Find a Provider

Choosing a mental health provider: A step-by-step guide:

Check out this resource from Mental Health America. A key part of moving toward wellness is finding mental health providers who you feel comfortable with. Providers can help you to deal with current stresses, heal old traumas, and make decisions about medication. They can also work with you to develop treatment plans that reflect your goals.

In This Article:

• Choosing a provider
• Questions to consider
• Calling a potential provider
• Preparing for your first appointment
• Understanding your role in treatment
• If you’re not satisfied with your care

NPR presents: A step-by-step guide to finding a therapist

This article features considerations, pathways to finding a provider, types of therapy, and finding a good fit.

Medication Review Program:

• Second-opinion medication reviews are requested from the state when psychiatric medication is prescribed outside of state guidelines. A review will be triggered for:
• Children receiving 2 or more atypical antipsychotics (AAPs)
• Children age 5 or younger receiving psychotropic medications
• Children receiving 5 or more psychotropic medications
• High doses (ADHD, AAPs, antipsychotics)
• It is important to note that Seattle Children’s Hospital psychiatrists are one step in the state-mandated medication review process. We do not set state guidelines or flag specific medications, but we do believe in the value of peer review and provider-to-provider collaboration. Please contact us if you have questions at 206-987-2702 or by email.

Psychology Today

Is a site to search verified mental health professionals based on insurance, areas, treatment specialty, and other preferences

Washington State Mental Health Referral Service for Children and Teens

How to Use the Mental Health Referral Service
Call 833-303-5437 Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

What can families expect?

• First, you have a telephone call (15–20 minutes) with a Referral Specialist to chat about what type of mental health services your child/teen needs.
• Next, the Referral Specialist will research mental health providers in your area to find at least 2 providers that meet your family’s needs.
• After matches are found, a referral specialist will call and email the information to you to coach how to access a provider in real-time.
• A few weeks after providing the referrals, the referral specialist will check if the matches were a good fit and an appointment was scheduled. At this time, we will address any barriers you experienced and match you to another provider as needed.
• Our service works closely with Primary Care Providers throughout WA State and faxes the referral matches to your PCP for care coordination. For families with Apple Health insurance, referral matches are sent to Apple Health case managers to provide additional care support.

Washington Partnership Access Line

How to use the PAL line: Call 866-599-7257 Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

PAL partners with the Washington Mental Health Referral Service for Children and Teens listed above to support “primary care providers (doctors, nurse practitioners and physician assistants) with questions about mental health care such as diagnostic clarification, medication adjustment, or treatment planning. Child and adolescent psychiatrists are available to consult during business hours.

D/deaf and Hard of Hearing

My Deaf Therapy

Utilizes ASL, KODA/CODA, and other languages/ dialects to provide mental health services for individuals and families across hearing, BIPOC, LGBTQ+, neurodiverse and other spectrums.

National Deaf Therapy

Mental Health American Sign Language Therapy uses ASL “from initial contact to intensive ASL therapy sessions” to center mental health.

Wilson Clinical Services

Specializing in Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Deaf Blind, and Blind mental health services.

Latinx Therapy

South Asian Therapists

Inclusive Therapists

Liberation Healing Seattle

Black Therapists Referrals in Washington State

Deconstructing the Mental Health System

Deconstructing the Mental Health System is a nonprofit founded as a means to bring anti-racist therapists & wellness practitioners together to address the mental health system’s racial and financial inequities, through education and other initiatives, such as our Free Therapy & Wellness Program and a free directory for Therapists & Wellness Professionals who identify as Black, Indigenous and People of Color.

Find Free Nalaoxone

The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) has launched an online Naloxone Finder to help residents locate free naloxone, a medication that reverses opioid overdoses, including fentanyl. This tool supports statewide overdose prevention efforts and is especially helpful for those at risk, their families, and community members.