Types of mental health providers
Caregiver
Family members, as well as specially trained caregivers, who provide care through in-home assistance, community programs, and residential facilities to support everyday living. They allow for patients who need long-term care to be able to live in their homes and participate in their community. These individuals include, but are not limited to: family members, friends, social workers, teachers, psychologists, psychiatrists and mentors.
Case Manager
A mental health provider appointed by a mental health service to plan and oversee the patient's recovery. Often referred to as service coordinators, advocates, and facilitators, they organize and coordinate services for individual patients and their families. Appointed during recovery, they help with things like: scheduling assessments, preparing treatment plans, managing day-to-day issues, making recovery plans with goals and strategies, and ending involvement in mental health services.
Psychologist
A professional with a doctoral degree in psychology who can diagnose and provide psychotherapy to treat mental health disorders in individual or group therapy settings. Typically not licensed to prescribe medication, so they may work with / refer to another provider that can prescribe. They often specialize in a specific type of psychotherapy.
Clinical Social Worker
Health providers trained in counseling and psychotherapy that assist clients with information, referral, and direct help in dealing with local, State, or Federal government agencies. As a result, they often serve as case managers to help people "navigate the system." Clinical social workers cannot write prescriptions. Social workers can also be found in school systems to provide similar aid to students and employees.
Counselor
A provider with a masters degree in psychology or counseling with the specific training to give guidance on personal, social, or psychological problems. They don’t tend to give guidance to individuals with serious mental illness. They work with a variety of patients and mostly operate in private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and inpatient facilities.
Life Coach
A provider that offers counseling and encouragement to help clients find success and satisfaction in their careers, relationships, and lives. While they can help clients move past challenges and refocus life goals, they do not practice medicine and can only treat clinical disorders alongside other professionals.
Nurse Practitioner (NP)
A nurse practitioner is an advanced practice registered nurse with more responsibilities for administering care than a registered nurse. They can prescribe medication, examine patients, diagnose illnesses and provide treatment, much like physicians do. In some states, nurse practitioners have full authority and do not have to work under the supervision of another doctor. In mental health services, Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses play an important role in prescribing medications, diagnosing, and providing psychosocial treatment.
Primary Care Physician (PCP)
The general doctor seen for annual physicals and coordinating additional health care, like referring patients to mental health specialists. They are physicians who provide both the first contact for a person with an undiagnosed health concern as well as continuing care of varied medical conditions. They can prescribe medication for a mental health condition.
Psychiatrist
A physician who has completed medical school and a Psychiatric residency program, and specializes in the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of mental illness. This type of doctor can be further specialized in child and adolescent, geriatric or addiction psychiatry. They can diagnose and treat mental health disorders, prescribe medication as treatment and provide psychotherapy (if trained).
Registered Nurse (RN)
A professional with a nursing degree that provides patient care and can administer medicine. These providers coordinate your care with licensed practical nurses, technicians, and other medical providers. They perform more advanced assessments, counseling than a licensed practical nurse. They also teach patients how to use medications or other treatment tools (inhalers, insulin injection, etc.). However, they cannot prescribe medication.
Therapist
A therapist, or psychotherapist, is a licensed mental health provider who helps clients improve their mental health. A common type of therapist is a talk therapist, who uses therapeutic methods not involving the use of medication. A therapist cannot prescribe medication and uses non-medicinal ways to treat mental health disorders. Therapists are similar to counselors, except they tend to provide more long-term care.
If you need more assistance, feel free to reach out to our Support team at support@miresource.com.
Family members, as well as specially trained caregivers, who provide care through in-home assistance, community programs, and residential facilities to support everyday living. They allow for patients who need long-term care to be able to live in their homes and participate in their community. These individuals include, but are not limited to: family members, friends, social workers, teachers, psychologists, psychiatrists and mentors.
Case Manager
A mental health provider appointed by a mental health service to plan and oversee the patient's recovery. Often referred to as service coordinators, advocates, and facilitators, they organize and coordinate services for individual patients and their families. Appointed during recovery, they help with things like: scheduling assessments, preparing treatment plans, managing day-to-day issues, making recovery plans with goals and strategies, and ending involvement in mental health services.
Psychologist
A professional with a doctoral degree in psychology who can diagnose and provide psychotherapy to treat mental health disorders in individual or group therapy settings. Typically not licensed to prescribe medication, so they may work with / refer to another provider that can prescribe. They often specialize in a specific type of psychotherapy.
Clinical Social Worker
Health providers trained in counseling and psychotherapy that assist clients with information, referral, and direct help in dealing with local, State, or Federal government agencies. As a result, they often serve as case managers to help people "navigate the system." Clinical social workers cannot write prescriptions. Social workers can also be found in school systems to provide similar aid to students and employees.
Counselor
A provider with a masters degree in psychology or counseling with the specific training to give guidance on personal, social, or psychological problems. They don’t tend to give guidance to individuals with serious mental illness. They work with a variety of patients and mostly operate in private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and inpatient facilities.
Life Coach
A provider that offers counseling and encouragement to help clients find success and satisfaction in their careers, relationships, and lives. While they can help clients move past challenges and refocus life goals, they do not practice medicine and can only treat clinical disorders alongside other professionals.
Nurse Practitioner (NP)
A nurse practitioner is an advanced practice registered nurse with more responsibilities for administering care than a registered nurse. They can prescribe medication, examine patients, diagnose illnesses and provide treatment, much like physicians do. In some states, nurse practitioners have full authority and do not have to work under the supervision of another doctor. In mental health services, Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses play an important role in prescribing medications, diagnosing, and providing psychosocial treatment.
Primary Care Physician (PCP)
The general doctor seen for annual physicals and coordinating additional health care, like referring patients to mental health specialists. They are physicians who provide both the first contact for a person with an undiagnosed health concern as well as continuing care of varied medical conditions. They can prescribe medication for a mental health condition.
Psychiatrist
A physician who has completed medical school and a Psychiatric residency program, and specializes in the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of mental illness. This type of doctor can be further specialized in child and adolescent, geriatric or addiction psychiatry. They can diagnose and treat mental health disorders, prescribe medication as treatment and provide psychotherapy (if trained).
Registered Nurse (RN)
A professional with a nursing degree that provides patient care and can administer medicine. These providers coordinate your care with licensed practical nurses, technicians, and other medical providers. They perform more advanced assessments, counseling than a licensed practical nurse. They also teach patients how to use medications or other treatment tools (inhalers, insulin injection, etc.). However, they cannot prescribe medication.
Therapist
A therapist, or psychotherapist, is a licensed mental health provider who helps clients improve their mental health. A common type of therapist is a talk therapist, who uses therapeutic methods not involving the use of medication. A therapist cannot prescribe medication and uses non-medicinal ways to treat mental health disorders. Therapists are similar to counselors, except they tend to provide more long-term care.
If you need more assistance, feel free to reach out to our Support team at support@miresource.com.
Updated on: 07/11/2023
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