Receiving the care for your child’s behavioral health condition is important. In most cases, if your child has medical insurance, the insurance company may help pay for services. Here is some information to help you understand Mental Health Parity:
The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act requires annual or lifetime dollar limits on mental health benefits to be no lower than any such dollar limits for medical and surgical benefits offered by a group health plan or health insurance issuer offering coverage in connection with a group health plan. Prior to the MHPAEA and similar legislation, insurers were not required to cover mental health care and so access to treatment was limited, underscoring the importance of the act. SAMHSA has more information about parity for mental health and substance use disorder benefits and equity in behavioral health services.
If your child does not have insurance, here is some information on how to obtain medical insurance for your child:
- Medicaid and FAMIS are free or low-cost health coverage offered in combination by the federal government and state government to millions of Americans, including some low-income people, families and children, pregnant women, the elderly, and people with disabilities. Your child may qualify for a Medicaid Waivers for Children With Disabilities.
- Medicare: If your child is over 22 and meets certain requirements, they may qualify for Medicare.
- Cover Virginia, Connecting Virginians to Affordable Health Care: Determine eligibility and learn how to apply for one of Virginia’s health coverage options.
- If you are not able to obtain insurance coverage through your employer and you are not eligible for government insurance, you can visit the Health Insurance Marketplace at HealthCare.gov.
If you cannot obtain insurance for your child, or your child does have insurance and you cannot afford the co-pay, co-insurance, or deductible, other resources include:
- Services may available through a Federally Qualified Health Center. Locally, that is Neighborhood Health and HealthWorks for Northern Virginia.
- The Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board offers low-cost or free care on a sliding scale to the public. Typical services include emergency services, therapy and psychiatric care for adults and for children.
- Healthy Minds Fairfax's Short-Term Behavioral Health can provide free short-term counseling services to your child. Contact your child’s clinical team to find about if you are eligible for this service or email DFSHealthyMinds@fairfaxcounty.gov for more information.
- FCPS has partnered with Hazel Health to provide mental health care for all high school students to help eliminate barriers to quality mental health care services at no cost to families. Therapy sessions with Hazel Health are a safe space and are private and confidential.
Additional low-cost behavioral health services can be found in: