How To Get Affordable State Sponsored Therapy in Missouri
Many people don’t realize that publicly-funded mental health services are available in their state. People looking for free or low-cost counseling often think their only options are counselors in private practice and don’t know that publicly-funded providers in their communities may also offer counseling services.
While state-based programs are not for everyone, they are often a great place to start for people who face geographic or financial barriers to therapy. Intake specialists at community mental health programs can help people learn whether they qualify for state-funded services and can refer people who don’t qualify to other low-cost programs that may be able to meet their needs.
When Should You Go to a State Mental Health Program?
Few mental health providers outside of those in the public sector are able to immediately serve people in crisis. This usually makes public mental health services the best option for anyone who is having a mental health crisis and needs help right away. The people who answer crisis lines can offer caring attention and support as they help people determine the best response to a crisis, whether it’s inpatient treatment or an appointment with a counselor.
In most cases, community mental health programs serve as alternative providers for people who lack the means to access services in the private sector. Missouri’s system of publicly-funded non-profit providers does not have restrictive eligibility criteria for access to services, but it does have fewer options for financial assistance than other states. To find out how sliding-scale fees at your local community mental health center (CMHC) compare to sliding-scale fees for private providers, you can call your CMHC and ask.
According to SAMHSA, only 48 percent of people with a mental health condition in Missouri receive treatment. One reason for the care gap is that people aren’t aware of their options for affordable mental health care in Missouri including options in the public mental health system. Consider calling your local crisis or information line to learn whether CMHC services are an option for you. If you’re not finding the care you need through the public system, you can search for free or low-cost counselors on OpenCounseling.com or try affordable online counseling at BetterHelp (a sponsor). The help you need may just be a call or a click away.
Who Is Eligible for Public Mental Health Services in Missouri?
Because Missouri’s CMHCs are independent, eligibility requirements vary from program to program. Admission criteria for intensive services like psychosocial rehabilitation programs are generally stricter than admission criteria for therapy or psychiatric services. Overall, however, Missouri lacks the stringent eligibility criteria for access to publicly-funded mental health programs that exist in many other states.
The upside of this is that more people have the option of seeking care through the public system. The downside is that less funding assistance is available for people who get therapy or other services from CMHCs in Missouri. Most community mental health programs in Missouri accept Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance, and they also offer sliding-scale fee options to people who lack insurance or who have an insurance plan the program doesn’t accept. You can contact the CMHC serving your area to confirm whether you are eligible, to find out whether they accept your insurance, and to determine what fees you would need to pay to get services there.
How Can You Find Out More About Local Programs in Missouri?
The best way to find out about your local community mental health center in Missouri is to call and ask. Most crisis lines in Missouri also function as information and access lines for people who need mental health services but aren’t in an immediate crisis. You can call most CMHCs directly by using their main numbers.
To find out which programs serve your area, you can use one of the directories or search tools on the MDMH website. The search pages feature interactive maps where you can click on your county or select it from a drop-down list to find out which crisis hotline and which community mental health center you should contact. You can also scroll through a full list of CMHCs or review the list of providers below.
