What Are the Levels of Care for a Mental Health Crisis?
What are mental health levels of care? Levels of care are the range of psychiatric services available to patients. Most people are only familiar with the inpatient versus outpatient binary, but there are actually a range of services that meet different levels of need.
Important: Most inpatient and residential centers take insurance, but deductibles often must be reached for coverage to go into effect. Mental health conditions such as major depression, biopolar disorder, schizophrenia and substance abuse disorder will require some or all of the below services and levels of care over a lifetime.
Quick Definitions
24-hour care, stabilization, including therapy, medication. Often includes detox and/or other medical services | Average Cost: $10,000-$40,000 per month or more | Insurance coverage: Sometimes, not always fully covered
24-hour care, including therapy, medication etc. | Average Cost: $6,000-$20,000 per month or more | Insurance coverage: Partial or full coverage if in network
8-12 hours of care per day, sometimes but not always including therapy | Average Cost: $500-$1000 per day | Insurance coverage: Partial or full coverage if in network
3-5 hours of care per day, 3-6 days per week | Average Cost: $100-$300 per day | Insurance coverage: Partial or full coverage if in network
Typically 15 minutes-1 hour a week, including individual, family, couples and group therapy | Average Cost: $50-$300 per hour, depending on practitioner | Insurance coverage: If practitioner is in network
To find out if your insurance provider covers the care that you need, call the phone number on the back of your health insurance card and ask if they cover the type of treatment you want and at what rate.