Military life is normally stressful – long hours, deployments, separations, frequent moves, long phone calls to change health care locations to find new doctors, and dentists, enroll in school, find new jobs, etc. Add in the mix of the pandemic over the last three years and maintaining the same military operation tempo and moves throughout it, and there is a higher stress level for these families.
Finding mental health support and resources is thankfully a simpler process for TRICARE Prime and Select members. No referral is needed to receive mental health support unless you are an active-duty service member. An active-duty service member can see outpatient mental health services without a referral or pre-authorization as long as it is within the Military Treatment Facility. An active-duty service member does need a referral from their primary care provider to see mental health services outside of the Military Treatment Facility (MTF) but within the TRICARE network.
TRICARE does cover individual, family, and group psychotherapy or counseling.
TRICARE does not cover marriage counseling; however, Family Advocacy and some Military Family Life Counselors (MFLC) may be licensed for this and can provide this resource if needed. The military chaplain of the preferred religion can also provide marriage counseling.
Doctor on Demand is a telehealth service available for all TRICARE patients. Doctor On Demand’s Behavioral Health Care providers generally has appointments within a few days of appointment request. The hours are not confined to Monday through Friday business hours, so there is wider availability for care. TRICARE Prime patients should not pay any fee. TRICARE Select patients may have a co-pay. TRICARE West patients should utilize this link, and TRICARE East patients should utilize this link.
Telemynd is available for all TRICARE patients. TRICARE has partnered with Telemynd. The service increases access to psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, psychologists, and therapists all from your home. No referral is needed for active-duty family members or retirees. All sessions are done virtually, and there are no limits or maxim sessions per calendar region. Be sure to click the appropriate link for the west or east regions.
HealthLinkNow is only available in California, Nevada, Texas and Washington at the time of this writing. It is a virtual service offering behavioral healthcare including individual therapy and medication management. They offer couples therapy and may be covered by TRICARE as long as it is listed as marriage counseling.
Psych Connect is available in Arizona only at the time of this writing. It is a virtual service matching you with Counselors or Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners. This service does not prescribe controlled substances, including benzodiazepines. There is a 24-48 hour turnover for scheduling appointments. Because this service is only for patients in Arizona, you must be TRICARE West or Retiree living in the state.
TRICARE for Life beneficiaries have Medicare as the primary medical insurance, so utilize Medicare benefits for any mental health or medical concerns.
If you or someone you know is experiencing an emergency, dial 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. The National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is available 24 hours a day in English and Spanish and can be reached at the number 988.
Don’t go without the support you need. Share and use these services.
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