Long story short–S17 just did not apply himself in the spring semester in college and failed his classes. This behavior is almost exactly like 2 years prior, in senior year in HS. He told his Dad that he just got behind in classes and started feeling overwhelmed.
Could it be ADHD? Depression? I don’t believe it was an academic struggle. He’s a quiet kid who loves music and biking. Doesn’t talk much. Fortunately has a full-time job so that will occupy his time next year when he’s not in school.
So my question is…what are some ways for him to get affordable mental health care? Should we figure out a way for him to get on his own insurance plan so it’s cheaper? (The last time he saw a therapist it was $180 each session).
Thanks everyone!
It could very well be ADHD Depression OCD or any type of mental health disorder.
Is he still enrolled in school /and or taking a intermission? I ask that bc many colleges offer free or low cost mental health counseling for their students and his college may be the fastest easiest way to get him affordable mental health care at school.
If not, some community health centers will offer sliding scales for patients. Some independent or even hospital affiliated therapists will offer sliding scales. Look for a nearby college, some offer community services by grad students and professors at a lower cost and trials or group therapy sessions. Reach out to national grass roots orgs like NAMI or MHA- they have local branches usually and may have contacts that can help you find lower cost services. There are also Tele- mental health services now where you face-time a therapist- they can be less $$
Hope you find something!!!
Do you live near any kind of a teaching hospital? If you do, there may be a Clinical Psychology program that will offer sliding scale psychological services.
Given that most insurance plans don’t cover therapy at 100%, it seems like the cost of getting him his own insurance plan plus the additional cost of therapy not covered by insurance would be much more than keeping him on your plan. However, if he is not going to stay in college, is he able to remain on your plan? I agree about trying a clinical psychology graduate program clinic. Some community mental health centers have sliding scale fees. Also, some masters level counselors (or counseling programs through churches) will have rates lower than psychologists.
If your son is on your insurance plan, can you look for a therapist that is in-network for this plan? The co-fee then could be between $10-40.
Assuming he has coverage through you or your spouse, have you looked for in-network therapists or licences clinical social workers? You should be able to search through your health insurance’s website. There is often a limit on the number of visits and a co-pay, but that it likely the least expensive.
As to getting him his own insurance, you would need to compare what you are paying for him now on the family plan vs a marketplace plan. Depending on how much money he is making, he may be eligible for a subsidy. If he is not making enough, depending on the state, he would have to go on medicare.
Otherwise, mental health clinics with sliding scales would be another way to go. If you suspect ADD or something like that you may have to pay out of pocket for a diagnosis or find an MD or nurse practitioner on your plan that will do it. You can perhaps find a developmental pediatrician that takes kids up to age 21.
Good luck! I know this may be very frustrating.
Have you checked to see if your insurance has EAP (Employee Assistance Program?). Ours allows each member of the family 5 free counseling sessions per issue/per year. My brother is a psychologist and made me aware of the program. We had this program available to us but I didn’t even know it until I contacted the insurance company and inquired specifically about it.
“If he is not making enough, depending on the state, he would have to go on medicare.” Do you mean Medicaid? If he gets his own insurance, it might be Medicaid or subsidized plan. Medicaid plans usually pay for counseling in clinics, sometimes with recent master’s grads still under supervision. I would keep him on your plan.
He can start with an MD or psychiatrist, maybe in a clinic for ADHD first. ADHD is diagnosed with an interview and questionnaire. There is no objective test for it. Ditto depression.I would get a diagnosis before finding a therapist.
Psychology Today has a list of therapists online. You plug in location and other info and get suggestions and photos. Check that against your insurance company’s list.
@compmom, Psychology Today does not screen therapists. If they pay, they can get listed there.
It is still a good resource for therapists to look into. I then read reviews and read bios etc. Or, alternatively, I hear a name and check them out on the PT list for photo and bio.
Getting a referral from another medical professional is the way to go IMHO. I got my therapist from my OB/GYN- not someone I would have found on my own (neither a psychiatrist nor a PhD in clinical psych) and she was amazing. I know people who have gotten referred to incredible counselors and therapists by asking their primary care doc, or asking a nurse practitioner in the practice. They see all sorts of people with all sorts of problems all the time and have a handle on who is good at what. They suggest support groups for people who are grieving, and know who the psychologists are who work with teenagers and adolescents.
@compmom, I agree that the Psychology Today directory can be a good source, but I know many people who thought that PT vetted professionals who wanted to purchase a listing. They do not.
Several years ago, I was in the midst of a gigantic sandwich-generation crisis and I reached out to all my friends who had ever revealed to me that they had been or were in therapy. That’s how I found my therapist and I will always be grateful to the friend who recommended her. But I know that doesn’t always yield results.
I live in Brooklyn, NYC and there’s an email list for parents of teens and young adults with frequent queries for all kinds of services and professionals. The listowner compiles recommendations on a website. I have forwarded that website to many friends looking for a tutor, a therapist, or someone to entertain at a bar/bat mitzvah or quinceanera.
