When deciding to seek behavioral health outpatient support, it can be difficult to know where to start. What type of mental health professional should I see? Who accepts my insurance? Where can I get help finding an appointment? It’s often overwhelming.
It’s why we’ve made our Behavioral Health Service Navigation program a cornerstone of Harvard Pilgrim’s whole-person care approach. Our team of behavioral health service navigators are ready to provide personalized, non-clinical support for your behavioral health needs. To learn more, we spoke with one of our behavioral health service navigators: Natalie Zucco.
What is a behavioral health service navigator?
A behavioral health service navigator can provide personalized support to a member trying to navigate the complex health care system for a behavioral health need. They can help to not only find an in-network behavioral health care provider with availability, but they’ll also work with the member to determine what provider would be the best fit based on their search criteria, which may include the provider’s specialty and cultural competency. And once that best fit is determined, behavioral health service navigators will also schedule the appointment for a member.
“We don’t just send the member a list of providers, we will actually call the providers. We will schedule the appointment. We will follow up with the member after and if the member isn’t happy, then we will redo the search to find a provider that they feel is a good fit.”
Natalie shares that for a member struggling with their mental health, it can be frustrating to have to call numerous providers and wait to receive a call back. Hitting those roadblocks can push you further back rather than help you, so she and her colleagues are happy to take that stress off a member’s plate.
And it’s not just scheduling new appointments that Natalie helps with. For example, perhaps a provider that a member was seeing has left the practice. That member might need mental health medication but can’t find a new provider with availability to get their prescription filled. In this example, Natalie can jump in using internal tools and cultivated relationships with our behavioral health providers to secure an appointment as quickly as possible.
Behavioral health service navigators can also help members who are looking for a new provider who may better fit their current needs. Natalie shares an example of a member originally wanting to see a female provider but realizing a male provider would be a better fit. She’s able to address these needs by checking in with members after their appointments and making adjustments.
Another area Natalie helps with is education. Whether that’s explaining the difference between a psychologist vs. a psychiatrist or helping the member understand how virtual therapy works.
The same goes for sharing available resources, like how to access virtual care programs. In talking to a member, Natalie might learn that the individual needs additional support, like securing transportation to an appointment or finding financial assistance resources. She can then refer those members to other teams within Harvard Pilgrim who can help. Having a whole person-care approach ensures that all teams communicate with each other to help meet members’ needs.
Easing the burden of finding an in-network provider
Natalie recalls a member who was referred to her by member services after calling in to find a new therapist for her son. The current therapist was out-of-network, so it was costing her more money out-of-pocket per session and was hoping to find someone in-network instead. She was unfamiliar with the behavioral health service navigation program when she called in but was thrilled once she learned it was available. Natalie then worked with her to find a therapist for her daughter as well.
“[The member] said it was the best experience she’s ever had and did not know what she would have done if we didn’t have the program because she just felt so defeated.”
The member also shared that she was at the point where she’d rather just pay the money every session than go through the headache of trying to find an in-network provider. Natalie shares that finding the right therapist can get really overwhelming and stressful, so being able to provide this level of personalized service to our members is important to us as an organization.
“It’s definitely a good feeling when you know you helped a member find a provider who would have otherwise given up out of frustration.”
Get in touch with a behavioral health service navigator
If you’re a Harvard Pilgrim member that may benefit with speaking to a behavioral health service navigator, start by contacting members services (888)-333-4742 (the number on the back of your member ID card). If you still have questions, you’ll be connected to one of our behavioral health service navigators where you can discuss your behavioral health care needs.
And for plan details and other member resources, log in to the secure member account.
