Finding Mental Health Resources
If you are concerned about your child’s mental health, the first step is to speak with their pediatrician or primary health care provider. They can rule out other health conditions that may be causing a young person’s symptoms.
The provider may do screening tests to assess mental health conditions like anxiety, depression, ADHD, substance use disorders, or eating disorders. They may recommend further assessments or neuropsychological tests. Mostly these are paper and pencil tests, puzzles, and other ways to assess challenges a young person might have. (School resources may also be helpful for diagnostic assessments and neuropsychological tests.)
In some instances, your child’s primary care provider may be able to provide treatment. Or they may refer you to a mental health provider.
What is a mental health provider?
A mental health provider is a licensed professional who has specialized training in identifying and treating mental health conditions. The type of support they can offer varies depending on their licensing, training, and years of experience. Some mental health providers can diagnose mental health conditions and prescribe medication. Some provide therapy and other forms of support such as substance use counseling. Nonprescribing providers may work with or refer to prescribing providers if needed.
— submitted by a Parent
Types of mental health providers
Providers who can prescribe medication
Psychiatrists are licensed physicians (MDs or DOs) who evaluate and diagnose mental health conditions, prescribe and monitor medications, and may provide therapy. A child and adolescent psychiatrist specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of thoughts, feelings, and behavior affecting children, adolescents, and their families. Pharmacists with advanced training, referred to as psychiatric pharmacists or psychopharmacologists, may also be able to prescribe in some states.
Psychiatric or mental health nurse practitioners evaluate and diagnose mental health conditions, and may provide therapy. Similar to a psychiatrist, they are also qualified to provide and monitor medications (regulations vary by state).
Non-prescribing providers
Psychologists (PhD/PsyD) can evaluate and diagnose mental health conditions; assess someone’s mental state, emotional processes, and behavior; and provide therapy. Clinical psychologists with more specialized training can also complete more detailed psychological and neuropsychological assessments. Note: while most states do not allow psychologists to prescribe medication, a few states (Idaho, Colorado, New Mexico, Iowa, Illinois, and Louisiana) do permit it. Others have legislation pending on this issue.
Clinical neuropsychologists (PhD) are clinical psychologists with specialized training who conduct detailed neuropsychological evaluations. This includes assessing general intellectual abilities, language, attention, memory, and emotional and behavioral functioning. Pediatric neuropsychologists are licensed psychologists who have special training in the way the brain develops in childhood and adolescence.
Clinical social workers (MSW) provide a range of social work services, including diagnosing and treating mental health conditions and behavioral issues.
Licensed independent clinical social workers (LICSWs) are licensed professionals who can independently practice clinical social work, including evaluating, diagnosing, and treating mental health conditions.
Licensed clinical social workers (LCSWs) are licensed professionals who can evaluate, diagnose, and treat mental health disorders under the continued clinical supervision of an LICSW.
Licensed professional counselors (LPCs) are licensed mental health counselors who provide mental health and substance use care. They may work with individuals or with families, depending on their training.
Licensed substance use counselors may provide substance use diagnosis, counseling, treatment planning, and referrals. Their education and training varies.
— submitted by a Young Person
How can you find a youth mental health provider?
Often, pediatricians can refer you to a child and adolescent mental health provider or a neuropsychologist for appropriate tests. You also may be able to get a recommendation from your health insurance company or a school counselor. Or you can independently search for one through:
- The American Psychological Association (APA) Practice Organization Opens in a new tabPsychologist Locator
- The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) Opens in a new tabChild and Adolescent Psychiatry Finder
- The American Academy of Clinical and Neuropsychology (AACN) Opens in a new tabdirectory
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Opens in a new tabhelp page
- American Psychiatric Association (APA) Opens in a new tabdirectory
- Inclusive Therapists Opens in a new tabdirectory.
Will I be judged or blamed for my child’s mental health condition?
Child and adolescent mental health providers are not there to judge or blame you or your family, but to work with you as a team to support your child.
FAQs when your child is seeing a mental health provider
Yes! Many adolescents — and their families — rely on the support of mental health providers to improve mental wellness. Responsive and early support is key to help young people thrive at home and at school.
