Summary: For patients looking for a mental health provider in California, we decode the various titles, roles, and duties associated with professionals who provide mental health support.
Key Points:
- There are scores of initials like MD, LPN, DO, and MSW you may see after the names of mental health providers
- Each set of initials denotes a specific level of education, training, and licensure
- These levels determine what services a mental health professional can offer
- For mental health, there are four main types of providers: psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and counselors.
How to Find the Right Treatment Professional
If you live in California, and you or someone you love receives a diagnosis for a mental health disorder or a behavioral health disorder, the first thing that you or your loved one needs to do is find a licensed and qualified mental health provider in California.
A licensed and qualified mental health provider can offer evidence-based treatment that follows the guidelines for best practices established by private and public licensing organizations and government agencies such as state medical boards and state mental health boards. Mental and behavioral disorders that respond well to professional treatment and support from a mental health provider in California include, but are not limited to:
- Anxiety disorders
- Major depressive disorder (MDD)
- Bipolar disorder
- Suicidal behavior
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- Emotional dysregulation
- Personality disorders
- Early onset psychosis
- Behavioral disorders
- Autism spectrum disorders
If you or a loved one receives a diagnosis for one of the disorders or conditions listed above, the most important thing to do is find a qualified mental health provider near you and arrange for an initial phone interview to determine if they’re a good fit. You’ll most likely expect to get in touch with a psychiatrist, a therapist, or a counselor.
However, when you start your search and locate potential providers, you may find an alphabet soup of initials. For instance, you may see any of the following 100 + initials/acronyms:
DO, MD, MA, PsyD, MSW, MC, PhD, AMFT, APCC, APRN, ACSW, ATR, ATR-BC, BCD,BC-DMT, C.E.C.R., C.F.T, C.I.T., C.M.V.T., C.P.M., C.R.T., C.S.A., C.S.C.R., C.S.M., C.U.C.R, C.W.T., CAC, CAC-AD, CADAC, CADC, CAGS, CAMF, CAP, CART, CAS, CASAC, CBT, CCADC, CCDP, CCH, CCHT, CCMHC, CCPT, CCSW, CEAP, CEDS, CFLE, CGP, CHT, CICSW, CISW, CMAT, CMFT, CMSW, CP, CPC, CPLC, CRADC, CRC, CSAC, CSAT, CSW, CSW-C, DAPA, DCEP, DCSW, DOT SAP, FNP-BC, FNP-C, LAADC, LAC, LADAC, LADC, LAMFT, LAPC, LASAC, LCADC, LCAS, LCAT, LCDC, LCDP, LCMFT, LCMHC, LCP, LCPC, LCSW, LCSW-C, LGSW, LICSW, LIMFT, LIMHP, LISW, LISW-CP, LLP, LMAC, LMFT, LMHC, LMHP, LMSW, LMSW-ACP, LP, LPA, LPC, LPCC, LPCM, LPE, LPP, LSATP, LSCSW, LSP, LSW, MAC, MFCC, MFT, MT-BC, NBCCH, NBCDCH, NCC, NC, PsyA, NCSC, NCSP, PA, PLMHP, PLPC, PMHNP, PMHNP-BC, PPS, RAS, R-DMT, RDT, REAT, RN, RPT, RPT-S, RYT, SAP, SEP, SW, TLLP.
We’re neither exaggerating nor making things up. Each of those acronyms represents a real licensure or specialty related to mental health. We understand why this phase of the process can be confusing an overwhelming.
That’s why we wrote this article. We can help clear up the confusion. We’ll define what we mean by mental health provider, using a generic definition. Then we’ll choose the acronyms you’ll probably see and explain what each one means.
Translating the Alphabet Soup: A Guide to Mental Health Provider Titles
When you look for a mental health provider in California, you’ll find four primary categories of licensed professionals who can help you:
- Psychiatrists
- Psychologists
- Social Workers
- Mental Health Counselors
In this article, we’ll address all four of these categories.
To ensure accuracy, we adapted the following list from this helpful resource. We’ll review the titles associated with each one of these categories, along with their associated level of training, and the kind of support each position offers people who need professional mental health support.
We’ll start at the top of the list, with the positions for which licenses and credentials require the most extensive education and training.
Psychiatrists and Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners: Highest Level of Training
Psychiatrists are medical doctors who receive specific, targeted training that allows them to diagnose mental health disorders and prescribe and manage medication for people with psychiatric illness. Psychiatric nurse practitioners are nurses who receive specific, targeted training to diagnose mental health disorders and prescribe and manage medication for people with psychiatric illness.
