How to Obtain a Community Mental Health Provider

Medi-Cal - (also referred to as Carleton and previously Partnership)

Mild-moderate concerns: visit a private practice provider in the community.

  • Go to our "Finding a Medi-Cal Provider in Sonoma County" page, which details the way you can do an Internet search to find lists of a large number of providers.
  • You can filter your search in a variety of ways, such as male vs female provider, if they have openings, if they speak a certain language

Moderate-severe concerns (including Bipolar Disorder, Schizophrenia, extensive suicidal thinking, extensive case management):

  • Make an appointment at a community health clinic, listed at https://aliadoshealth.org/enrollment/
  • You will first see a primary care provider who can then arrange for you to see mental health therapist.

Kaiser

  • Make an appointment with your Primary Care Provider (PCP) or new PCP at Kaiser.
  • If you've never been in contact with anyone at Kaiser, make an appointment for a general check-up.
  • Once you meet with the provider, explain your mental health concerns, and make sure to indicate that they are significant and meeting with an individual therapist weekly is really needed. You need to be very assertive that your concerns are extremely significant and you need weekly therapy.
  • The PCP should explain the referral process, and a member of the referral team will contact you.
  • Many patients are then offered the option to meet with someone weekly through an external, contracted agency.
  • The co-pay when visiting an external provider will be the same as what you pay at Kaiser.

Commercial Insurance - (eg Blue Cross, Blue Shield, Cigna, Aetna, GeoBlue and a bunch more)

  • Your insurance company can give you a list of participating providers. To obtain this information, call the Member Services number listed on the back of your insurance card or log into the company's online portal.
  • You can also use search engines and filter by this insurance, on the Internet sites such as Headway, Two Chairs, Grow Therapy, HelloAlma, Psychology Today, Redwood Psychological Association, and RECAMFT.
  • The first four of these will give you times when a provider has openings. For the last three, you will need to call many providers, 10 at a time, to get a call back from someone who has an opening.
  • Another local option is www.psychstrategies.com a local group practice with many providers.

No Insurance