Free and low-cost therapy in Austin

If you need help now: call 911 in an emergency. In a mental health or substance use crisis, call or text 988, any time. In Travis County you can also call Integral Care's 24/7 Helpline, 512-472-HELP (4357).

Help right now

Who	Number	When to call
Emergency	911	Someone is in danger, badly hurt, or may have overdosed.
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline	Call or text 988	Thoughts of suicide, or any mental health or substance use crisis. Free, 24/7. For Spanish, press 2 or text AYUDA.
Integral Care 24/7 Helpline	512-472-4357 (512-472-HELP)	Travis County's own crisis line, day or night. Press 1 for English, then 1 for crisis support.
SAMHSA National Helpline	1-800-662-4357	Free, confidential treatment referrals, 24/7, in English and Spanish.

Walk-in crisis care: Integral Care's Psychiatric Emergency Services (PES), 1165 Airport Blvd., second floor, is an urgent care clinic for adults and children in a mental health crisis. No appointment is needed, you'll be seen whether or not you can pay, and Integral Care lists it as open 24/7. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911.

Integral Care

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) names a local mental health authority for every county: a public agency that runs crisis services and treatment for people who can't get care elsewhere. In Travis County, it's Integral Care.

• What they do: crisis care, counseling, psychiatric care and medication, case management, drug and alcohol treatment, and clinics that combine mental health and primary care.
• Who qualifies: Travis County residents living with a mental illness or a substance use disorder, regardless of ability to pay. Anyone in a crisis gets help right away; for ongoing care, a short screening decides what fits.
• Cost: Integral Care's Charity Care program helps people with no insurance or who can't afford their share. At or below 150% of the federal poverty guidelines, you may get a 100% discount; above that, other discounts. You'll fill out a short financial form. Medicaid, CHIP, Medicare and private plans are accepted too.
• How to start: call the Helpline, 512-472-4357, the way into every program, including appointments. Bring a photo ID and any past mental health records.

Help with alcohol or drugs

Texas pays for substance use treatment for people who can't afford it. The way in is OSAR (Outreach, Screening, Assessment and Referral), which HHSC calls the first point of contact for treatment. The only requirement is that you live in Texas. A counselor works out what care you need, from outpatient counseling to detox or a residential program, and helps you get a spot.

• The OSAR for Travis County is run by Bluebonnet Trails Community Services, which covers 30 Central Texas counties. Call 844-309-6385; you can schedule a virtual appointment.
• Integral Care also runs drug and alcohol treatment, including outpatient detox for adults stopping alcohol or drugs such as opioids. Start with the Helpline.
• Cost: state help paying for treatment depends on your income, expenses and other resources. Sometimes you pay part of the cost.
• Also try SAMHSA's helpline, 1-800-662-4357, for state-funded and sliding-fee programs, or FindTreatment.gov for licensed programs near you.

Searching for "free rehab in Austin"? Start with OSAR. Our guide to IOP vs PHP vs weekly therapy explains the levels of care you may hear about.

Sliding-scale and low-fee counseling

A sliding scale means a lower fee when your income is lower. If Integral Care isn't the right fit, try these.

Community health centers

Federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) get federal funding to care for people with or without insurance. Fees slide by income and household size for incomes up to twice the federal poverty level, and no one is turned away for being unable to pay. HRSA's Find a Health Center lists them all. Counseling there usually starts with a primary care visit: become a patient, then ask for a behavioral health referral.

• CommUnityCare Health Centers: counseling for individuals, couples and families, and substance use assessments, at several clinics. Call 512-978-9015, and ask an eligibility specialist about the sliding fee.
• People's Community Clinic: behavioral health care alongside your primary care, with a sliding fee by income and household size. It isn't free, but it won't turn you away for being unable to pay. Call 512-478-4939; bring a photo ID, proof of address and a recent pay stub.

University training clinics

Graduate students in counseling or psychology see clients here, closely supervised by licensed faculty. Fees are low.

• St. Edward's University's Community Counseling Clinic: $15 a session for individuals, $20 for couples and families, with help if that's hard to pay. In person, or by video anywhere in Texas. Email [email protected].
• UT Austin's Anxiety and Stress Clinic: affordable individual and group therapy for anxiety and stress, from clinical psychology doctoral students. Contact it through its website.

