Does Louisiana Medicaid Cover Therapy for Mental Health?
Yes. Louisiana Medicaid covers mental health therapy for eligible members of all ages. Outpatient therapy with licensed practitioners — including individual, family, and group counseling — is covered through the Healthy Louisiana managed care plans, and children and youth under 21 have access to an expanded range of behavioral health services under EPSDT.
What Mental Health Services Does Louisiana Medicaid Cover for Adults?
Adult behavioral health services are provided through the Healthy Louisiana managed care plans and include:
Outpatient therapy with licensed practitioners: individual, family, and group counseling, plus medication management
Community Psychiatric Support and Treatment (CPST): counseling provided in the home, workplace, or school
Psychosocial Rehabilitation (PSR)
Crisis Intervention (CI) and Crisis Stabilization (CS)
Assertive Community Treatment (ACT)
Mobile Crisis Response and Behavioral Health Crisis Care
Peer Support Services (PSS)
Addiction services: outpatient, residential, and inpatient treatment
Psychiatric inpatient hospital services for members under 21 and members 65 and older (federal rules generally don't allow Medicaid to cover inpatient psychiatric hospital stays for ages 21–64 in larger facilities)
Several services — including CPST, PSR, ACT, Crisis Stabilization, and Peer Support Services — require prior authorization through your managed care plan. Contact your plan to confirm which services require it.
What Mental Health Services Does Louisiana Medicaid Cover for Children and Youth?
Children and youth under 21 have access to an expanded set of behavioral health services under EPSDT, in addition to all adult behavioral health services above. Additional covered services include:
Psychotherapy and services provided by a licensed psychologist, including individual and family therapy and assessment
Therapeutic Group Home care
Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility (PRTF) care
Multi-systemic Therapy (MST), Functional Family Therapy (FFT), and Homebuilders (HB)
Child Parent Psychotherapy (CPP) and Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT)
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) and EMDR Therapy
Coordinated System of Care (CSoC) for youth at risk of out-of-home placement
Some services require prior authorization. Services such as physical, occupational, or speech therapy provided at school must be part of the child's IEP or IFSP for Medicaid to cover them.
Do You Have to Pay for Therapy with Louisiana Medicaid?
Most Louisiana Medicaid members pay little or nothing for covered mental health therapy sessions. Any copays depend on your managed care plan — most plans charge $0 to minimal copays for in-network behavioral health visits.
Call the member services number on the back of your Medicaid plan ID card to confirm your specific copay for therapy visits.
How Do I Find a Therapist Who Accepts Louisiana Medicaid
Contact your Healthy Louisiana managed care plan and ask for a list of in-network behavioral health providers.
Use your plan's online provider directory.
Ask your primary care provider for a referral.
Contact LDH or call 1-888-342-6207 for assistance finding behavioral health services.
Telehealth behavioral health visits are also available through some Healthy Louisiana plans.
Can Nest Health Help With My Family's Mental Health Needs?
Nest Health provides whole-family care for eligible Medicaid members in the New Orleans and Baton Rouge areas, including behavioral health screenings, mental health referrals, and care coordination as part of in-home and virtual visits.
Nest services may be available to your family at no additional cost through your Medicaid health plan. Call 866-222-NEST (6378) to check your eligibility.
