Mental Health & Substance Use

Types of Behavioral Health Providers

1. Mental Health Providers - Private Practitioners

   • Psychiatrists (M.D., D.O.) are medical doctors who have specialized in psychiatry. Psychiatrists can prescribe medication and may also practice psychotherapy. Psychiatrists are licensed by the New York State Education Department and may be Board Certified in psychiatry and or child psychiatry. Some psychiatrists have extra training and certification in areas such as geriatrics, addiction medication, or forensic psychiatry.

   • Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSWR) have a master's degree in Social Work (MSW) and a minimum of six years of supervised clinical experience. Social Workers receive training in individual, family, and group therapy and are licensed by the New York State Education Department. Social Workers may have experience in treating adults and/or children/adolescents.

   • Psychologists (Ph.D., Psy.D.) are doctoral level practitioners trained in clinical psychology and licensed by the New York State Education Department (they are not medical doctors and do not prescribe medication). Psychologists receive training in individual, family, and/or group therapy and also in psychological research and have at least two years of clinical experience in a supervised setting. In addition to providing psychotherapy, some psychologists may also practice psychological or neuropsychological testing. Like psychiatrists and social workers, psychologists may specialize in treating adults or children/adolescents and may have received additional training in treating specific mental health conditions.

   • Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) have a master's degree and are required by the Health Plan to qualify six years of supervised clinical experience. Mental Health Counselors receive training to provide individual, family and group psychotherapy. LMHC's are licensed by the New York State Education Department and treat adults, children and/or adolescents.

   • Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist (LMFT) have a master's degree or higher and are required by the Health Plan to qualify six years of supervised clinical experience. Marriage and family therapists receive training to provide individual, family and group psychotherapy. LMFT's are licensed by the New York State Education Department and treat adults, children and/or adolescents.

   • Nurse Practitioner (NP) is an RN who has earned a separate license as an NP through advanced clinical nursing education (usually a master's degree) in a distinct specialty area of psychiatry practice. Nurse practitioners may diagnose, treat, and prescribe for a patient’s condition that falls within their specialty area of practice. 

   • Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW) have a master's degree in Social Work (MSW), with at least 12 semester hours of clinical coursework and have at least 3 years of post (MSW) supervised experience. Social Workers receive training in individual, family, and group therapy and are licensed by the New York State Education Department. Social Workers may have experience in treating adults and/or children/adolescents.

2. Mental Health Providers - Facilities

   • Outpatient Mental Health facilities offer comprehensive outpatient treatment, including services provided by psychiatrists, social workers, and clinical psychologists. Outpatient facilities offer individual, family, and group treatment, as well as medication and psychological testing.

   • Inpatient Hospitalization (24-Hour inpatient treatment) is offered at many general hospitals and at private psychiatric hospitals for the diagnosis and treatment of patients with severe mental health symptoms. Patients admitted for inpatient hospitalization cannot be treated safely at a less restrictive level of care. Patients follow a treatment plan developed by a psychiatrist. The plan may involve the use of medication and treatment provided by nurses, social workers, clinical psychologists, and other medical and counseling staff. Most member contracts require the hospital to pre-authorize inpatient admissions.

   • Partial Hospitalization (also known as Day-Night Care in some member contracts) is offered in some Health Plan regions. These programs are designed for the diagnosis and treatment of serious mental disorders, and patients usually attend five to six days per week for several hours a day. Partial Hospitalization is used when it is necessary to maintain a patient's functional level and prevent relapse or inpatient hospitalization.

   • Mental Health Residential Supervised housing with 24 hour awake staff. Individuals are provided a safe living environment with a high degree of behavioral accountability. Services include medical and clinical oversight of chronic but stable medical and psychiatric symptoms and conditions in a community treatment program. Services also include: community meetings; activities of daily living (ADL) support; case management; and vocational support and clinical services to support transition to independent living.

3. Substance Use Providers - Facilities

   • Outpatient Treatment services provide assessment for and treatment to individuals with substance use or dependence or to significant others of a person who has a substance dependence or use condition. Outpatient treatment is designed for individuals who are able to participate and comply with treatment outside a more intensive treatment setting.

     • Intensive Outpatient Treatment is available at some licensed treatment facilities and is designed to treat patients with a higher risk for relapse and to help the patient avoid a more restrictive inpatient admission.

      

   • Inpatient Detoxification services are designed to treat patients with moderate to severe substance withdrawal symptoms that pose an immediate health risk or interfere with the individual's ability to engage in outpatient treatment. Inpatient detoxification is available at general hospitals and at some private substance use treatment facilities.