Support from people who've been there

NAMI Central Texas, the local branch of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, runs free support groups and classes, such as Peer-to-Peer for adults with a mental health condition and Family-to-Family for their loved ones. Call 512-420-9810.

Medicaid and CHIP

Medicaid and CHIP (the Children's Health Insurance Program) cover counseling and substance use treatment. Texas Medicaid mainly covers children, pregnant women, parents and caretakers with low incomes, people with disabilities, and people 65 and older. Even if you don't qualify, your children might.

• Apply at YourTexasBenefits.com, or call 2-1-1 (or 877-541-7905), pick a language, then press 2.
• Use your plan: most Texans with Medicaid get it through a health plan they choose (managed care), such as STAR. See providers in your plan's network; the member number on your card can help you find one.

Our guide to using insurance for therapy in Texas explains the programs, changing plans and who to call when you can't get care.

How Cima Find Care can help

Cima Find Care is a free directory of Texas therapists, counselors, LCDCs (licensed chemical dependency counselors), recovery coaches, psychiatric prescribers and IOP/PHP programs. We check each provider's Texas license or certification before they're listed.

• Find your fit: answer five quick questions. Under "How will you pay," pick I'll pay myself or Texas Medicaid, and under "What matters to you," pick Sliding scale.
• Search providers you can pay yourself: "I'll pay myself" under Insurance shows providers who list a self-pay price or a sliding scale. Or choose Texas Medicaid or your plan.
• See providers by video, anywhere in Texas.
• New to therapy? Read how to choose a therapist.

Our listings are growing. We add Texas providers as each license is checked, so you may only see a few in Austin for now. Meanwhile, the places above can help. See our guides for San Antonio and El Paso.

Questions people ask

Is there free or very low-cost counseling in Austin?

Yes. Integral Care may cover the whole cost if your household income is at or below 150% of the federal poverty guidelines. St. Edward's training clinic charges $15 a session. CommUnityCare and People's Community Clinic charge on a sliding scale.

I don't have insurance. Where should I start?

For serious symptoms, such as deep depression or hearing voices, call Integral Care at 512-472-4357. For stress, anxiety, grief or relationship problems, try a training clinic or community health center. In a crisis, call 988.

How do I get into free or low-cost rehab in Austin?

Call the Region 7 OSAR at 844-309-6385. They'll screen you and help you get into a state-funded program. Integral Care's Helpline can also connect you to its own treatment.

Can I walk in somewhere during a crisis?

Yes: Integral Care's Psychiatric Emergency Services, 1165 Airport Blvd., for adults and children, regardless of ability to pay. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911.

Do I have to live in Travis County?

For Integral Care's services, yes. OSAR serves anyone living in Texas, and 988 is for anyone. Ask the clinics about their rules when you call.

Sources

• Texas HHSC: Find your local mental health or behavioral health authority (Integral Care for Travis County)
• Texas HHSC: Friend and Family Guide, Adult Mental Health Services
• Texas HHSC: Outreach, Screening, Assessment and Referral (OSAR) (Region 7, Bluebonnet Trails)
• Texas HHSC: Family Guide, Children's Mental Health (who can use OSAR)
• Texas HHSC: Adult substance use outpatient treatment and residential treatment
• Integral Care: 24/7 Helpline, Locations (Psychiatric Emergency Services), Patient information (Charity Care), Drug and alcohol treatment and Outpatient detox
• Bluebonnet Trails Community Services: Substance use services (OSAR)
• HRSA: Get health care at a health center, Find a Health Center and Health Center Program Compliance Manual, Sliding Fee Discount Program
• CommUnityCare: Services, Paying for your care and Federally qualified health care
• People's Community Clinic: New patient information and What to bring for financial assistance
• St. Edward's University: Community Counseling Clinic
• The University of Texas at Austin: Anxiety and Stress Clinic
• NAMI Central Texas
• Texas HHSC: STAR (Medicaid managed care) and STAR+PLUS
• Your Texas Benefits and Texas HHS: Contact (2-1-1 and 877-541-7905)
• SAMHSA: National Helpline, 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and FindTreatment.gov
• 988 Lifeline: Servicios en español