Northwest Missouri Clinics and Crisis Lines
- Region 1: Family Guidance Center
- Serving Andrew, Atchison, Buchanan, Clinton, DeKalb, Gentry, Holt, Nodaway, and Worth Counties
- Main Number: (816) 364-1501
- Crisis Line: (888) 279-8188
- Locations:
- Joseph: (816) 364-1501
- Maryville: (660) 582-3139
- Cameron: (816) 632-6161
- Region 2: Truman Medical Center Behavioral Health
- Serving Jackson County
- Main Number: (816) 404-5700
- Crisis Line: (888) 279-8188
- Locations:
- Kansas City: (816) 404-5700
- Lee’s Summit: (816) 404-6170 or (816) 404-6186
- Region 3: Swope Health Services
- Serving Jackson County
- Main Number: (816) 922-7645 or (816) 922-1070
- Crisis Line: (888) 279-8188
- Location: Kansas City
- Region 4: ReDiscover
- Serving Jackson County
- Main Number: (816) 246-8000
- Appointments: (816) 966-0900
- Crisis Line: (888) 279-8188
- Locations:
- Lee’s Summit: (816) 966-0900
- Loma Vista (Kansas City): (816) 966-0903
- Woodland (Kansas City): (816) 931-6500
- South Kansas City: (816) 966-0900
- KC Assessment and Triage Center (Kansas City): (816) 965-1100
- Region 5: Comprehensive Mental Health Services
- Serving Jackson County
- Main Number: (816) 254-3652
- Crisis Line: (888) 279-8188
- Location: Independence
- Region 6: Tri-County Mental Health Services
- Serving Clay, Platte, and Ray Counties
- Main Number: (816) 468-0400
- Crisis Line: (888) 279-8188
- Locations (Use Main Number):
- Maple Woods (Kansas City)
- Parvin Road (Kansas City)
- Excelsior Springs
- Platte City
- Richmond
- Region 7: Compass Health Warrensburg
- Serving Cass, Johnson, and Lafayette Counties
- Main Number: (660) 747-7127
- Crisis Line: (844) 853-8937 or (800) 833-3915
- After-Hours Crisis Line: (800) 833-3915
- Locations (Use Main Number or Crisis Line):
- Belton
- Harrisonville
- Lexington
- Odessa
- Raymore
- Warrensburg
- Region 13
- Main Center: North Central Missouri Mental Health Center
- Serving Caldwell, Daviess, Grundy, Harrison, Linn, Livingston, Mercer, Putnam, and Sullivan Counties
- Main Number: (660) 359-4487
- Crisis Line: (888) 279-8188
- Locations:
- Trenton: (660) 359-4487
- Bethany: (660) 425-3141
- Brookfield: (660) 258-7810
- Chillicothe: (660) 646-6872
- Milan: (660) 265-5212
- Affiliated Center: Preferred Family Healthcare, Inc.
- Serving Caldwell, Daviess, Grundy, Harrison, Linn, Livingston, Mercer, Putnam, and Sullivan Counties
- Main Number: (660) 359-4600
- Location: Trenton
- Main Center: North Central Missouri Mental Health Center
Eastern and Central Missouri Clinics and Crisis Lines
- Region 11
- Main Provider: Compass Health Jefferson City
- Serving Camden, Cole, Laclede, Miller, Osage, and Pulaski Counties
- Main Number: (573) 634-3000
- Crisis Line: (844) 853-8937
- After-Hours Crisis Line: (800) 833-3915
- Locations (Use Main Number or Crisis Line):
- Boonville
- Camdenton
- Columbia (N. Garth)
- Columbia (West Nifong)
- Eldon
- Fulton
- Jefferson City (Metro Drive)
- Jefferson City (Christy Drive)
- Lebanon
- Linn Creek
- Osage Beach
- Affiliated Provider: New Horizons Community Support Services
- Serving Cole County
- Main Number: (573) 636-8108
- Crisis Line: (800) 833-3915
- Location: Jefferson City
- Main Provider: Compass Health Jefferson City
- Region 12
- Main Provider: Burrell Behavioral Health
- Serving Boone, Carroll, Chariton, Cooper, Howard, Moniteau, Morgan, Pettis, Randolph, and Saline Counties
- Main Number: (573) 777-8450
- Information: (573) 777-8300
- Crisis Line: (800) 395-2132
- Locations:
- Columbia Walk-In Center: (573) 777-8300
- Columbia Stephens Lake Clinic: (573) 777-7500
- Boonville Clinic: (660) 882-7573
- California Clinic: (573) 777-7501
- Carrolton Clinic: (660) 542-1403
- Marshall Clinic: (660) 886-8063
- Moberly Clinic: (660) 263-7651
- Sedalia Clinic: (660) 827-2494
- Versailles Clinic: (573) 378-6222
- Affiliated Provider: New Horizons Community Support Services
- Serving Boone County
- Main Number: (573) 443-0405
- Crisis Line: (800) 395-2132
- Location: Columbia
- Main Provider: Burrell Behavioral Health
- Region 14
- Main Center: Mark Twain Behavioral Health
- Serving Adair, Clark, Knox, Lewis, Macon, Marion, Schuyler, Scotland, and Shelby Counties
- Main Number: (573) 221-2120
- Crisis Line: (800) 356-5395 or (844) 341-2390
- Locations:
- Hannibal: (573) 221-2120
- Kirksville: (660) 665-4612
- Macon: (660) 395-9114
- Affiliated Center: Preferred Family Healthcare, Inc.
