Is there a way to see a psychiatrist for free (in the U.S.)?
September 13, 2009 8:48 PM Subscribe
Is there a way to see a psychiatrist for free (in the U.S.)?
No health insurance, very little money, and nobody to borrow any from. What to do?
No health insurance, very little money, and nobody to borrow any from. What to do?
Many clinics have sliding scales. If you're extremely desperate to the point you are a danger to yourself or others, go to the ER.
posted by IndigoRain at 9:04 PM on September 13, 2009
posted by IndigoRain at 9:04 PM on September 13, 2009
Are you eligible for Medicaid? If so, you may be able to receive services through that. I would contact a clinic, explain your situation, and ask for a referral to an appropriate place that offers services on a sliding scale. Your county also most probably offers mental health services, though the quality, time to wait for an appointment, and ability to care for you if you aren't having an emergency (or even if you are) varies greatly from county to county. Just know that there are options out there and be persistent. If you keep at it, things will get better. Good luck!
You can also always call the Hopeline at 1-800-442-HOPE, especially if you are worried about hurting yourself or others. They offer a free, anonymous ear to talk to and referrals to services that can help you. And as IndigoRain says, go to the ER if you have an emergency.
posted by zachlipton at 9:38 PM on September 13, 2009
You can also always call the Hopeline at 1-800-442-HOPE, especially if you are worried about hurting yourself or others. They offer a free, anonymous ear to talk to and referrals to services that can help you. And as IndigoRain says, go to the ER if you have an emergency.
posted by zachlipton at 9:38 PM on September 13, 2009
If you have an employer or go to college, you may have access to psychiatrists or therapists through them too.
posted by zippy at 11:00 PM on September 13, 2009
posted by zippy at 11:00 PM on September 13, 2009
Depending on your situation, you might be eligible for social services. Local governments are the entities chiefly responsible for this sort of thing--usually subsidized to a greater or lesser extent by the states--and psychiatric care is usually on their menu of services.
You usually have to be pretty down on your luck to qualify, but it's worth looking into. I can't provide any specific suggestions without knowing your location, unfortunately, but google your municipality and/or county and you should find the right people to contact.
posted by valkyryn at 3:56 AM on September 14, 2009
You usually have to be pretty down on your luck to qualify, but it's worth looking into. I can't provide any specific suggestions without knowing your location, unfortunately, but google your municipality and/or county and you should find the right people to contact.
posted by valkyryn at 3:56 AM on September 14, 2009
Go to your county assistance office and apply for Medicaid, they will let you know whether you are eligible or not usually by mail. In the meantime, contact a local community mental health agency, ask for the intake department and explain to them that you don't have Medicaid coverage yet but are applying and would like to get the process started. They will likely be willing schedule you for an appointment with the intake department if you can bring paperwork with you demonstrating that the Medicaid application is underway. The intake process may take more than one sitting, different agencies have different practices. Once your medical coverage is on you'll be schedule for a psychiatric evaulation with the doctor and you'll get your meds. This process from start to finish could take a number of weeks so do not hesitate to make a start. If you feel like in the meantime you might hurt yourself or someone else you should look up a list of local psychiatric emergency rooms where you can go if you are in a state of crisis.
Feel free to contact me if you are confused or need help walking through this process.
posted by The Straightener at 5:44 AM on September 14, 2009
Feel free to contact me if you are confused or need help walking through this process.
posted by The Straightener at 5:44 AM on September 14, 2009
Be clear on what you are looking for. A psychiatrist is a physician with a specialization in mental health; one of their distinctions is that they can prescribe medication, but it is quite possible it will be harder and take longer to get access to a psychiatrist for free. Depending on what you're dealing with it might make sense to look for (or at least broaden your search to include) some other type of mental health professional (a psychologist or licensed counselor or therapist for example). Many free and scaled rate clinics have counseling of some sort. A simple search like this one (using my home town as an example) is a way to get started.
A non-MD counselor is not going to be sufficient for all problems. It is a place to start and also a place where you're likely to find more and better information about the mental health resources available in your local area.
posted by nanojath at 10:51 AM on September 14, 2009
A non-MD counselor is not going to be sufficient for all problems. It is a place to start and also a place where you're likely to find more and better information about the mental health resources available in your local area.
posted by nanojath at 10:51 AM on September 14, 2009
Your county's mental health department could help you.
posted by cass at 12:04 PM on September 14, 2009
posted by cass at 12:04 PM on September 14, 2009
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by alms at 8:51 PM on September 13, 2009