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Mental health and wellness care

If you’re having a hard time mentally or emotionally, we’re here to help. Learn more about how you can get care for yourself or a loved one — no referral needed.¹

Connect to mental health care

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Types of mental health care

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Medicaid members may be able to access more mental health services outside Kaiser Permanente. Ask your doctor about how to access mental health services under your specific plan.³

What to expect

Everyone’s mental health and wellness journey is different. At Kaiser Permanente, we’re here to help you feel better along the way.

Getting to know you is the first step in helping you find the care you need. You can talk to your primary care doctor about your concerns or call us to talk with our mental health care team or schedule an assessment for a later date. To help us connect you to the best care options for you, you’ll discuss things like:

What you’re feeling
Why you’re seeking care
A few details about your background and lifestyle
What you hope to get out of treatment

You’re unique — and your care should be, too. Your care team will work with you to design a treatment plan that fits your needs.

During each visit, you and your clinician will discuss how you’re feeling, what’s working, and if you feel supported and understood. You and your clinician will create and update your treatment plan based on what you both think is best for you — and that’s a good thing. Your care will meet you wherever you are on your mental health journey.

Mental health isn’t always easy to measure. But it can be rewarding to see where and how you’re improving.

The best measure of progress is how you’re feeling. Before each appointment, you’ll answer a set of questions about how you’re doing. This will help you and your care team decide what to work on and track what tools, therapies, and self-care techniques are helping you get better and reach your goals.

How to get care

When depression, anxiety, addiction and recovery, or other mental or emotional issues interfere with your daily life, we’re here to help.

Find mental health support near you

Need help now? If you think you’re having a psychiatric emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.⁴

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Common mental health concerns

Everyone’s experience is different, but it’s important to know that mental health issues are manageable — and support is available. Explore some of the signs and symptoms of different concerns.

Youth mental health

Many children and teens experience issues with mental health, emotional wellness, or substance use. We can help parents and caregivers find the right resources and learn how to offer support.

Pregnancy and postpartum mental health

Pregnancy and the time after childbirth are full of ups and downs. It’s not unusual to feel depressed, anxious, or overwhelmed. You’re not alone — and we can help.

Explore mental fitness tools

Digital self-care apps

These wellness apps can help you navigate life's challenges, and make small changes to improve your sleep, mood, relationships, and more.

Learn more about self-care apps

Classes and support groups

Join one of our group support programs or health education classes.⁵

Find classes and support groups near you

Find Your Words

Find Your Words is Kaiser Permanente’s public mental health awareness resource. Find tips for dealing with stress, talking about your mental health, getting peer support, and more.

Explore the Find Your Words resources

Self-assessments

An online self-assessment can help you understand difficult thoughts and feelings you might have — and where you may need some help.

Take an online self-assessment

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Frequently asked questions

The type of health care professional you’ll see depends on your needs, preferences, and goals for treatment.

Primary care doctors: Licensed medical doctors who can help assess your needs, prescribe and manage medications, and connect you to additional care.

Psychiatrists: Licensed medical doctors who can diagnose mental health conditions and prescribe and monitor medication. You may also work with other licensed medical professionals who can prescribe and monitor medications, like nurse practitioners, physician assistants, or pharmacists.

Therapists: Clinicians who can evaluate, diagnose, and treat mental health concerns. They may be licensed psychologists, clinical social workers, or marriage and family therapists.

Addiction medicine specialists: Clinicians who provide comprehensive treatment for people with substance use disorders and addiction issues.

Any mental health care professional you see will be highly skilled and passionate about helping you achieve your mental health goals. Because Kaiser Permanente also serves as a training site, you may also get care from a trainee supervised by a licensed professional.

We know that having a good relationship with your care team is important. So if your mental health care professional isn’t a good fit, let us know and we’ll help you find the right one for you.

We offer treatment and support for a wide range of mental, emotional, and substance use conditions, including:

If you’re thinking about getting mental health care, it can be tough to know where to start. That’s what we’re here for.

You can talk about your concerns with anyone on your care team at any time, and they can connect you to the support you need. Reach out to your primary care doctor, call our 24/7 advice line, or contact your local Kaiser Permanente mental health department directly. Wherever you choose to begin the conversation, we’ll help you understand your options and figure out the next steps.

Find mental health support near you

The best thing you can do to help someone you care about is to give them support, encouragement, and hope. If the person you want to help is a Kaiser Permanente member, you can encourage them to call us. We’ll talk to them about how they’re feeling and what they’re going through — that’s the first step to making sure they have the care and support they need.

For more information on how to help someone who’s struggling, visit findyourwords.org.

The type of clinician you see, how often you visit them, and how long you’re in treatment will depend on your needs and goals.

Your care team can help you set treatment goals, make progress toward achieving those goals, and keep you moving in a positive direction.

And if you don’t feel like your clinician is the right fit, just call us. We’ll work with you to find someone you’re more comfortable with.