What are medical health providers and practitioners?

Mental health providers, or practitioners, are professionals who offer services to help individuals manage and overcome mental health issues. They come from various disciplines and have different levels of education, training, and expertise.

Functions of mental health professionals

Mental health professionals can serve in various capacities, such as diagnosing, treating, researching, or fulfilling other roles within the field. If you need assistance managing your mental well-being and require resources or guidance regarding how to express your mental health, consulting with a mental health professional may be recommended. 

Types of mental health professionals

Psychiatrists

Medical doctors (MD or DO) who specialize in diagnosing and treating mental illnesses. They can prescribe medication and provide therapy. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the US had about 24,830 psychiatrists in employment in 2019. Psychiatrists can be employed by hospitals, private practices, mental health clinics, academic and research institutions, and correctional facilities to perform functions such as diagnosing mental health disorders, prescribing medication, providing psychotherapy, developing treatment plans, monitoring patient progress, and conducting research.

Psychologists

Professionals with a doctoral degree in psychology (PhD or PsyD). They are trained to diagnose and treat mental health disorders through therapy and counseling but typically cannot prescribe medication (with some exceptions in certain states or countries). In 2022, there were 196,000 psychologist jobs in the US. Employment opportunities for psychologists include hospitals, schools, universities, community health centers, research institutions, and government agencies. Psychologists also have the option of owning private practices. Their functions include conducting psychological assessments and testing, providing therapy (individual, group, or family), researching mental health issues, teaching, consulting, developing and implementing treatment plans.

Clinical social workers

Clinical social workers are licensed professionals with a master's degree in social work. They provide therapy, counseling, and support services to individuals and families. There are over 292,329 clinical social workers currently employed in the United States, with 78.3% of all clinical social workers being women and 21.7% being men. Clinical social workers can work in hospitals, private practices, schools, social service agencies, community health centers, government agencies, and non-profit organizations. They specialize in providing therapy and counseling, connecting clients with community resources, advocating for clients, conducting social work assessments, developing treatment plans, and providing crisis intervention.

Counselors and therapists

These professionals can have a variety of educational backgrounds, including master's degrees in counseling, marriage and family therapy, or a related field. There are about 200,000 therapists in the US providing therapy and counseling services. Employment for these professionals can be sought in schools, colleges, universities, hospitals, community health centers, non-profit organizations, and employee assistance programs (EAPs). Their main functions include providing therapy and counseling, conducting assessments, developing treatment plans, facilitating support groups, offering crisis intervention, and providing career and academic counseling.

Psychiatric nurse practitioners

These are registered nurses with advanced training in psychiatry. Statistics suggest that there are 35,000 in practice. Places of employment include hospitals, private practices, mental health clinics, community health centers, long-term care facilities, and correctional facilities.

Psychiatric nurse practitioners function in diagnosing mental health disorders, prescribing medication, providing therapy, managing patient care, conducting psychiatric evaluations, and collaborating with other healthcare professionals.

Licensed professional counselors (LPC)

LPCs are professionals with a master's degree in counseling who are licensed to provide therapy and counseling services. These professionals can find employment in private practices, schools, universities, hospitals, community mental health centers, and non-profit organizations.

Functions of LPCs include providing therapy and counseling, conducting assessments, developing treatment plans, facilitating support groups, offering crisis intervention, and providing career and academic counseling.

Marriage and family therapists (MFT)

These are professionals with specialized training in therapy for individuals, couples, and families. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics recorded a total of 63,340 in 2022. These professionals can own private practices or find employment in community mental health centers, hospitals, schools, universities, and non-profit organizations. MFTs are trained to provide therapy for individuals, couples, and families, conduct assessments, develop treatment plans, facilitate support groups, offer crisis intervention, and address relational and systemic issues.

Substance abuse counselors

Specialists who focus on helping individuals overcome addiction and substance abuse issues. “9.5 million or 3.8% of adults over the age of 18 have both a substance abuse disorder (SUD) and a mental illness,” says the NCDAS. This increases the demand for substance abuse counselors. Substance abuse counselors work in rehabilitation centers, hospitals, private practices, community health centers, correctional facilities, and non-profit organizations. Their job includes assessing and diagnosing substance abuse disorders, providing therapy and counseling, developing treatment plans, conducting group therapy sessions, offering support and resources for recovery, and collaborating with other healthcare providers to provide a holistic care treatment.

Pastoral counselors

45% of the American population say that religion is important to them, and 20% attend church o a weekly basis. It is not surprising that some of these individuals may seek mental health care from the clergy. Pastoral counselors are clergy members with training in counseling who provide therapy from a spiritual or religious perspective. However, pastoral counselors don’t only work in religious institutions, they can also find employment in private practices, hospitals, community health centers, and non-profit organizations. Their work includes providing spiritually integrated therapy, offering counseling and support, conducting assessments, developing treatment plans, facilitating support groups, offering crisis intervention, and addressing spiritual and religious concerns in therapy.

Must mental health professionals comply with HIPAA?

Yes, mental health professionals must comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). HIPAA sets national standards for the protection of individually identifiable health information, known as protected health information (PHI). 

Mental health providers, including psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, counselors, and therapists, are required to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and security of PHI. This includes implementing safeguards to protect the data, providing patients with rights over their health information, and ensuring that any disclosures of PHI are appropriately managed and limited to what is necessary for treatment, payment, and healthcare operations.

See also: 

• Understanding and implementing HIPAA rules
• HIPAA Compliant Email: The Definitive Guide

FAQs

What is HIPAA?

HIPAA stands for the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, a federal law enacted in 1996. It sets national standards for the protection of individuals' medical records and other personal health information (PHI).

Go deeper: What is HIPAA?

How confidential are my sessions with a mental health provider?

Sessions with a mental health provider are generally confidential. However, there are exceptions, such as if there is a risk of harm to yourself or others or if there is a legal requirement to disclose information. Providers will explain their confidentiality policies during the initial sessions.