Mental Health & Substance Use Resources
Finding Help: When to Get It and Where to Go
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First Steps To Finding Help
- You can get referrals from your family doctor, clergy or local Mental Health America office (which also may provide mental health care services) and crisis centers. Consider getting a few names, so you can interview more than one person before choosing.
- Your insurance company can provide a list of providers who are in your plan.
- Eligible veterans can get care through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. For more information, go to www.va.gov/health or call 1-877-222-8387. If you already have benefits through the VA, visit http://www.va.gov/directory to find your nearest facility.
- You can find affordable mental health services through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Visit http://www.samhsa.gov/treatment or call 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
- Your local health department’s mental health division or community mental health center provides free or low-cost treatment and services on a sliding scale. These services are state funded and are obligated to first serve individuals who meet “priority population criteria” as defined by the state Mental Health Department.
- Your company’s employee assistance program (EAP) can issue a referral to a provider. Reach out to your Human Resources office to get more information about your company’s EAP.
- Medicare offers a list of participating doctors on its website, http://www.medicare.gov. (Click on “Find doctors & other health professionals”).
- Providers who accept Medicaid may be listed by your state Medicaid office, which you can find by clicking on the name of your state at http://www.benefits.gov/benefits/browse-by-category/category/MED.
What About Support Groups?
Peer support can be an important addition to the help you receive from professional mental health providers. Many people find self-help support groups a valuable resource. These groups, led by a layperson, are designed to bring together people with similar mental health or substance abuse conditions. People with mental health conditions—who often refer to themselves as mental health consumers—have organized other types of peer supports, including drop-in centers, warmlines and training courses in wellness and recovery.
Which Mental Health Professional Is Right For Me?
Psychiatrist: A medical doctor with special training in the diagnosis and treatment of mental and emotional illnesses. Like other doctors, psychiatrists are qualified to prescribe medication.
Child/Adolescent Psychiatrist: A medical doctor specially trained in the diagnosis and treatment of emotional and behavioral problems in children.
Psychologist: A professional with a doctoral degree in psychology, two years of supervised professional experience, including a year-long internship from an approved internship and is trained to make diagnoses and provide individual and group therapy.
Clinical Social Worker: A counselor with a master’s degree in social work trained to make diagnoses and provide individual and group counseling.
Licensed Professional Counselor: A counselor with a master’s degree in psychology, counseling or a related field, trained to diagnose and provide individual and group counseling.
Mental Health Counselor: A counselor with a master’s degree and several years of supervised clinical work experience trained to diagnose and provide individual and group counseling.
Certified Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor: A counselor with specific clinical training in alcohol and drug abuse trained to diagnose and provide individual and group counseling.
Marital and Family Therapist: A professional with a master’s degree, with special education and training in marital and family therapy trained to diagnose and provide individual and group counseling.
Pastoral Counselor: A member of clergy with training in clinical pastoral education trained to diagnose and provide individual and group counseling.
You Called A Mental Health Professional...Now What?
Spend a few minutes talking with him or her on the phone; ask about their approach to working with patients, their philosophy, whether or not they have a specialty or concentration. If you feel comfortable talking to the counselor or doctor, the next step is to make an appointment.
On your first visit, the therapist or doctor will want to get to know you and why you called him or her. The therapist will want to know—what you think the problem is; about your life; what you do; where you live and with whom you live. It is also common to be asked about your family and friends. This information helps the professional to assess your situation and develop a plan for treatment.
As you progress through the therapeutic process, you should begin to feel gradual relief from your distress, to develop self-assurance and have a greater ability to make decisions and increased comfort in your relationship with others. Therapy may be painful and uncomfortable at times but episodes of discomfort occur during the most successful therapy sessions. Mental health treatment should help you cope with your feelings more effectively.
Spend a few minutes talking with him or her on the phone; ask about their approach to working with patients, their philosophy, whether or not they have a specialty or concentration. If you feel comfortable talking to the counselor or doctor, the next step is to make an appointment.
On your first visit, the therapist or doctor will want to get to know you and why you called him or her. The therapist will want to know—what you think the problem is; about your life; what you do; where you live and with whom you live. It is also common to be asked about your family and friends. This information helps the professional to assess your situation and develop a plan for treatment.
As you progress through the therapeutic process, you should begin to feel gradual relief from your distress, to develop self-assurance and have a greater ability to make decisions and increased comfort in your relationship with others. Therapy may be painful and uncomfortable at times but episodes of discomfort occur during the most successful therapy sessions. Mental health treatment should help you cope with your feelings more effectively.
The following are a few common types of therapy:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) has two main aspects. The cognitive part works to develop helpful beliefs about your life. The behavioral side helps you learn to take healthier actions.
- Interpersonal therapy focuses largely on improving relationships and helping a person express emotions in healthy ways.
- Family therapy helps family members communicate, handle conflicts and solve problems better.
- Psychodynamic therapy helps people develop a better understanding about their unconscious emotions and motivations that can affect their thoughts and actions.
- Art therapy can include using music, dance, drawing and other art forms to help express emotions and promote healing.
- Psychoeducation helps people understand mental health conditions and ways to promote recovery.
Resources and links to get help in SF:
https://sf.gov/information/mental-health-and-substance-use-resourcesPsychiatry and Psychology Clinics and Services at UCSF:
Hotlines to access mental health services in SF
Call 911
If you have a medical or psychiatric emergency please call 911.If you are unable to call 911, you can now text 911.
24-hour suicide hotline
If you or someone you know is in crisis, call 415-781-0500 or live chat at sfsuicide.orgAccess to mental health and substance use disorder services
For the 24-hour access line, call 888-246-3333TDD: 888-484-7200
Behavioral Health Access Center (BHAC)
1380 Howard Street, 1st Floor (at 10th Street)
San Francisco, CA 94103
Monday to Friday, 8 am to 5 pm
For general information and appointments, call 415-503-4730
See available substance use treatment beds here
Emergency Psychiatric Services
628-206-8125Zuckerberg San Francisco General
1001 Potrero Avenue
Comprehensive Crisis Services
Offers assistance to people in crisis including assessments and crisis interventions.415-970-3800
24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Urgent Care for mental health issues
Westside Crisis415-355-0311
245 11th Street
Monday to Friday 8 am to 6 pm
Saturday 9 am to 4pm
Dore Urgent Care
415-553-3100
52 Dore Street
24 hours, 7 days a week
Mental Health services for young adults aged 18 to 24
415-642-4525Monday to Friday 9 am to 5pm
Online chat
Substance use relapse line
415-834-1144Mental health and substance use services for individuals experiencing homelessness
415-234-3707Monday to Friday 10 am to 8 pm
Mental health talk line
Peer-run mental health talk line855-845-7415
24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Crisis text line
Connect with a crisis counselor by texting the word "home" to 741741.
