Child Therapists That Accept Medicaid – Is your child showing signs of mental health issues like anxiety, depression, neurodevelopmental challenges, or post-traumatic stress disorder? If so, then your child needs help that generally comes from an experienced child therapist. Reports of the American Psychological Association states that approximately 20 million youth in the USA are currently diagnosed with mental health disorders. As per the US Department of Health and Human Services roughly 1 in 5 children in America in the age between 3-17 years has a behavioral, emotional, developmental or mental disorder.
A good place to start is to search for a child therapist who accepts Medicaid. For this, you need to make sure your child is covered by the Medicaid program. If your child qualifies for the Medicaid program, then you can find plenty of information regarding child therapy and ways to find a child therapist who accepts Medicaid. In this guide, we will help you explore the following important topics:
- Does Medicaid cover therapy?
- List of Medicaid child therapy that takes Medicaid
- How to know if your Medicaid plan covers child therapy?
- Does Medicaid cover online therapy?
- Additional resources to get help with child therapy.
Highlights of this Post
Key Takeaways
- Medicaid universally covers child therapy and other mental health services under the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008, ensuring equal coverage for mental and physical health issues.
- To qualify for Medicaid’s mental health services, proof of low income, residency, and financial hardship is typically required. Documentation like income proof and residency is essential.
- Each state has its own Medicaid provider network. For finding a child therapist who accepts Medicaid, check your state’s Medicaid website or use local provider directories.
- Beyond therapy, Medicaid also covers inpatient psychiatric services for individuals under 21 and extensive services through managed care plans in many states.
- Despite the broad coverage, locating mental health providers who accept Medicaid can be challenging due to low reimbursement rates. Resources like Psychology Today or Zocdoc can be helpful in finding suitable therapists.
Key Takeaways
- Medicaid covers child therapy and other mental health services across all states, complying with the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008, ensuring coverage parity for mental and physical health issues.
- Eligibility for Medicaid typically requires proof of low income, residency, and evidence of financial hardship. Necessary documents include proof of income, residency, and medical records related to mental health.
- Each state administers its own Medicaid program, with a unique provider network. To find a child therapist that accepts Medicaid, consult your state’s Medicaid website or use local provider directories.
- In addition to therapy, Medicaid covers inpatient psychiatric services for those under 21, and many states offer comprehensive services through managed care systems.
- Despite broad coverage, finding mental health providers accepting Medicaid can be challenging due to reimbursement rates and administrative requirements. Utilizing resources like Psychology Today or Zocdoc can aid in locating therapists.
Does Medicaid Cover Child Therapy?
Medicaid is a government assistance program that is administered by individual states and offers low-cost or free health insurance to those belonging to low-income categories. For those who are wondering if it covers child therapy and other mental health services or not, the answer is certainly Yes!
All Medicaid programs offer some sort of coverage for mental health as well as substance use disorder services, but the specific services and coverage depend on your state. The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 requires healthcare plans to offer mental health benefits and therapy.
In other words, if your child is dealing with mental health challenges or illnesses, then he or she can get coverage similar to an individual with a physical illness. Your insurance provider may not charge you a higher deductible or copay for accessing therapies or mental health services.
Want to know how to get a free YMCA membership with medicaid? Read our next guide here.
Medicaid Child Therapist And Mental Health Provider List
Every state has its own Medicaid plan, and every state administers its own plan differently. In the below section of the guide, we have provided ways for you to contact your local or state Medicaid office and search for a child therapist that accepts Medicaid.
