process.

Though you should remain open to an alternative conclusion following professional assessment, you may have a sense of the nature of your problem. Does the provider have the experience and expertise to address this problem? Ask about their particular approach to resolving the issue.

Beyond issues of style, compatibility and personality, you should seek the services of professionals with the right qualifications. Use the following suggestions to help guide your investigation:

  • Look for a bona-fide professional who is licensed to practice a mental health discipline in your state. Ask for credentials.
  • Ask to see evidence of education and professional training that in areas related to your problem.
  • Ask about years of professional experience, categorized by post-graduate, post-licensure and in internship.
  • Ask about memberships in professional associations and any hospital or group practice affiliations. This information can be important in the event you need care from additional providers.

Continue on to What to Expect