   • Stabilization Services in a Residential Setting - OASAS-certified providers of residential programs that provide medical and clinical services including: medical evaluation; ongoing medication management and limited medical intervention; ancillary withdrawal and medication assisted substance use treatment; psychiatric evaluation and ongoing management; and group, individual and family counseling focused on stabilizing the individual and increasing coping skills until the individual is able to manage feelings, urges and craving, co-occurring psychiatric symptoms and medical conditions within the safety of the residence. This service has a physician who serves as medical director, psychiatrist, nurse practitioner and/or physician assistants to provide and oversee medical and psychiatric treatment. Medical staff are available in the residence daily, but 24-hour medical/nursing services are not. There is medical staff available on call 24/7 and there are admitting hours 7 days per week.

   • Rehabilitative Services in a Residential Setting - Certified OASAS providers of residential programs which provide rehabilitative services for individuals who are stable enough to manage emotional states, urges and cravings, co-occurring psychiatric symptoms and medical conditions within the safety of a residential setting. This service requires a physician who will serve as medical director, nurse practitioner, psychiatrist and nursing staff on site daily and clinical staff provide monitoring for medical and psychiatric symptoms that are stable. Services include medical monitoring of chronic conditions including routine medication management and individual, group and family counseling focused on rehabilitation. The service requires a treatment plan to address functional needs including personal and interpersonal functioning. The treatment program teaches individuals to manage self and interactions with others with increasing independence.

   • Reintegration Services in a Residential Setting - Certified OASAS providers of residential programs that provide reintegration services to transition from structured treatment environments to more independent living. This setting does not require a physician to serve as medical director and staff coordinate treatment services but do not provide direct clinical care. Most services are provided in the community and include clinical and social services. Individuals are provided a safe living environment with a high degree of behavioral accountability. Services include medical and clinical oversight of chronic but stable medical and psychiatric symptoms and conditions in a community treatment program including an outpatient Substance Use Disorder treatment program. Services also include: community meetings; activities of daily living (ADL) support; case management; and vocational support and clinical services to support transition to independent living. Reintegration services may be provided in a congregate or scatter-site setting.

   • Inpatient Substance Use Rehabilitation:
     This is an elective admission. When a person is abusing drugs/and or alcohol and they are in need of help in a 24/7 supervised program. 

     • Substance use inpatient rehabilitation services provide intensive management of substance use symptoms and medical management/monitoring of physical or mental complications from substance use to clients who cannot be effectively served as outpatients and who are not in need of medical detoxification or acute care.

     • This level of care is offered at free standing facilities, acute care hospitals, and some state facilities. 

     • Certified providers conduct intensive evaluation, treatment and rehabilitation services in a medically supervised 24 hour/day, 7 days/week setting.

Substance use inpatient services include the following basic clinical procedures: individual and group counseling and activities therapy; alcohol and substance use disease awareness and relapse prevention; education about, orientation to, and opportunity for participation in, available and relevant self-help groups; assessment and referral services for patients, families and significant others; HIV education, risk assessment and supportive counseling and referral; vocational and/or educational assessment, and medical and psychiatric evaluation

Find a Behavioral Health or Substance Use Treatment Provider

Follow this link to Search our Online Provider Directories to find a participating health provider:

• Use "Find a Doctor/Provider" to search for a participating psychiatrist, psychologist or licensed clinical social worker.
• Use "Find a Hospital, Urgent Care or Other Provider" to search for a participating outpatient or inpatient mental health facility or a substance use treatment provider.

Tips for Choosing an Outpatient Behavioral Health Provider

Mental Health professionals can be highly specialized. Some have general practices while others concentrate on a specific area of mental health, such as addiction or geriatrics. They may provide individual, group or couple/family therapy. Not all outpatient practitioners specialize in treating certain conditions or age groups, such as children or adolescents. Once you have some names of participating private practitioners or facilities, contact the providers to obtain more information about the services they provide.

You should consider the following before scheduling an appointment with the provider:

• Does the provider participate with my health insurance?
• Is the service a covered benefit?
• Does the provider have experience treating my mental health condition?
• Does the provider specialize in treating certain age groups, such as children, adolescents, or seniors?
• Is the provider accepting new patients?
• What hours is the provider available for appointments?
• What types of therapy does the provider offer?

After meeting with the provider, it's ok if you feel a little uncomfortable during the first few sessions. Sharing personal information can be difficult and it may take some time to build trust. However it's important to eventually feel comfortable with your provider. If you are still uncomfortable after several sessions, don't hesitate to try a different provider.

As a patient, you should expect:

• Confidentiality
• Respect
• Sensitivity to issues such as race, culture, gender, and sexual orientation
• Involvement in your treatment plan

Court Ordered Treatment for Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder

When there is a court order for treatment; a preauthorization request must be submitted by the provider or facility if a preauthorization is required for the service being requested. The Court Ordered Certification Form must also be submitted with the preauthorization request for a medical necessity determination.

Court Ordered Treatment: Certification Form for Mental Health and Substance Use DisordersOpen a PDF