In 2021, Opens in a new taba national emergency in child and adolescent mental health was declared by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and the Children’s Hospital Association.
A mental health provider will evaluate a young person’s history, behavior, and social and family support. This will usually involve both you and your child, and may take a few hours over one or more office visits. They will listen to your concerns and what you identify as your child’s strengths and challenges. With your permission, other adults such as relatives, appropriate school staff, and health providers may be contacted for additional information.
The mental health provider will likely do standard diagnostic assessments and tests depending on symptoms. Some examples of screening tools and rating scales are the Children’s Depression Inventory 2 (CDI-2), the Children’s Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (CY-BOCS), and the CRAFTT 2.1 and 2.1+N (for substance use disorder). They also may review previous assessments and reports. This helps them evaluate a young person’s experience and take into account biological, psychological, and social factors.
The provider will share their treatment plan recommendations with you and your adolescent. It may include outpatient therapy for the young person or the family, medication, or a specialized treatment program.
You will be involved in the initial evaluation. While therapy for younger children often includes the parents, adolescents most often have 1:1 therapy sessions on their own. Some appointments may include caregivers if appropriate, or family therapy may be recommended.
See our section on insurance coverage.
It’s important that a mental health provider be a good fit. It may take a few appointments to decide. A young person should feel comfortable talking to the provider, although it’s wise to note that this may not happen instantly. Also, you want to feel that the provider hears your concerns, answers your questions, and collaborates with you on your child’s care.
If you or your child aren’t comfortable, don’t be afraid to voice your concerns to the provider. You are your child’s best advocate! And if a provider doesn’t feel like a good fit, it’s okay to look for another one.
For more information on mental health visits, see Opens in a new tabPreparing for Your Child’s First Appointment With a Mental Health Clinician from The Clay Center for Young Health Minds.
For more information on finding a good fit, see Opens in a new tab9 Ways to Know if Your Child's Mental Health Clinician is Right for Them from The Clay Center for Young Health Minds.
Levels of care: Frequency, intensity, and duration
Outpatient appointments
Many therapy appointments are outpatient. This means that they happen in the provider’s office or via telehealth. Appointments are generally on a recurring basis, such as once a week or every other week. If a young person needs a more intensive level of care, a mental health provider may recommend day or residential treatment.
Day or partial hospitalization program
In these intensive treatment programs, a young person attends a structured program each day and goes home at night. Day or partial programs include psychiatric care and mental health education. Individual or group therapy as well as structured activities aim to stabilize young people and teach them coping skills. Young people receive a similar level of care to a residential program, but they are able to sleep at home.
Some programs specialize in different conditions like anxiety, eating disorders, OCD, or early psychosis. Others offer help for dual diagnoses like anxiety and depression, or anxiety and substance use disorder.
Hospitalization
Inpatient hospitalization is acute treatment for young people in crisis who are in danger of harming themselves or others. While hospitalized, young people will receive treatment that may include medication, individual therapy, group therapy, family therapy, and rehabilitation to help them build various life and coping skills. Hospitalization is typically short, with an average length of stay around seven to 10 days. The goals of hospitalization are safety and stability.
Residential program
Residential programs provide intensive, short-term care where the young person lives at the program for a period of time. These programs are designed to help young people with particularly challenging symptoms and conditions, or behavior that is dangerous to themselves or others. They can also help when medications aren’t working well or need to be adjusted.
The length of stay may vary from a few weeks to a month or longer. The young person will live in a room within a unit with others sharing similar challenges. Usually they will have a roommate. They’ll receive specialized care and individual or group therapy aimed at stabilizing them, building their strengths, and giving them skills that enable them to return to their home and community.
What else to know
Some day or residential programs are in nonprofit hospitals, while others are offered by for-profit entities. Some have age limits that may or may not include emerging adults (18 to 21). If not, young people in this age group will go to an adult program.
You can also search for a program near you through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)’s Opens in a new tabFindTreatment.gov.
For more, visit the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) information page on Opens in a new tabResidential Treatment.
For more on the types of programs or support a mental health provider might recommend, see Opens in a new tabContinuum of Mental Health Care from the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry.
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