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Willow is currently serving patients 18+ years of age located in New York state.
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Willow is currently serving patients 18+ years of age located in New York state.
Urgent Mental Health Care Online: What It Is and How to Access It Today
Some things can’t wait a week. When you are experiencing a crisis, accessing urgent mental health care online can make all the difference. Knowing where to turn for mental health treatment can be a daunting thing for anyone, especially for people in crisis who are already overwhelmed. Our goal in this article is to clarify your options for urgent mental healthcare, who qualifies, and what to expect.
What Does 'Urgent Mental Health Care Online' Actually Mean?
Not everyone needs the level of support offered in an emergency room visit, but they may need more than one hour of therapy once a week. That’s where urgent mental health care options come in.
How is urgent care different from therapy or an ER visit?
Urgent care is offered through structured treatment programs that offer more intensive support than what is possible in one-on-one individual therapy, but on an outpatient basis. This means that people typically live at home while attending the program and don’t need 27/7 health monitoring and safety support. These programs can help prevent mental health crises from developing into high-risk situations that require an ER visit or inpatient treatment. Many programs are offered online through HIPAA-compliant secured video calls.
What types of mental health situations qualify as urgent?
Some mental health experiences require urgent treatment and support. This may be the case for people who are experiencing symptoms that interfere with their daily lives but aren’t emergencies and don’t pose a serious risk to their safety or that of others.
Who Is Online Urgent Mental Health Care For?
Mental health concerns exist on a spectrum, and therefore, treatment should too. This range of options is often referred to as “stepped care,” meaning that people “step up” to higher levels of care for more acute needs, and “step down” to less intense care as they progress. It is recommended that people have access to options that impose the fewest restrictions necessary to best support recovery.
Signs you may need more than a therapy appointment
People who are candidates for structured outpatient treatment programs may be experiencing symptoms and concerns such as being unable to care for oneself or fulfill responsibilities, stress, panic attacks, trauma, self-harm, anxiety, obsessive behaviors and compulsions, depression and mood disorders, thoughts of suicide, thoughts of harming others, or seeing and hearing things that aren’t there.
Additionally, people completing inpatient or residential treatment programs often benefit from stepping down to a less restrictive level of care in an outpatient setting that still provides a good level of support and services.
Who might not need urgent care right now
Not everyone needs urgent, structured treatment. If your symptoms are having a minimal impact on your life and you are still managing to stay on top of responsibilities and caring for yourself, you may not require the frequency and intensity that urgent care offers.
If you are unsure what level of care is right for you, that is totally understandable. Even professionals need training to know which level of the care continuum is right for their patients. Most programs provide a comprehensive assessment to ensure they are the best fit for your needs right now. Reaching out is never an overreaction; it is a way to empower yourself with all the information you need to make an informed decision about your care.
How Online Urgent Mental Health Care Works at Willow Health
The mission of Willow Health is to bridge the gap between urgent crisis services and longer-term care. Our crisis program is unique in that it offers a bridge between regular outpatient services and intensive treatment programs. We aim to provide convenient access to care that is private and safe.
What happens when you first reach out?
You can schedule your first appointment or a free 20-minute consultation call online or give us a call. We verify your insurance, send you the required intake documents, and provide instructions on joining the video call for your sessions.
What does a virtual crisis session look like?
Our patients meet with both a therapist and a medication provider as a part of the intake process to ensure everyone is screened for the right types of care. They review what’s prompting you to seek treatment now, as well as your social background and medical history, and identify your goals and priorities for treatment.
How quickly can you be seen?
We offer same-day or next-day appointments to ensure your urgent needs are met promptly.
Is Virtual Urgent Mental Health Care as Effective as In-Person Care?
Many people want to know that the treatment they receive via telehealth is as effective as in-person options. Research has shown that treatment outcomes using in-person or telehealth options are very similar.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and the increased availability of online therapy, research into several areas of healthcare, including mental healthcare, showed that telehealth was just as effective as in-person services, if not more so.
Accessing care via technology allows people to get the support they need from the comfort and privacy of their own home. Many people wouldn’t be able to spend the time commuting to an office multiple days a week, and for them, online offerings truly are an incredible resource. Online programs increase accessibility to quality treatment for working professionals, busy parents, disabled individuals, and people who live far from treatment programs.
Some people may require in-person care if virtual options cannot meet their needs or preferences. Inpatient treatment may be necessary in cases when someone is a danger to themselves or others, is experiencing psychosis, or requires medical monitoring.
Virtual Urgent Mental Health Care In New York State
Willow Health offers crisis and intensive outpatient programs for New York residents.
Our mission is to help more people access quality, timely, and effective care when they need it most.
Frequently Asked Questions About Urgent Online Mental Health Care
Below are some common questions others ask about our program. If we didn’t answer all your questions in this article, give us a call at 646-814-1530.
Does insurance cover urgent mental health care online?
Most insurance plans do cover the online mental healthcare services we offer here at Willow Health. We are happy to verify insurance coverage and explain how it works.
What if I'm in immediate danger — should I still use an online service?
No, if you are in immediate danger, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.
How is Willow Health different from a standard teletherapy app?
Willow Health is an accredited healthcare organization, not an app or a tech company that isn’t subject to the same level of regulatory oversight. All the services our patients receive are provided by Willow Health employees, not contractors, unlike most therapy apps. Our mission and focus are to provide the highest-quality, most effective, safe, and confidential mental healthcare services possible.
Sources
Least Restrictive Care | Zero Suicide
Telemental health for clinical assessment and treatment | The BMJ
This article is provided for educational purposes only and is not to be considered medical advice or mental health treatment. The information contained herein is not a substitute for seeking professional medical advice for health concerns. Use of the techniques and practices outlined in this article is to be done cautiously and at one’s own risk, and the author/publisher is not liable for any outcomes a reader may experience. The author/publisher is not liable for any information contained within linked external websites. If you are experiencing a life-threatening emergency, please call 911 or the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.