Mental Health Referrals

Ways to Locate a Mental Health Provider

Use a Recommended Referral Database

Counseling Services recommends that students utilize the following resources:

  • Psychology Today provides an excellent search engine of mental health providers in the United States. Enter a zip code to search anywhere in the U.S.
  • Path Mental Health is a service that has partnered with Geneseo to connect students to therapist offering teletherapy sessions. Students are scheduled with a therapist within one week.
Check with Your Health Insurance Provider

Contact your health insurance provider to obtain referrals to therapists who are covered by your insurance.

Here are some links to health insurance providers:

If you do not have health insurance, the Navigator Program, the New York State Department of Health offers a IPA / Navigator program providing 1:1 to individuals interested in obtaining health insurance via the New York State of Health marketplace.

Find a Provider through Other Sources

Here are some additional ideas for how to connect with mental health services:

  1. Ask your family doctor/primary care physician for recommendations.
  2. Contact your insurance company (use the number on your card) to request referrals.
  3. Call a college counseling center in the desired area and ask who they refer to (or look on their website for off-campus referrals).
  4. Solicit recommendations from family members and friends.
  5. Use a referral service for assistance. In addition to the databases mentioned above, options include LowCostHelp.com, a national directory of affordable and sliding scale counseling services, and Open Path Collective, a listing of affordable in-person and online psychotherapy options.
  6. Consider teletherapy options. Two of the most popular are talkspace.com and betterhelp.com; many others are available. Your health insurance provider can guide you in the process of connecting with covered services. Also review the Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP), a college-student specific intervention that includes multiple extended-length individual sessions per week plus a daily 90-minute CBT/DBT skills group.
  7. Visit the American Psychological Association's psychologist locator page.
  8. Visit New York State's Office of Mental Health web site to search for a mental health program in your community.
Obtain More Specialized Referral Information

Looking for specific types of providers, populations, or other specialized needs? See our Specialized Mental Health Referrals and Resources for psychiatric providers, AD/HD assessment, BIPOC- and LGBTQ+-specific providers, and more.

If you or someone you know is in need of immediate help, call University Police at 585-245-5222, or call 911, 988, or 211.

Related Pages
Mental Health Quick Resource List
Mental Health Provider Guide