- Alabama: Alabama Medicaid Home Page, Alabama Medicaid Provider Search
- Alaska: Alaska Medicaid Main Home Page, Alaska Medicaid Provider Search
- Arizona: Arizona Medicaid Provider Search, Arizona Medicaid Health Plans
- Arkansas: Arkansas Department of Human Services, Arkansas Medicaid Provider Search
- California: California Medi-Cal, California Medi-Cal Provider Search, Medi-Cal Managed Care Health Plan Directory
- Colorado: Health First Colorado, Colorado Medicaid Provider Search
- Connecticut: Husky Health Connecticut, Connecticut Medicaid Provider Search
- Delaware: Delaware Medicaid Portal, Delaware Medicaid Provider Search
- District of Columbia: District of Columbia Medicaid Provider Search, District of Columbia Medicaid Managed Care Organizations
- Florida: Florida Statewide Medicaid Managed Care Home Page, Florida Statewide Medicaid Managed Care Provider Search
- Georgia: Georgia Medicaid Provider Search, Georgia Medicaid Care Management Organizations
- Hawaii: Hawaii Med-QUEST Provider Search, Hawaii Managed Care Organizations Provider Directories
- Idaho: Idaho Medicaid Program, Idaho Medicaid Provider Search
- Illinois: Illinois Medicaid Plans HealthChoice, Illinois Provider Search Illinois’ Managed Care Programs
- Indiana: Indiana Medicaid Home Page, Indiana Medicaid Provider Directory
- Iowa: Iowa Medicaid Member Service, Iowa Health Link Medicaid Plans, Iowa Health Link Find a Provider Page
- Kansas: KMAP Provider Search, KMAP Managed Care Organizations, Kansas Medicaid Managed Care Health Plan Information
- Kentucky: Kentucky Department for Medicaid Services, Kentucky Medicaid Portal Provider Directory
- Louisiana: Louisiana Medicaid Home Page, Louisiana Medicaid Provider Locator Map
- Maine: Maine Care Home Page, Maine Care Provider Search
- Maryland: Maryland Medicaid Provider Search, Maryland HealthChoice Program
- Massachusetts: MassHealth Provider Directory, Massachusetts Behavioral Health Partnership Provider Search
- Michigan: Michigan Medicaid Program, Michigan Medicaid Health Plan by County
- Minnesota: Minnesota Medical Assistance Program, Managed Care Organizations List, Minnesota Health Care Programs Provider Director
- Mississippi: Mississippi Medicaid Portal for Members, Mississippi Medicaid Provider Search
- Missouri: Missouri HealthNet Fee-For-Service Provider Search, Missouri HealthNet Managed Care Plan Options List
- Montana: Montana Medicaid Home Page, Montana Medicaid Provider Search Page
- Nebraska: Nebraska Heritage Health Program, Heritage Health Provider Search, Nebraska Heritage Health Plans
- Nevada: Nevada Medicaid Provider Search, Nevada Medicaid Managed Care Organization Contact Information
- New Hampshire: New Hampshire Medicaid Home Page, New Hampshire Medicaid Care Management Organizations List
- New Jersey: New Jersey Medicaid Provider Directory, New Jersey Medicaid Managed Care Organizations List
- New Mexico: New Mexico Medicaid Portal, New Mexico Medicaid Managed Care Organizations List
- New York: New York State Medicaid Home Page, New York Medicaid Managed Care Organization Directory
- North Carolina: North Carolina Medicaid Home Page, North Carolina Medicaid Find a Provider Page
- North Dakota: North Dakota Medicaid Provider Search, North Dakota Medicaid Provider Directories
- Ohio: Ohio Department of Medicaid Find a Provider Page, Ohio Department of Medicaid Provider Directory Search
- Oklahoma: Oklahoma SoonerCare Provider Directory, Oklahoma SoonerSelect (Managed Care Organizations)
- Oregon: Oregon Medicaid Directory Search, Oregon Coordinated Care Organizations (CCOs)
- Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania Medical Assistance Provider Search, Pennsylvania Community HealthChoices Managed Care Organizations
- Puerto Rico: Puerto Rico Medicaid Managed Care Plans
- Rhode Island: Rhode Island EOHHS Medicaid Provider Search, Rhode Island Medicaid Health Plans
- South Carolina: South Carolina Healthy Connections Choices Provider Search, South Carolina Medicaid Provider Search,
- South Dakota: South Dakota Medicaid: Find Your Primary Care Provider, South Dakota Medicaid Behavioral Services Provider Map
- Tennessee: Tennessee Division of TennCare, Tennessee Behavioral Health Safety Net
- Texas: Texas Medicaid and CHIP Home Page, Texas Medicaid and Healthcare Partnership Provider Search
- Utah: Utah Medicaid Provider Search, Utah Medicaid Accountable Care Organizations
- Vermont: Vermont Medicaid Portal, Vermont Medicaid Portal Provider Lookup
- Virginia: Virginia’s Medicaid Program Home Page, Virginia Medicaid Provider Search Page, Virginia Medicaid Portal Provider Search
- Washington: Washington State Health Care Authority Apple Health (Medicaid) Provider Search, Apple Health (Medicaid) Managed Care Plans
- West Virginia: West Virginia Medicaid Management Information System Provider Search, West Virginia Medicaid Managed Care Organization Links
- Wisconsin: Wisconsin Medicaid/BadgerCare Provider Search, Wisconsin Medicaid Managed Care Organizations Information Page.
- Wyoming: Wyoming Medicaid Home Page, Wyoming Medicaid Provider Locator, Wyoming Medicaid Portal Find a Doctor Page.