In some cases, psychiatrists also receive training in psychotherapy and provide psychotherapy in addition to diagnosis and medication management. Let’s take a look at the acronyms in this category and what they mean.
MD: Medical Doctor
To become an MD, a person must go to a four-year college, a four-year medical school, and complete a residency and specialty training in specific field of medicine. To become a psychiatrist, a doctor learns to diagnose mental health disorders and prescribe appropriate medication. Many psychiatrists also train in psychotherapy. In some cases, MDs diagnose disorders and prescribe/manage medication, while others will diagnose disorders, prescribe/manage medication, and also provide treatment with various modes of psychotherapy.
DO: Doctor of Osteopathy
To become a DO, a person receives the same level of training as an MD: four-year college, four-year medical school, and advanced training in a specialty. A DO psychiatrist is at the same level of education and training as an MD psychiatrist. What distinguishes a DO from an MD is specialized training in the musculoskeletal system and exposure to/training in holistic therapeutic modalities.
APRN: Advanced Practice Registered Nurse
To become an APRN, a person must complete nursing school, then engage in specialized training beyond that basic level. The majority of APRNs in psychiatric areas specialize in medication management, and support providers such as psychologists, therapists, and others ensure patient safety, progress, and physical health.
PMHNP: Psychiatric and Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
To become PMHNP, a person must complete nursing school and a master’s degree. Many PMHNPs also receive doctoral degrees, or PhDs. These nurse practitioners receive specialized training in mental health and supporting patients with mental health disorders. They may work in private practice, treatment centers, clinics, or hospitals. Like APRNs, PMHNPs also receive training in psychiatric diagnostic procedures and medication management.
PCNS: Psychiatric Clinical Nurse Specialist
To become a PCNS, a person completes the same amount of training as a PMHNP: nursing school, a master’s degree, and specialized training in mental health and the support of patients with mental health disorders. A PCNS will often pursue/receive certification in a psychiatric specialty, such as adult mental health, child mental health, or adolescent mental health.
Now let’s learn about the next category of mental health providers: psychologists.
Psychologists: 2nd Highest Level of Training
Psychologists are mental health providers who receive a doctorate degree such as a PhD or a PsyD. They’re trained in talk therapy, a.k.a. psychotherapy, which is what most people think of when they think of mental health treatment.
PhD: Doctor of Philosophy
To become a PhD level psychologist, a person completes a four-year college, completes a master’s degree, and completes a doctoral program in psychology, which most often involves four or more years of academic training and two to three years of field training. A PhD psychologist often focuses on research rather than treating patients in a clinical setting.
PsyD: Doctor of Psychology
To become a PsyD level psychologist, a person completes the same amount of education and training as a PhD psychologist. However, in comparison to a PhD psychologist, a PsyD psychologist most often focuses on practical clinical work with patients, as opposed to research. If you engage in talk therapy with a psychologist, they’re more likely to have a PsyD than a PhD.
Social Workers: High Level of Training
Social workers are professionals, trained to help people access support and services related to personal wellbeing and social justice. When social workers receive training and supervision in providing mental health counseling via psychotherapy, they become licensed therapists and can legally offer and provide talk therapy support to patients with mental health issues, problems, or clinical disorders. Social workers provide support in a variety of contexts, including hospitals, clinics, treatment centers, or private practice.
LCSW: Licensed Clinical Social Worker
To become an LCSW, a person completes a four-year college and a master’s degree in social work, then receives specialized training in clinical psychotherapy in clinical settings, then licensure to practice psychotherapy in clinical settings. LCSWs must pass a clinical licensing exam before supporting patients independently. Social workers without clinical training are called MSWs, and can become LCSWs by receiving additional training and passing a state licensure examination.
Mental Health Counselors: High Level of Training
Mental health counselors provide talk therapy to patients with mental heath problems, mental health challenges, or clinical mental health disorders. Most mental health counselors have master’s degrees and specific training that enables them to obtain licensure and offer psychotherapy in a variety of clinical settings.
LMHC: Licensed Mental Health Counselor
To become an LMHCs, a person must complete a master’s degree and pass state licensure exams in order to support mental health patients in a clinical health setting. A large proportion of counselors in treatment centers nationwide are LMHCs.
