Running a practice

How to improve access to mental healthcare as a therapist

Looking for ideas to help in the fight to improve access to mental healthcare? Here’s how to increase accessibility.

April 11, 2025 • Updated on April 17, 2026

3 min read

According to a report released by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) in 2024, nearly 25 percent of adults in the U.S. received mental health treatment in 2023. Statistics like this speak to the dramatic increase in demand for mental healthcare nationwide, and yet access to this important service remains limited — especially for certain portions of the population.

Still, while accessibility remains a real problem — one that, to a certain extent, lies beyond the control of providers alone — there are some actionable steps that therapists can take now to expand the reach of their care. The result? More people who might otherwise fall through the cracks of an imperfect healthcare system will get the help they need.

Key insights

Many people forgo needed mental healthcare because of high costs, provider shortages, and stigma around mental health issues.

Therapists can do their part to expand access by accepting insurance, offering telehealth services, getting licensed to practice in multiple states, and more.

With always-free features including rapid credentialing, a telehealth platform, and (soon!) supervisory billing, Headway has the tools you need to make care accessible to all.

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What are some barriers to access?

Unfortunately, when it comes to accessing mental healthcare in the U.S., roadblocks can be numerous. Here are some of the more common obstacles that potential clients may need to overcome.

Cost

While many insurers now offer mental healthcare benefits, due in no small part to the passage of the Affordable Care Act, some plans cover more costs than others. Even with insurance, mental healthcare can be very expensive and ultimately cost-prohibitive for those whose plans are less generous or expansive. The financial strain this puts on the client can deter them from seeking the care they need. In fact, according to NPR, approximately two-thirds of Americans with a mental health diagnosis in 2021 couldn’t get treatment — despite the fact that they had health coverage. Adding to the issue is the fact that not all therapists accept insurance, which forces clients to pay out of pocket.

Stigma

Despite the progress that’s been made in recent years, mental healthcare still carries an unfortunate stigma — especially among certain groups of clients, whose cultural beliefs or values might discourage them from exploring therapy as a treatment option. Stigmas can include feeling pressure to "push through" emotional difficulties to avoid burdening others, or holding the belief that psychological problems indicate weakness of character or insufficient willpower.

Provider shortage

Just as accessibility has failed to adequately evolve alongside the demand for services, so too has the number of available mental healthcare professionals. There are not enough licensed practitioners to satisfy the number of clients in need of therapy. According to the Commonwealth Fund, some 160 million Americans were living in areas experiencing provider shortages as of 2023.

What can therapists do to improve access?

While certain reforms, like expanding Medicare and Medicaid access, fall outside the purview of individual providers, there are some changes therapists can make to their practices in the interest of serving more clients.

Reconsider payment methods.

One thing that might broaden access to your services? Opting into more insurance plans by becoming credentialed with additional carriers. As an extension of your practice with Headway, we leverage the information you submit to CAQH to get you credentialed with all available plans at once, and with fewer errors and delays.

If you’re a private pay provider, alternatively, you can consider implementing sliding-scale rates for clients struggling with costs. You could offer a limited number of appointments at a standard discount — say, 50% of your usual rate — or make case-by-case determinations on fees depending on each client’s income and overall ability to pay.

Share information.

Misconceptions about mental healthcare contribute to the persistence of stigma, which can be a serious deterrent for those in need of treatment. Educating current and prospective clients by sharing information on social media or penning blog posts can be a valuable resource — one that, one source suggests, could even be a form of pro-bono work.

Consider supervisory billing.

Supervisory billing, wherein a provisionally licensed therapist or a trainee bills for services using a supervisor’s credentials, can offer significant advantages for both therapists and their patients. Implementing this practice means an increase in the number of mental health professionals — and a greater ability for therapists to meet the high demand for services.

Headway plans to add a supervisory billing feature in 2026. This tool will allow Headway providers to bill for their supervisees’ services, bringing even more therapists into our nation-leading group of in-network providers.

Go virtual.

Expanding your services to include virtual therapy sessions, which soared in popularity during the height of the pandemic, may open access to clients in more rural communities who are unable to receive in-person care.

If you’re used to in-office sessions, transitioning to virtual care may feel daunting — but it’s often easier than you think. Many of the therapeutic practices you already use can be adapted for digital sessions, and even augmented by telehealth-specific tools and activities. Plus, Headway offers free access to a HIPAA-compliant telehealth platform that flows seamlessly into other tools on the platform, making it simple and cost-effective to offer this new service.

Get licensed in multiple states.

By expanding your services in multiple states, you can legally provide remote services to clients across state lines, reaching people in rural areas, therapy deserts, or areas with provider shortages. Plus, if more therapists were licensed in other states, clients with specific needs could access specialized therapists who may not be available to them locally.

National efforts to simplify the multi-state practice process are underway. But for now,requirements for reciprocity—that is, the ability for a therapist licensed in one state to also practice in another—vary by state and license type. Make sure to do your homework before beginning the application process.

Curious about reciprocity and paths to getting credentialed in other states? Headway’s guides outline the information you need:

Expanding access starts with the right support

Making mental healthcare affordable and accessible is our guiding mission at Headway. We do so by easing therapists’ pain points at every step of the process. Headway offers fast and free credentialing services (plus billing and claim support) that make it a no-brainer to accept insurance, lowering costs for clients. Free features including HIPAA-compliant telehealth, a provider directory, and scheduling and documentation support also empower therapists to build and maintain thriving practices that serve as many people as possible, as well as possible.

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This content is for general informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute clinical, legal, financial, or professional advice. All decisions should be made at the discretion of the individual or organization, in consultation with qualified clinical, legal, or other appropriate professionals.

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