- Serving Adair, Clark, Knox, Lewis, Macon, Marion, Schuyler, Scotland, and Shelby Counties
- Main Number: (660) 665-1962
- Locations:
- Kirksville: (660) 665-1962
- Hannibal (Paris Gravel Road): (573) 248-3811
- Hannibal (Clinic Road): (573) 719-3630
- Affiliated Center: Comprehensive Health Systems, Inc.
- Serving Audrain, Callaway, Marion, Monroe, Montgomery, Pike, and Ralls Counties
- Main Number: (573) 248-1372
- Locations:
- New London: (573) 248-1372
- Fulton: (573) 642-3600
- Main Center: Mark Twain Behavioral Health
- Region 15
- Main Center: Arthur Center
- Serving Audrain, Callaway, Monroe, Montgomery, Pike, and Ralls Counties
- Main Number: (573) 582-1234 or (866) 401-6661
- Crisis Line: (800) 833-2064 or (866) 401-6661 x1
- Locations:
- Mexico: (573) 582-1234
- Fulton: (673) 642-3215
- Affiliated Center: Comprehensive Health Systems, Inc.
- Serving Audrain, Callaway, Marion, Monroe, Montgomery, Pike, and Ralls Counties
- Main Number: (573) 248-1372
- Locations:
- New London: (573) 248-1372
- Fulton: (573) 642-3600
- Main Center: Arthur Center
- Region 16: Compass Health Wentzville
- Serving Franklin, Lincoln, St. Charles, and Warren Counties
- Main Number: (636) 332-6000
- Crisis Line: (844) 853-8937
- After-Hours Crisis Line: (800) 833-3915
- Locations (Use Main Number or Crisis Line):
- Charles
- Sullivan
- Troy
- Union
- Warrenton
- Wentzville
- Region 22: Comtrea Community Treatment
- Serving Jefferson County
- Main Number: (636) 931-2700 or (877) 266-8732
- Crisis Line: (636) 931-2700 or (636) 296-6206
- After-Hours Crisis Line: (800) 811-4760
- Locations:
- COMTREA Welcome Center and Walk-In Clinic (Crystal City): (636) 220-5397
- Festus Mental Health Clinic: (636) 931-2700
- Arnold Mental Health Clinic: (636) 296-6206
- House Springs Integrated Health Clinic: (636) 321-0150
- Dunklin Integrated Health Clinic: (636) 224-6096
- Hillsboro Integrated Health Clinic: (636) 481-6040
- Region 23: BJC Behavioral Health
- Serving St. Louis County
- Main Number: (314) 206-3900
- Crisis Line: (314) 469-6644 or (800) 811-4760
- Information: (314) 747-7491 or (877) 729-4004
- Locations:
- North St. Louis County (1150 Graham Road, Florissant): (314) 206-3900
- South St. Louis County (11102 Lindbergh Business Court, St. Louis): (314) 206-3400
- City of St. Louis (1430 Olive): (314) 206-3700
- Region 24: Amanda Luckett Murphy Hopewell Center
- Serving St. Louis City
- Main Number: (314) 531-1770
- Crisis Line: (800) 811-4760
- Location: St. Louis (909 14th Street)
- Region 25
- Main Center: BJC Behavioral Health
- Serving St. Louis City
- Main Number: (314) 206-3700
- Crisis Line: (314) 469-6644 or (800) 811-4760
- Information: (314) 747-7491 or (877) 729-4004
- Locations:
- Louis (1430 Olive): (314) 206-3700
- Louis (11102 Lindbergh Business Court): (314) 206-3400
- Florissant (1150 Graham Road): (314) 206-3900
- Affiliated Center: Places for People, Inc.
