Find a Mental Health Provider
This page has resources to help you learn about your insurance coverage, find a therapist, and what to say when you’re reaching out to a potential new therapist. You can also request a referral here.
how do i know my insurance benefits?
Knowing your insurance benefits can make therapy more accessible and sustainable. We’ve created a printable form to help you verify your mental health coverage before beginning services.
We recommend going through each question on the form to fully understand your benefits. While it may feel a bit long, its an incredibly helpful tool for learning what’s covered, what isn’t, and how to choose a provider so you can focus more on treatment and less on how you will pay.
find a therapist
After reviewing your insurance benefits, if you don’t already have a provider, please explore the referral links below. Each includes a short description to help you identify which resource may be the best fit for your needs.
If the list feels overwhelming or you’d like a little extra support finding a therapist, we’d love to help. Click here to request a referral.
Illinois Non-Crisis Mental Health Partners
If you (or your child) have Illinois Medicaid, this is a list of non-emergency mental health clinics covered by your insurance.Illinois Warm Line
If you (or a loved one) has mental health and/or substance use challenges and would like to recieve support by phone, call the Illinois Warm Line at 866-359-7953. Wellness Support Specialists are professionals who have experienced mental health and/or substance use recovery in their own lives. They are trained in recovery support, mentoring, and advocacy and are ready to listen and support you. The Warm Line is not a crisis hotline, but is a source of support as you recover or help a family member to recover. The warm line is open Monday through Saturday, 8am-8pm.Psychology Today
Search by location, specialization, insurance, gender, race/ethnicity, and more!Therapy Den
Therapists are required to sign a values pledge related to anti-racism, celebration of gender and sexual diversity, etc. Search by location, specialization, insurance, gender, race/ethnicity, and more!APA Psychologist Locator
Find a licensed psychologist by location and practice specialization.Open Path Collective
Find a therapist who is offering low cost therapy (between $30 and $70 per session). Search by rate, race/ethnicity, specialization, and more!Chicago Black Therapist Directory
Find a Black therapist in the Chicago area.AAPI Therapists in Chicagoland
Get help finding an Asian American therapist in the Chicago area.Therapy for Black Girls Directory
Professional therapists specializing in the treatment of Black women and girls.Inclusive Therapists Directory
Find social justice oriented therapists by location.Latinx Therapy Directory
Search Latinx therapists by insurance, specialization, migration and/or cultural background, and more!Asian Mental Health Collective Directory
Search Asian American therapists by gender, specialization, ethnicity, insurance, and more!South Asian Therapists Directory
Search South Asian therapists by location.National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Directory
Search therapists by location and those offering sliding scale (i.e., reduced fee sessions).Melanin and Mental Health Directory
Search therapists by ethnicity, specialization, insurance, and more!Black Virtual Wellness Directory
Search for therapists, yoga teachers, and more!American Arab, Middle Eastern, and North African Psychological Association
Search for a therapist with expertise supporting AMENA clients.A Home Within
Open-ended, long-term, individual psychotherapy—free of charge—to current and former foster youth.
reaching out to a therapist
Need help writing your message to a potential therapist? Here are a few things that, as therapists, make it a little easier to know if we are the right person to help you out (or if one of our colleagues might be that right person). It is 100% okay to copy and paste the same message to multiple therapists. Including all the answers to these questions in your initial message will help you get connected to the right person to meet your needs.
1) Include a bit about what you are hoping to work on in therapy. Many therapists specialize in particular areas, and want to make sure they have the proper expertise to help you.
2) Say what you are looking for in a therapist (make sure you share any therapist characteristics that are ideal or preferred, including gender, race, sexual orientation, etc.). Make sure to ask for a referral if the therapist is not available.
3) Tell them any and all times you are available, even if they seem like odd or unlikely times to you.
4) If you have insurance you need to use in network, let them know that (and the name of your plan, so they can tell you if they are in network). If you can do out of network, let them know that as well. If you need to do a sliding scale/reduced rate, provide the range you can afford to pay weekly or every other week.
5) Let them know if you are able to meet in person and/or virtually. If telehealth is an option, what state will you be in at the time of your sessions? Therapists need to know they are licensed and legally allowed to practice in the state where you are located at the time of your session.
request a referral
Would finding an in-network provider make therapy financially sustainable and accessible for you, but you haven’t been able to find one? Many people find it incredibly difficult to find a mental health provider who is in network with your insurance and meets your unique needs. If you have insurance but need help finding a therapist to work with you, we would love to help!
We have access to a vast network of mental health clinicians, many of whom are in network with major insurances and have immediate availability.
Note: ACJMH does not endorse, employ, or screen any individual service providers. You are encouraged to vet and choose a provider who feels right for you.