How To Know If Your Medicaid Plan Covers Child Therapy?
To find therapists that accept Medicaid near me, follow these steps carefully:
- Make sure the therapist accepts Medicaid, as not all child therapists accept Medicaid for different reasons like administrative requirements or reimbursement rates.
- Check your local Medicaid agency and visit your Medicaid office to get maintenance services and provider networks.
- Consult your Medicaid health plan list of in-network Medicaid that include child therapists covered under your plan.
- Seek assistance from your primary care provider, who can refer you to mental health providers within the Medicaid network.
- The Children’s Health Insurance Program also covers therapy and other mental health services at full coverage.
- There are many states that administer Medicaid programs to managed care systems, so there can be different Medicaid plans in your state of residence.
Readers can take a look at our next guide to know if they can get pediatric diapers covered by Medicaid.
What Other Mental Health Services Are Covered By Medicaid?
Every US state has the option to cover inpatient psychiatric services through the Medicaid program for those below 21 years of age. The states generally offer the services via psychiatric residential treatment facilities that offer intense and temporary treatment programs.
When it comes to accessing mental health services and therapy for a child, you need to make sure the treatments are conducted by trained healthcare professionals, such as
- Psychiatrist
- Therapist
- Counselor
- Psychologist
- Clinical social worker
Medicaid also covers substance use disorder treatment as mental health services. You can also get coverage for medication-assisted treatment that is deemed necessary for an individual for recovery. This method of treatment covers counseling and behavioral therapies and FDA-approved medication.
Other types of treatment include cognitive behavioral therapy, group therapy, individual psychotherapy, family therapy, play therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, art therapy, and trauma-focused therapy.
Curious to know whether Fertility Treatments Are Covered by Medicare or not? Our next blog will cover all insights for you.
Does Medicaid Cover Online Therapy?
Medicaid may cover online therapy, but the kind of therapy that you can get through the program depends on your state of residence.
As per the Kaiser Family Foundation as well as the Center for Connected Health Policy, all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia provide coverage for online mental health services, including child therapy. All state provisions for Medicaid programs cover online mental health services provided by live video, and 44 U.S. states and the District of Columbia cover audio-only mental telehealth services.
The challenging part is that not all U.S. states’ Medicaid plans provide home telehealth services. As per the Center for Connected Health Policy, 37 state’s Medicaid programs offer coverage for telehealth services that are delivered in a person’s home. You must contact your state Medicaid program to learn if you can get online child therapists who accept Medicaid.
How To Qualify For Child Therapy Through Medicaid?
The common eligibility criteria for those looking for child therapists who accept Medicaid are as follows:
- Applicants are required to meet the strict eligibility criteria to get Medicaid coverage. Usually you need to have income at or below 133% of the federal poverty level.
- Applicants are required to meet eligibility criteria related to their household size.
- Must meet the residency requirements
- Must have all medical records associated with mental illness
- The Medicaid program provides special preferences if any member of your household has a physical or mental condition that limits their senses, movement or activities.
41 U.S. states, including the District of Columbia, have expanded Medicaid coverage under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). You can visit the healthcare.gov website and complete the online application form to see if you’re eligible for the Medicaid program in your state.
Following is the list of states that have not expanded the Medicaid program.
- Alabama
- Florida
- Georgia
- Kansas
- Mississippi
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Wisconsin
For additional resources to get help with mental health services for your child, who can contact SAMHSA national helpline at 1-800-662-4357. You can also contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline for immediate assistance at 988 or text home to 741-741 to reach the crisis helpline.
Want to know whether Medicaid covers weight loss programs or not? Read our next blog here.
How To Find Children Therapists That Take Medicaid Near Me?
Zocdoc
Zocdoc is an online service that allows patients to find doctors for psychotherapy. If you are on your way to look for the ‘best-rated child therapist near me’, then this site will be the right choice for you. You can filter the results by gender and find doctors who match your preferences.
Psychology Today
Another way to look for online child counselors who accept Medicaid is to visit the website of Psychology Today. It is a directory that lists clinical professionals as well as treatment centers that provide expert mental health services in America and internationally. If you are searching for child counseling that accepts Medicaid, then you can rely on this site and narrow down your search results quickly.
Zencare
For those who are looking for ‘child therapists near me’ that accept Medicaid can consider looking at the official website of Zencare. You can browse therapist videos and also book a free phone call to find a great fit.
Zencare aims to improve the therapist search process for everyone and overcome all the barriers that come on their way to find the therapist. Texas residents who are looking for adult therapists near me that accept Medicaid can take a look at this website.
