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In confidential, one-on-one sessions, you and your mental health therapist can explore your thoughts, feelings, and actions and find ways to support your mental health and overall goals.
Types of mental health care
For some conditions, medications are often helpful. Once you’re diagnosed, your care team may prescribe medicine and help you manage it. This could include your primary care doctor, a psychiatrist, a nurse practitioner, or a physician assistant who works in mental health treatment.
Knowing you’re not alone can help. In group therapy, mental health professionals lead meetings where you and members with similar experiences or mental health issues can work on reaching common wellness goals. It’s an opportunity to learn from and connect with others. And it’s a safe space — you never have to share anything that makes you uncomfortable.
Learn how to improve your relationships, challenge unhealthy thinking and behavior, deal with stress, and more in online or in-person classes.2
Explore a wide variety of self-guided wellness tools, like:
- Online self-assessments
- Digital self-care apps
- Wellness Coaching by Phone
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Medicaid members may be able to access more mental health services outside Kaiser Permanente. Ask your doctor about how to access mental health services under your specific plan.3
What to expect
Everyone’s mental health and wellness journey is different. At Kaiser Permanente, we’re here to help you feel better along the way.
Getting to know you is the first step in helping you find the care you need. You can talk to your primary care doctor about your concerns or call us to talk with our mental health care team or schedule an assessment for a later date. To help us connect you to the best care options for you, you’ll discuss things like:
- What you’re feeling
- Why you’re seeking care
- A few details about your background and lifestyle
- What you hope to get out of treatment
If you need to see a mental health professional, we’ll help you schedule your first appointment. Depending on where you live and the care you need, we may recommend a provider outside of Kaiser Permanente. We work with select providers we trust to help make sure you get the support you need.
You’re unique — and your care should be, too. Your care team will work with you to design a treatment plan that fits your needs.
During each visit, you and your clinician will discuss how you’re feeling, what’s working, and if you feel supported and understood. You and your clinician will create and update your treatment plan based on what you both think is best for you — and that’s a good thing. Your care will meet you wherever you are on your mental health journey.
Mental health care goes beyond a single department. Primary care, emergency care, and specialty areas like maternity, cardiac, and oncology all offer mental and emotional support and services.
Your primary care doctor is also trained to screen for, diagnose, and treat mild mental health conditions — so mental health support is always part of your care.
Mental health isn’t always easy to measure. But it can be rewarding to see where and how you’re improving.
The best measure of progress is how you’re feeling. Before each appointment, you’ll answer a set of questions about how you’re doing. This will help you and your care team decide what to work on and track what tools, therapies, and self-care techniques are helping you get better and reach your goals.
How to get care
When depression, anxiety, addiction and recovery, or other mental or emotional issues interfere with your daily life, we’re here to help.
Find mental health support near you
Need help now? If you think you’re having a psychiatric emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.4
Common mental health concerns
Everyone’s experience is different, but it’s important to know that mental health issues are manageable — and support is available. Explore some of the signs and symptoms of different concerns.
Youth mental health
Many children and teens experience issues with mental health, emotional wellness, or substance use. We can help parents and caregivers find the right resources and learn how to offer support.
Pregnancy and postpartum mental health
Pregnancy and the time after childbirth are full of ups and downs. It’s not unusual to feel depressed, anxious, or overwhelmed. You’re not alone — and we can help.
Explore mental fitness tools
Digital self-care apps
These wellness apps can help you navigate life's challenges, and make small changes to improve your sleep, mood, relationships, and more.
Classes and support groups
Join one of our group support programs or health education classes.5
Find Your Words
Find Your Words is Kaiser Permanente’s public mental health awareness resource. Find tips for dealing with stress, talking about your mental health, getting peer support, and more.
Self-assessments
An online self-assessment can help you understand difficult thoughts and feelings you might have — and where you may need some help.
Frequently asked questions
The type of health care professional you’ll see depends on your needs, preferences, and goals for treatment.
Primary care doctors: Licensed medical doctors who can help assess your needs, prescribe and manage medications, and connect you to additional care.
Psychiatrists: Licensed medical doctors who can diagnose mental health conditions and prescribe and monitor medication. You may also work with other licensed medical professionals who can prescribe and monitor medications, like nurse practitioners, physician assistants, or pharmacists.
Therapists: Clinicians who can evaluate, diagnose, and treat mental health concerns. They may be licensed psychologists, clinical social workers, or marriage and family therapists.
Addiction medicine specialists: Clinicians who provide comprehensive treatment for people with substance use disorders and addiction issues.
Any mental health care professional you see will be highly skilled and passionate about helping you achieve your mental health goals. Because Kaiser Permanente also serves as a training site, you may also get care from a trainee supervised by a licensed professional.
We know that having a good relationship with your care team is important. So if your mental health care professional isn’t a good fit, let us know and we’ll help you find the right one for you.
We offer treatment and support for a wide range of mental, emotional, and substance use conditions, including:
- Addiction
- Alcohol use disorder
- Anxiety and panic disorders
- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- Autism spectrum disorder
- Bipolar disorder
- Depression
- Eating disorders
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Personality disorders
- Postpartum depression
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Schizophrenia
- Sleep problems
- Substance use disorders (SUD)
- Youth mental health
If you’re thinking about getting mental health care, it can be tough to know where to start. That’s what we’re here for.
You can talk about your concerns with anyone on your care team at any time, and they can connect you to the support you need. Reach out to your primary care doctor, call our 24/7 advice line, or contact your local Kaiser Permanente mental health department directly. Wherever you choose to begin the conversation, we’ll help you understand your options and figure out the next steps.
The best thing you can do to help someone you care about is to give them support, encouragement, and hope. If the person you want to help is a Kaiser Permanente member, you can encourage them to call us. We’ll talk to them about how they’re feeling and what they’re going through — that’s the first step to making sure they have the care and support they need.
For more information on how to help someone who’s struggling, visit findyourwords.org.
The type of clinician you see, how often you visit them, and how long you’re in treatment will depend on your needs and goals.
Your care team can help you set treatment goals, make progress toward achieving those goals, and keep you moving in a positive direction.
And if you don’t feel like your clinician is the right fit, just call us. We’ll work with you to find someone you’re more comfortable with.
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Footnotes
1To get mental health and addiction care services, Medi-Cal members may need a referral to the county mental health plan.
2Classes vary by location. Some members may have to pay a fee for certain classes.
3If you are a Medicaid beneficiary, your ability to receive behavioral health, mental health, and addiction services through Kaiser Permanente may vary depending on the state in which you live. In some states, these services are provided to you by the state or county Medicaid program rather than by Kaiser Permanente. Please be sure to check your Medicaid member manual or check with Member Services for which of these services you may obtain through Kaiser Permanente.
4If you believe you have an emergency medical condition, call 911 or go to the nearest hospital.
5See note 2.