Mental Health Credentialing Services in All 50 States
We credential mental health providers nationwide and know the Medicaid programs and payer mix in each state. Explore our state pages:
Get in-network with the insurance companies your clients already use, without spending months on hold with payers. Our mental health credentialing services handle everything from CAQH and NPI setup to applications, follow-up and contracting, so you can focus on clients instead of paperwork.
We work only with mental and behavioral health providers. That focus means we know the rules that trip up generalist credentialing companies, from Optum and Carelon behavioral health carve-outs to Medicaid managed care plans and Medicare enrollment for counselors and MFTs. Whether you’re a solo therapist or a multi-state group, our behavioral health credentialing services get you paneled faster and keep you that way.
Credentialing for mental health providers is the process insurance companies use to verify your license, education, malpractice coverage, work history and identity before they add you to their network. Once you're credentialed and contracted, you're in-network: clients can use their benefits with you, and the payer reimburses you at your contracted rate.
Mental health insurance credentialing has more moving parts than most specialties. Many health plans hand behavioral health to a separate company (a "carve-out"). Medicaid often requires state enrollment and separate credentialing with each managed care plan. And license types such as LPC, LMHC, LCSW, LMFT and PMHNP are treated differently by every payer. A small mismatch in any of these can push your start date back by months.
The payer verifies your qualifications (primary source verification).
You sign a participation agreement with set reimbursement rates.
Your effective date, EFT/ERA and portal access are set up so claims can be paid.
Our credentialing services for mental health providers cover the full lifecycle, from choosing the right payers to keeping your credentials active years later.
Get Free Billing AuditWe identify which panels are open in your area, which plans your target clients carry, and where reimbursement rates are worth the effort.
We build or clean up your CAQH profile, upload current documents, authorize payers and complete the required re-attestation every 120 days.
We set up Type 1 (individual) and Type 2 (group) NPIs, choose the correct taxonomy codes and complete Medicare enrollment in PECOS.
Payer-specific applications, supporting documents and attestations are completed accurately the first time.
We contact every payer on a fixed schedule, answer requests for information quickly and escalate stalled files.
We review fee schedules and contract terms before you sign, and request rate adjustments where possible.
Direct deposit, electronic remittance and payer portals are set up so you're ready to bill from day one.
We track every expiration date, from licenses and malpractice to CAQH and Medicare revalidation, and renew before anything lapses.
Every license type has its own payer rules. Our team knows them all.
Our insurance credentialing services for therapists cover solo and group clinicians across commercial plans, behavioral health carve-outs, Medicaid and Medicare. We make sure your license type and taxonomy code match what each payer expects, so you aren’t rejected or loaded with the wrong rates.
We credential psychologists for therapy and for psychological and neuropsychological testing, which some payers handle under separate rules and authorizations.
Prescribers often need medical and behavioral health plan enrollment, DEA and state controlled-substance registrations, and hospital or supervising-physician details where required. We coordinate all of it.
We credential the group (Type 2 NPI and tax ID) and every clinician linked to it, then add new hires as you grow so they don’t wait months to see insured clients.
We credential you in every state where you hold a license, handle each state’s Medicaid program separately, and set up telehealth billing details correctly with each payer.
We credential mental health providers with national, regional and government payers. Availability depends on your state, license type and each payer's current panel status.
| Payer type | Examples | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial plans | Aetna, Anthem / Elevance, Blue Cross Blue Shield plans, Cigna / Evernorth, UnitedHealthcare, Humana | Most rely on CAQH ProView. Some route mental health to a carve-out. |
| Behavioral health carve-outs | Optum Behavioral Health, Carelon Behavioral Health, Magellan, EAP networks | Separate application and contract from the medical plan. |
| Medicare | Traditional Medicare (PECOS), Medicare Advantage plans | MFTs and mental health counselors have been eligible since 2024. |
| Medicaid | State Medicaid programs and Medicaid managed care organizations (MCOs) | State enrollment first, then each MCO separately. |
| Military | TRICARE | Regional contractor rules apply. |
Since January 1, 2024, marriage and family therapists and mental health counselors (including LPCs and LMHCs) can enroll as Medicare providers. We confirm you meet Medicare's licensure and supervised-experience requirements, complete your PECOS enrollment, and set up your Medicare billing details correctly.
Medicaid credentialing usually happens in two layers: enrollment with the state Medicaid program, then separate credentialing with each managed care plan that serves your clients. We manage both layers and track each plan's own timeline.
A closed panel isn't always the end of the road. We can request an exception based on network need, specialty, language or underserved populations, apply through the payer's behavioral health carve-out or a group contract, and set reminders to reapply when the panel reopens.
We review your license, location, client base and goals, then recommend the payers worth joining.
Active StepYou get one simple checklist. We collect and verify your license, malpractice, education, work history and IDs.
Active StepWe create or fix your profiles so every application draws on the same clean data.
Active StepEvery payer application is submitted and confirmed received.
Active StepWe follow up on a fixed schedule and answer payer requests within one business day.
Active StepWe review contracts, confirm your effective dates and set up EFT/ERA so you can start billing.
Active StepTimelines depend on the payer, your state and how complete your application is. These are typical ranges from submission of a complete application.
| Stage / payer type | Typical timeline |
|---|---|
| CAQH, NPI and document setup | 1–2 weeks |
| Commercial insurance plans | 60–120 days |
| Behavioral health carve-outs | 45–120 days |
| Medicare (PECOS) | Often 30–90 days |
| Medicaid + managed care plans | 90–150+ days |
| Closed-panel exceptions or appeals | Varies; can add several months |
The biggest delays we see come from incomplete CAQH profiles, mismatched addresses and late responses to payer requests. All three are avoidable. Read our full guide: How long does credentialing take for therapists?