Mindly
Mindly councilors and therapists are in network with a few managed care providers in North Carolina, such as WellCare, United Healthcare, Carolina Complete Health, Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina, Alliance, and AmeriHealth Caritas. If you’re looking for a child therapist who accepts Medicaid near North Carolina, then you can visit the official website to learn more about how to find therapists.
Kids SPOT Rehab
Kids SPOT Rehab accepts major health insurance programs that approve physical, speech, applied behavioral analysis, and occupational therapy in the South Florida region. They also accept Medicaid to provide pediatric therapy services to eligible children. If you have CMS or Medicaid, you need to obtain a prescription from your pediatrician for evaluation.
Family Houston
Family Houston is a one-time solution for those looking for teenage therapists near me that accept Medicaid. The nation recognizes the role of supporting teenagers and children with mental health issues, and so they accept Medicaid.
In most other insurance programs, the licensed therapist of Family Houston provide treatment for the following issues: anxiety or social anxiety, depression, behavioral issues, ADHD, parent-child struggles, childhood trauma, grief, child problems arising from separation or divorce, ADHD, and so on.
Noa Medical
If you’re looking for ‘black therapists that accept Medicaid near me’, then look no further than Noa Medical. The organization believes that every child deserves access to high-quality mental healthcare. You can schedule an appointment with the child therapists who accept Medicaid and access various mental health services for your child, including counseling, therapy, and medication management.
Child Therapy Clinics That Accept Medicaid
There are many child therapy clinics in America that are accepting medication to help low-income families get the right healthcare services. For instance, if you are looking for child therapists who accept Medicaid near NYC, then you can contact the following individual clinics of The Child Center of NY:
Cohen Family Wellness Center
Location: 43-08 52nd Street, Second Floor
Woodside, NY 11377
Macari Family Wellness Center
Location: 140-15B Sanford Avenue, Second Floor
Flushing, NY 11355
Jamaica Family Wellness Center
Location: 163-18 Jamaica Avenue, Second Floor
Jamaica, NY 11432.
Medicaid Waiver Programs for Children’s Mental Illness
Medicaid waivers are specialized programs that target mental health and allow states to tailor the services to meet the needs of those with maintenance decisions. The waiver offers access to services that are not covered by the traditional Medicaid program.
- MI Waiver for Children with Serious Emotional Disturbances offers services to those with serious emotional disturbances in age between 0 and 21 years and can meet hospital level of care.
- OH Ohio RiseWaiver offers support and services to those with serious emotional disturbances in age between 0 and 20 years and can meet hospital level of care.
- WI Children’s Long-Term Support Waiver Program offers support and services to those with physical disabilities, intellectual disabilities, serious emotional disturbances, development disabilities, and autism in an age range of 0 to 21 years and can meet hospital or nursing facility level of care.
A lot of recipients want to know whether Medicaid covers acupuncture or not. Our next guide will cover all details about it.
Additional Resources To Get Help With Child Therapy And Mental Health Services
Medicaid enrollees often face barriers to getting mental health treatment since not all mental health providers are ready to accept Medicaid. Following are the additional resources that can help you with low-cost or free help in your area:
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
- National Alliance on Mental Illness
- United Way 211
- Health Resources and Services Administration.
Conclusion
Dealing with mental health issues for a child in care can be stressful. Fortunately, the Medicaid program covers mental health services for low-income individuals, including children. If you’re experiencing or seeing signs that your child may need to see a therapist, it is understandable that finances might be a barrier to entry. Once you have a clear understanding of your state’s Medicaid coverage, you can find a child therapist that actually accepts the Medicaid program. You must not let financial barriers worsen your child’s mental health. With a little bit of research and strategic planning, you can find child therapists who accept Medicaid and get your child’s mental health on track.
Check out our blog at Get Government Grants to avail free resources and government programs for low-income families. Our guide has numerous supportive programs and names of organizations that help people in times of need.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Medicaid Cover Therapy for Kids in Texas?
Yes, Texas Medicaid provides coverage for medically necessary physical, speech, and occupational therapy for children. The therapist should be crucial to improving the child’s overall health, function, and development.
Does Medicaid Cover Therapists?
Yes, Medicare plans provide coverage for therapy and other mental health services; however, the eligibility and the coverage may vary depending on your plan and state of residence.
Who Is The Top 1 Psychologist In Texas?
There are many psychologists in Texas, including psychologists in South Lake Dallas, for instance Dr. Shannan Crawford, Denise Merlick, LPC, Margaret Nnandilobi, APN etc.