- Serving St. Louis City and County
- Main Number: (314) 535-5600
- Crisis Line: (800) 811-4760
- Location: St. Louis (4130 Lindell Boulevard)
- Affiliated Center: Independence Center
- Serving St. Louis City and County
- Main Number: (314) 533-4245
- Welcome Center: (314) 533-4163
- Crisis Hotline: (314) 469-0620
- Location: St. Louis (4219 Laclede Avenue)
- Affiliated Center: ADAPT of Missouri
- Serving St. Louis City and County
- Main Number: (888) 657-3201
- Crisis Line: (800) 811-4760
- Location: St. Louis (2301 Hampton Avenue)
- Main Center: BJC Behavioral Health
Southwest Missouri Clinics and Crisis Lines
- Region 8A: Clark Community Mental Health Center
- Serving Barry, Dade, and Lawrence Counties
- Main Number: (417) 476-1000
- Crisis Line: (800) 801-4405
- Location: Pierce City
- Region 8B: Compass Health Clinton
- Serving Bates, Benton, Cedar, Henry, Hickory, St. Clair, and Vernon Counties
- Main Number: (660) 885-8131
- Crisis Line: (844) 853-8937
- After-Hours Crisis Line: (800) 833-3915
- Locations (Use Main Number or Crisis Line):
- Butler
- Clinton
- El Dorado Springs
- Nevada
- Sedalia
- Warsaw
- Windsor
- Region 9: Ozark Center
- Serving Barton, Jasper, McDonald, and Newton Counties
- Main Number: (417) 347-7600
- Appointments: (417) 347-7567
- Crisis Line: (417) 347-7720 or (800) 247-0661
- Locations:
- Joplin: (417) 347-7567
- Carthage: (417) 347-7785
- Neosho: (417) 347-7835
- Region 10: Burrell Behavioral Health
- Serving Christian, Dallas, Greene, Polk, Stone, Taney, and Webster Counties
- Main Number: (417) 761-5000
- Crisis Line: (800) 494-7355
- Locations:
- Springfield Walk-In Clinic: (417) 761-5000
- Springfield Kingsley Clinic: (417) 761-5850
- Springfield Integrated Clinic: (417) 761-5836
- Springfield Seminole Office: (417) 597-4309
- Springfield National Office: (417) 881-1810
- Springfield Belcrest Office: (417) 413-4676
- Bolivar Clinic: (417) 761-5920
- Branson Clinic: (417) 893-7740
- Hollister Clinic: (417) 337-9790
- Marshfield Clinic: (417) 859-2894
- Nixa Clinic: (417) 413-1593
Southeast Missouri Clinics and Crisis Lines
- Region 17A
- Main Center: Compass Health Rolla
- Serving Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, and Phelps Counties
- Main Number: (573) 364-7551
- Crisis Line: (844) 853-8937
- After-Hours Crisis Line: (800) 833-3915
- Locations (Use Main Number or Crisis Line):
- Owensville
- Rolla
- Salem
- Sullivan
- Affiliated Center: Southeast Missouri Behavioral Health
- Serving Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, and Phelps Counties
- Main Number: (800) 455-5749
- Locations:
- Cuba: (573) 677-0262
- Houston: (417) 967-2887
- Owensville: (573) 437-6264
- Rolla: (573) 364-8511
- Salem Center: (573) 729-4103
- Salem Hart Building: (573) 729-4723
- Robert: (573) 433-8455
- Main Center: Compass Health Rolla
- Region 17B
- Main Center: BJC Behavioral Health
- Serving Iron, St. Francois, and Washington Counties
- Main Number: (573) 756-5353
- Crisis Line: (314) 469-6644 or (800) 811-4760
- Information: (314) 747-7491 or (877) 729-4004
- Locations:
- Farmington: (573) 756-5353
- Ironton: (573) 546-5470
- Potosi: (573) 438-5050
- Affiliated Center: Mineral Area CPRC
- Serving St. Francois County
- Main Number: (573) 756-2899
- Crisis Line: (573) 756-2426
- Location: Farmington
- Affiliated Center: Southeast Missouri Behavioral Health
- Serving Iron, St. Francois, and Washington Counties
- Main Number: (573) 431-0554
- Admissions: (800) 455-5749
- Locations:
- Farmington: (573) 756-5749
- Cuba: (573) 677-0262
- Piedmont: (573) 223-2734
- Pilot Knob: (855) 752-6417
- Potosi: (573) 438-6706
- Salem Center: (573) 729-4103
- Salem Hart Building: (573) 729-4723
- Main Center: BJC Behavioral Health
- Region 18: Ozarks Medical Center Behavioral Healthcare
- Serving Douglas, Howell, Ozark, Oregon, Shannon, Texas, and Wright Counties
- Main Number: (417) 257-6762 or (800) 492-9439
- Crisis Line: (800) 356-5395
- Locations:
- West Plains: (417) 257-6762
- Mountain Grove: (417) 926-6563
- Region 19
- Main Center: Family Counseling Center Behavioral Healthcare
- Serving Butler, Carter, Dunklin, Pemiscot, Reynolds, Ripley, and Wayne Counties
- Main Number: (573) 888-5925
- Crisis Line: (800) 356-5395
- Locations:
- Dunklin County Behavioral Health Clinic (Kennett): (573) 888-5925
- Butler County Behavioral Health Clinic (Poplar Bluff): (573) 686-1029
- Pemiscot County Behavioral Health Clinic (Caruthersville): (573) 333-5875
