If you are moving either temporarily or permanently, you may wonder if you can continue receiving care from your current mental health provider. This article aims to address some of the most common concerns and situations.
Key Points
Providers must be licensed in the state where both you and they are located during sessions.
Notify your provider if you plan to move temporarily or permanently so they can discuss how your care may be affected.
For temporary moves, your provider may offer limited check-ins or a monitoring plan until you return.
For permanent moves, your provider can help with a transition plan, referrals, and updating your insurance and billing information.
Temporary moves
If you plan to be outside your primary state or region of residency, such as on a vacation or business trip, you should notify your provider as soon as possible. Typically, a provider must be licensed or legally permitted to practice in the location where services are provided, which is where you are physically located. If your provider is not licensed in your temporary location, they must refrain from assessing, diagnosing, or treating mental illness.
However, you and your provider may create a monitoring plan while your official treatment is paused. For example, you and your provider could agree on periodic check-ins (e.g., calls, emails, or messages) to ensure that your symptoms are under control and that any crisis can be promptly addressed.
Information on contacting your provider via your portal's messaging feature is available here.
Permanent moves
If you plan to move permanently outside your primary state or region of residency, you should notify your provider as soon as possible. In most situations, your provider can only continue working with you if they are licensed to provide care in both your current and future locations. If you can no longer receive care from them, they will work with you on a transition plan and offer to refer you to another qualified provider.