About PaPS
- Call your family physician or PCP (primary care physician) for a referral to a psychiatrist in your area.
- Call your health insurance plan and ask for a referral to a psychiatrist. There is usually a phone number on the back of your insurance card for you to call.
- Look in the phone book under the section for Physicians and Surgeons by specialty, and then find the “Psychiatry” section.
- Call your county’s Mental Health/Intellectual Disabilities Services office. The phone number is usually listed in the blue pages of phone directories under “County Government” or “Guide to Human Services.” This is an option for anyone, those with and those without insurance.
- If you are feeling desperate or in need of urgent care, go to your local hospital’s emergency room and ask for assistance.
Mental Health Parity resources from the APA
The Consumer Portal:
- Intended to be used by consumers, patients and providers
- We encourage our members to use it to direct patients with parity issues and complaints
- http://www.hhs.gov/mental-health-and-addiction-insurance-help/index.html
Consumer Guide to Disclosure Rights
- Outlines insurance plan documents that patients and their providers can ask for and are entitled to see
- https://store.samhsa.gov/product/Consumer-Guide-To-Disclosure-Rights-Making-The-Most-Of-Your-Mental-
- Patient needs to question rates paid to MH/SUD providers