It’s difficult and without the personal recommendations that you mention, almost impossible to vet therapists other than interviewing them. And if your kid is on Medicaid, even harder- you are basically limited to large clinics (and recent grads often, as I said).
I was trying to find a therapist for a friend in Brooklyn, and looked throughout Brooklyn and Manhattan, major hospital systems, and later included psychologists and psychiatrists as well as MSW’s and LMHC’s. It was impossible! I finally told the friend that inpatient for her kid in White Plains might be best!
At any rate, it never occurred to me that Psychology Today would compile the list by vetting professionals. That would be a huge task. But I am glad you made that point which is important.
I do like having the PT list’s photos, blurbs, bios and areas of interest but if there are no other reviews out there, I move on. Not that I am always looking for therapists but it has come up a few times in our family 
Yes, medicaid not medicare.
It is difficult to pick a mental health provider from a list. I helped someone do this and went through the profiles of each provider, which of course eliminated those without profiles. It helped to be able to at least find the ones that listed the particular issue as an area of interest/specialty and if they mentioned young adults. Did not need someone that was into family issues, vs individual.
I did not not find PT very helpful as it was mostly psychiatrists in my area.
I work in this area.
To get low cost insurance, he will need to file his taxes on his own for 2019. You can no longer claim him. If his income is below $16,146 (MAGI) for a household of 1, he can go on the federal health exchange to apply for Medicaid (typically no cost with very little out-of-pocket for services). However this can be complicated by the fact that not all states expanded Medicaid.
You can go to healthcare(dot)gov to see if your state uses the federal exchange or its own state exchange. You simply click on your state to see if you stay on the federal website or go to a state website. Then you can call and/or read about Medicaid to determine if it is an option for your son. Medicaid may or may not be open monthly for enrollment depending on the state laws. In my state, govt insurance (Medicaid) is open on a monthly basis (most insurance is not…you have to wait for an open enrollment).
Then you should check the coverage for mental health services (therapy will be covered by mandate). The trick is checking the “network” of therapist to be sure there is an opening. In my area (a metro), this is not an issue. In other areas, it is due to a shortage of therapists. Medicaid may also pay less so some clinics will limit the number of Medicaid clients…particularly new clients.
Finally, check your own insurance. At $180 per visit, you were probably in your deductible (paying the full amt with the reduction in cost required by the insurer). Call the insurer and check “the deal” for therapy visits. Is it subject to a deductible? How much more of your deductible is left for your plan year? The therapy visit may (or may not) be lower depending on these factors. Remember the deductible will re-set each plan year.
And the insurer will provide on-line or if you call a list of therapist in your area…typically by zip code. You may want to talk with his primary doctor about a referral as well…using the list as a base. Usually Medicaid is provided by an insurer (you may have choice on which insurer unless you are in a rural area with only one insurer) so checking the network of therapists by insurer will help you determine which insurer would be best to provide your Medicaid benefits. Typically if you don’t communicate a choice, Medicaid will pick it for you.
Moving him off your plan to another plan (not Medicaid) rarely makes sense due to an increase in the deductible for a family. It can only be done at the end of year. However you could also check his school…if he continues. Some schools offer insurance plans (check if it’s yearly or leaves gaps) and/or mental health visits at very affordable co-pays…but these are usually big universities. There can be some limits to those as well so be sure to research it.
Good luck. It’s not easy. Your current insurance and some budgeting may work for now. Or considering Medicaid for the future if he “goes out on his own” with work and taxes etc…and lives in the right state!
Just anecdotal info here. Finding a good recommended therapist that is also on our insurance was impossible for us. I saw one on my own insurance for nearly two years and while she was nice, we accomplished next to nothing. My own MD went through a list I’d printed of close to 50 therapists, and only circled this one I ended up seeing that was not very good.
Everyone recommends this one or that one, but when you go on the insurance site, the particular therapist isn’t listed as being in network. Actually had our pediatrician tell me (and Blue Shield rep as well) that the best ones don’t take insurance. I think it is far better to go with someone recommended by a friend or a doctor (and maybe not covered under insurance) rather than to pick one based on their Yelp or other reviews. Might only take a visit or two at $180, but worth it. Your pediatrician might be able to recommend one that works best with young people and then you can give it a try. We finally decided that mental health is just too important for our one kid and paid the $180/session to be with someone who understands boys and learning disabilities.
Just my .02.
@ilovebillyjoel
The price is obviously location dependent. However, I know local therapists that charge $150+/hr for patients with great insurance, and $60/hr for patients with no insurance who paid cash at each visit. When shopping around for prices, it will benefit you to explicitly mention that you will not be filing insurance and will pay cash.
A lot of practices list a price of, say, $150, but the insurance companies will “negotiate” down to $100 or $80 or even cheaper. If a patient informs the practice up front that the visits will not be billed to insurance, the practice may offer a non-insurance cash-pay price.