MA: Master of Arts
An MA-level counselor is a person with a master’s degree but has not obtained state-level licensure. Onc a counselor with an MA passes a licensing exam, they become an LHMC, but they may support patients under supervision until they’re fully licensed, at which time they can support patients independently.
LMFT: Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
To become an LMFT-level counselor, a person must complete a master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy, and pass a state licensure exam in marriage and family therapy.
LPC: Licensed Professional Counselor
An LPC-level counselor is essentially the same as an LMHC and requires the same level of training and licensure. To become an LPC, a person must complete a master’s degree in counseling and also pass a state licensure exam in mental health counseling.
LP: Licensed Psychologist
To become an LP, a person must complete a master’s degree in a mental health field, a doctoral degree in a mental health field – PhD or PsyD – and pass a licensure exam to practice psychology.
LCAT: Licensed Creative Arts Therapist
To become an LCATs, a person must complete a master’s degree in a fine art – e.g. an MFA in visual art, music, or theater – and engage in a period clinical supervision working with mental health patients, and obtain a state-level license to support patients in their state of choice. An LCATs combines elements of psychotherapy and art therapy, such as painting, drawing, or sculpture, to explore thoughts and emotions associated with mental health disorders.
ATR: Registered Art Therapist
To become an ATR, a person must complete a master’s degree in some type of artistic field, engage in supervised support of mental health patients, and complete post-graduate clinical work in art therapy and psychotherapy.
ATR-BC Registered Art Therapist, Board Certified
To become an ATR-BC, a person must complete the same level of education and training as an ATR, and in addition, pass a state-level certification exam and engage in ongoing continuing education in art therapy, which varies by state.
That’s the end of our list. It includes all the titles you’ll see at almost all treatment centers around the country. Please note the extensive level of education and training mental health providers receive. If you seek professional support from a mental health provider in California, that provider will have at least a college degree and a master’s degree. If they’re supporting patients, that means they’ve also passed a state licensure exam, or are currently training under an experienced mentor, and planning to take the exam in order to support patients independently.
A Job Description for a Mental Health Provider in California: Mental Health Clinician
When you read our website, articles on our blog, or the details on our treatment pages, you often see us use the word clinician. We say things like, “you collaborate with our clinicians,” and “one of our expert clinicians review your treatment plan,” or “our clinicians lead group therapy sessions.”
When we say clinician, you may wonder who we’re talking about. The information above gives you a good idea. At BACA, a clinician means a licensed mental health provider who meets all the requirements we list above, depending on their specific position.
To give you a clear idea of exactly what a mental health clinician does, we adapted the following job description from the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) online resource, Mental Health Careers.
Here’s how they describe the job:
“Mental Health Clinician is a professional who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental health conditions. They work with individuals, families, and groups to assess and address mental health issues, using a variety of therapeutic techniques and approaches. They may work in a variety of settings, including private practice, hospitals, community clinics, and schools.”
Here’s a list of duties most often associated with the position:
- Administer diagnostic assessments/evaluations
- Collaborate with patients and families to create custom treatment plans
- Lead individual therapy sessions
- Lead group therapy session
- Document all clinical activity for each patient according to established best practices
- Collaborate with any other relevant healthcare providers
- Conduct educational workshops and training sessions with patients and families about mental health and mental health treatment
- Engage in crisis management, if necessary
- Keep current on latest/best practices in mental/behavioral health
- Advocate for patients/help them get the most out of treatment
And finally, here’s a list of basic requirements a person must have to apply for a position as a mental health clinician. Think of this as a theoretical job posting:
Mental Health Clinician Needed
- Education: Master’s or Doctorate degree in Psychology, Counseling, or Social Work
- Licensure: Current state LCSW or LPC license
- Professional experience:
- 2 years clinical experience
- Ability to support a variety of demographic groups and mental health diagnoses
- Training/experience in trauma-informed care
- Familiarity with electronic record systems
- Preferred professional experience:
- Spanish language proficiency
- Experience in community settings
We include this information for people worried about the quality of care they’ll get if they look for a mental health provider in California: if a treatment center is fully licensed and accredited, and their staff is likewise fully trained, licensed, and accredited, there’s a very good chance you’ll receive a high quality of care.
The rest is personal choice: if a treatment center and staff meet all the professional criteria we list above, then deciding which mental health treatment provider in California to choose depends on your rapport with the treatment center staff and other factors, such a cost, location, and type of program.