Most credentialing companies charge per payer application or per package. Your cost depends on how many providers, payers and states you need. We give you a written quote after a free assessment, with no long-term contract and no surprise fees.
| Service | SRG pricing | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| Per-payer credentialing | [$100–$175 per payer] | Application, follow-up until decision, contract review |
| Solo provider starter package | [$350–$600 ] | CAQH setup, NPI/taxonomy review, applications, EFT/ERA setup |
| Group practice credentialing | [$750–$1,500] | Group + individual enrollment, new-hire onboarding |
| Re-credentialing & CAQH maintenance | [$50–$85/month] | 120-day re-attestation, expiration tracking, revalidation |
| Billing + credentialing clients | [10%–15% discount] | Credentialing bundled with full-service billing |
Many therapists start with platforms such as Headway, Alma or Grow Therapy, which credential you under their own group contracts. That can be a fast way in. The trade-off is control. Here's how the two models compare:
| Comparison Factors | Platform networks | Independent credentialing (SRG) |
|---|---|---|
| Who holds the contract | The platform | You or your practice |
| Reimbursement rates | Set by the platform | Negotiated directly with each payer |
| Speed to first client | Often fast | Depends on payer, 60–120 days typical |
| If you leave | You lose in-network status through the platform | Your contracts stay with you |
| Best for | New clinicians testing insurance | Established practices and growing groups |
Many of our clients use both: a platform while they wait, and their own contracts for the long term.
Credentialing and billing are two halves of the same job. If your NPI, taxonomy code, tax ID or service address on file with a payer doesn't match your claims, those claims are denied, even when you're fully credentialed. Our insurance credentialing and billing for mental health clinicians are handled by one team, so your data matches from day one.
We set up correct CPT codes (90791, 90834, 90837 and add-ons), modifiers and telehealth place-of-service codes (02 or 10) for each payer.
Your effective date, EFT/ERA and eligibility checks are in place before your first in-network session.
Learn more about our mental health billing services and mental health revenue cycle management.
Scheduled follow-up and escalation keep your file moving instead of sitting in a payer’s queue.
An expired document or missed re-attestation can freeze every application. We keep your profile current.
We know which payers want which forms, license types and taxonomy codes.
A lapse can mean termination from a network. We track every deadline for you.
We check your loaded rates and provider type after approval, not after the first denial.
We pursue exceptions and alternative routes instead of stopping at “no”.
Many credentialing companies treat therapy practices like any other specialty. We don’t.
We don’t credential orthopedic surgeons. Our team works only with mental health and substance use providers.
Everything is in your name or your practice’s name.
See where every application stands without chasing us for updates.
No data mismatches, no finger-pointing between vendors.
Pay for the payers you need.
[Add a verified proof point, e.g. “__ providers credentialed in __ states” or “average __ days to approval”]
We credential mental health providers nationwide and know the Medicaid programs and payer mix in each state. Explore our state pages:
Dr. Sarah Martinez
Dr. James Chen
“The team’s expertise in mental health billing is unmatched. They handle everything from credentialing to denials, and their claim acceptance rate is phenomenal. Highly recommend!”
Rebecca Thompson
“As a group practice with 12 therapists, we needed a billing partner who could scale with us. They’ve been amazing – transparent, efficient, and always available to answer questions.”
Every document, login and number you need before applying to any insurance panel: license, malpractice, CAQH, NPI, W-9, CV and more, on one page.
Credentialing is the process insurance companies use to verify a mental health provider's license, education, malpractice coverage and work history before adding them to their network. Once credentialed and contracted, the provider is in-network and can bill that payer for covered services.
Most commercial payers take 60 to 120 days from a complete application. Medicaid and Medicaid managed care plans can take 90 to 150 days or longer. Clean CAQH data and consistent follow-up are the biggest factors you can control.
Credentialing services are usually priced per payer or as a package. Mental Health Billing SRG gives a written quote after a free assessment, based on the number of providers, payers and states, with no long-term contract.
Yes. Since January 1, 2024, marriage and family therapists and mental health counselors can enroll in Medicare as providers. They enroll through PECOS and must meet Medicare's licensure and supervised-experience requirements.
CAQH ProView is the online profile most commercial payers use to collect provider credentialing data. It must be complete, include current documents, and be re-attested every 120 days. An outdated CAQH profile is one of the most common causes of credentialing delays.
A closed panel means the payer is not accepting new providers in your area or specialty. Options include requesting an exception based on access needs, language or specialty, applying to the payer's behavioral health carve-out, joining through a group contract, or reapplying when the panel reopens.
Yes. We credential you or your group directly with each payer, so the contracts are in your name or your practice's name. You keep them if you stop working with us.
Yes. Many practices use us for both. Because the same team credentials you and submits your claims, your NPI, taxonomy, tax ID and service address match across payers, which prevents a large share of early claim denials.
Most commercial payers re-credential every three years, Medicare requires revalidation every five years, and CAQH must be re-attested every 120 days. We track these dates and handle renewals before they lapse.
Yes. We credential providers for telehealth in every state where they are licensed, and manage state-specific Medicaid enrollment and payer rules for multi-state practices.
Tell us your license type, state and the payers you want. Within one business day you'll get a payer-by-payer plan with realistic timelines and a written quote.
Form fields: Name · Email · Phone · License type · State(s) · Target payers · Solo or group practice
Get My Free Credentialing Plan Call 281-899-0833