Finding Free or Low Cost Mental Health Care

Mental health care can be very expensive, adding the stress level of people in need of psychological counseling, psychiatric therapy and substance abuse issues. Costly treatment can prevent sick people from getting the help they need.

People whose insurance does not adequately cover mental health or ho do not have insurance at all may not get needed treatment for their problem. Low cost treatment can be found, but it takes some investigation.

Community groups, churches, state and local health departments and other organizations may have access to low cost mental health treatments. In order to find services providers who may give you a break on price, it may necessary to inquire at different places.

Church counselors and pastors can be an excellent resource for finding low cost help, counselors or treatment facilities who work on a sliding scale. If you confide in a pastor or rabbi they may offer some helpful suggestions themselves and offer valuable referrals to counselors who donate their services to the people who need them.

A fee based on a sliding scale is a fee that the counselor or facility determines based upon the patient's ability to pay. Talk to them frankly about your financial situation and ask them if they can offer assistance on a sliding scale.

Some facilities have requirements to offer low cost treatment, such as free clinics. When I called some free clinics in my area I learned that they are only open to people who are already on welfare, so people who are not on public aid would not qualify for the assistance. Every state or county will have different policies, so it takes a few phone calls to find out if you qualify for this type of assistance.

The Salvation Army has a free program for substance abuse in many areas, so if alcoholism or drug addiction is a problem the Salvation Army may be able to help or offer a recommendation to another facility.

In order to find low cast mental health care it may take some investigation. Talk to state or local health departments or confide in a pastor or counselor and they may be able to direct you to affordable help.

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