In Los Angeles County, foster children are covered by Medi-Cal, which will pay for all “medically necessary” mental health services. If you are not currently receiving mental health services, you are free to find a therapist who accepts Medi-Cal.
In Los Angeles County, mental health services for people with Medi-Cal are provided by the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (DMH). You can find a list of clinics and therapists in your area by calling the DMH Access Line at 1-800-854-7771 or 213 738-4949. The operators there are available 24/7 and can give you phone numbers for a therapist close to your home who accepts Medi-Cal. You can also ask the operator to send you a provider list. If you have any trouble reaching someone at the Access Line, you can also contact 211 and ask for a referral to a mental health provider who accepts Medi-Cal.
If you find a therapist or clinic that you think would be best for you that is not part of the DMH, you can ask the DCFS social worker to make a referral to that therapist or clinic. However, unless you also have private insurance, DCFS is usually only able to refer the child to agencies and therapists who accept Medi-Cal and contract with DMH.