- Carter County Behavioral Health Clinic (Van Buren): (573) 323-2171
- Ripley County Behavioral Health Clinic (Doniphan): (573) 366-4742
- Affiliated Center: Southeast Missouri Behavioral Health
- Serving Butler, Carter, Ripley, and Wayne Counties
- Main Number: (800) 455-5749
- Locations:
- Dexter: (573) 624-6937
- Doniphan: (573) 996-5017
- New Era Center (Poplar Bluff): (573) 785-5333
- Piedmont: (573) 223-2734
- Poplar Bluff: (573) 686-5090
- Van Buren: (573) 323-4008
- Main Center: Family Counseling Center Behavioral Healthcare
- Region 20: Bootheel Counseling Services
- Serving Mississippi, New Madrid, Stoddard, and Scott Counties
- Main Number: (573) 471-0800
- Crisis Line: (800) 356-5395
- Locations:
- Sikeston: (573) 471-0800
- Bloomfield: (573) 568-2260
- Charleston: (573) 427-3920
- Region 21: Community Counseling Center
- Serving Bollinger, Cape Girardeau, Madison, Perry, and Ste. Genevieve Counties
- Main Number: (573) 334-1100
- Crisis Line: (800) 356-5395
- Locations:
- Cape Girardeau: (573) 334-1100
- Fredericktown: (573) 783-4104
- Marble Hill: (573) 238-1027
- Perryville: (573) 547-8305
- Genevieve: (573) 883-7407
Federally Qualified Health Centers
Federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) are another option for public mental health care in Missouri. These federally-funded programs provide medical and mental health services to people in underserved communities. Their goal is to deliver high-quality coordinated care to people with complex needs and to link behavioral healthcare with primary medical care. Each FQHC accepts Medicaid and Medicare and offers sliding scale fees to people without insurance. You can search for FQHCs using the online search tool on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services website.
How Does Missouri's Public Mental Health System Work?
In the 1960s, Americans started thinking differently about how to treat mental health conditions. New laws required state and local governments to establish community mental health programs as alternatives to institutionalization for people with serious mental illness. Many states’ public mental health programs trace their origins back to this period. Missouri is no exception.
After the federal Community Mental Health Act was passed in 1963, the Missouri Department of Mental Health (MDMH) began encouraging towns and counties to plan and build community mental health centers (CMHCs). Missouri started formalizing the structure of its mental health system in the early 1970s, when MDMH divided the state into 36 management regions with the hopes that CMHCs would be established in each region. By then, three regional mental health centers had been built that acted as hubs for public access to outpatient mental health care.
The Missouri Department of Mental Health does not directly provide services but is closely involved with the programs that do. In addition to operating the state’s psychiatric hospitals, MDMH certifies CMHCs and distributes state and federal funds to them. The state is currently divided into 25 mental health catchment areas or regions, each of which is assigned to one or more independent CMHCs. Some regions are served by more than one CMHC and some CMHCs serve more than one region. Each region is also assigned to one of 11 crisis programs that operate crisis hotlines and other crisis services including mobile crisis response teams.
Missouri neglected its mental health system during the 2000s and subjected it to severe funding cuts. Missouri has historically spent less than the national average on community mental health programs and has struggled with the quality of its public psychiatric hospitals. Recently, however, the state has made an effort to invest more in its mental health system. It has pioneered a new integrated approach to medical and mental health care that has become a national trend.
Missouri is also one of eight states selected by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to transform its CMHCs into certified community behavioral health centers (CCBHCs). This initiative is driven by the Excellence in Mental Health Act and aims to improve funding and access to community mental health care, as well as to expand the range of services delivered by community programs. In addition to improving its CMHCs, Missouri has also recently built a cutting-edge inpatient facility to replace the outdated Fulton State Hospital.