Belle (not her real name) asks:

Hi there,
I realize that this question will likely take research by me, but I thought I’d ask in case you knew off the top of your head — do you know if there are intensive outpatient programs (Partial Hospitalization programs) who take people who don’t have insurance. I recently got depressed enough that I needed to quit my job and move in with my dad, and I’m realizing that leaving my health insurance behind was likely counterintuitive.

I’m sorry that this difficult time has come to you. As you guessed, you will really end up having to research this yourself, because hospitals and their programs vary a great deal. I hope these general ideas give you someplace to start thinking and looking for information.

If you are unemployed and have no assets, you may be able to qualify for Medicaid, a government program that includes mental health benefits, including hospitalizations when needed. If your father is a supportive person, and if you are very depressed, consider asking his help to pursue this. It’s a process. You have to first deal with the Medicaid system (and its paperwork), and then the mental health system (and its paperwork) and get a counselor and start treatment. The counselor would be the one to help decide if you would qualify for hospitalization, based on your symptoms and functioning. That’s just a lot of steps to go through and I hate to ask a very depressed person to face all that without some good support. However, this is the most likely way for you to get hospital or supported living services without your own insurance.

If you are not significantly suicidal or homicidal, I would recommend that you start off with finding a good counselor and also a good psychiatrist. A combination of medications and counseling is likely to benefit you, and it will cost a lot less than a partial hospitalization. The mantra of the mental health world is to serve people in the least restrictive environment that is safely possible. Bottom line: if you’re not a danger to somebody, you’re not likely to be hospitalized anyway. I hope you will also reference the recent post, “Knowing is Half the Battle.”

I hope you will be able to find the help that you need to feel better and regain a happy life!

Best wishes,

Mr. C