BHA General FAQ

Hospital and outpatient mental health services are available to you and your family if they are needed. Some of services include:

  • Crisis services;
  • Individual therapy;
  • Group therapy; and
  • Medication evaluation, prescription and management.

You may also receive employment support services, case management and other services through your BHO.

For more detailed information, please call the BHO for your community listed on the BHO pages or call the Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery at 1-888-713-6010.

Interpreter services are available upon request. Most written materials are translated into languages other than English based upon the service area population.

Some community mental health agencies have staff who speak other languages besides English. There is more information on the page for your BHO. If you or someone you know wants services in another language, your BHO must provide language assistance at no cost to you. Assistance can be provided both orally and in writing.

If you need mental health services, an individual service plan will be developed with you. Your plan will consider your age and your culture. You may receive one or more of the services listed above. The plan will be fit to you, according to your strengths and needs. Your mental health care provider will decide with you which services you will be provided and for how long.

Your mental health care provider may also ask permission to work with people who provide you other services such as housing, healthcare, and employment.

Other Medicaid benefits may be available to you. Here are some reference numbers:
Physical health: Contact information on back of your card
Substance Abuse: 1-877-301-4557
Transportation Broker: 1-800-562-3022/911 for crisis

  • The state of Washington defines medical necessity for inpatient care as "a requested service which is reasonably calculated to diagnose, correct, cure or alleviate a mental disorder or prevent the worsening of a mental condition that endanger life or cause suffering and pain or result in illness or infirmity or threaten to cause or aggravate a handicap, or cause physical deformity or malfunction and there is no adequate less restrictive alternative available." RCW 71.34.020 (12)
  • For publicly funded admissions, the RSN or the DMHP determines medical necessity for acute psychiatric care.

If you received services from an agency that is not contracted with your Behavioral Health Organization, you may be responsible for costs. If your coupon was not active, you may have to pay. If you had a coupon and receive a bill for an agencies services in error, contact the agency billing office. If you need further help, contact your Behavioral Health Organization.