Mental health services for women range from the free 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline to community mental health centers, sliding-scale therapists, and inpatient care. SAMHSA's National Helpline (1-800-662-HELP) provides 24/7 referrals, and the Office on Women's Health (womenshealth.gov) maintains resources on postpartum depression, anxiety, trauma, and perimenopausal mental health. Medicaid covers behavioral health in all states, and ACA plans must cover mental health at parity with medical care. Postpartum Support International (1-800-944-4773) connects new and expecting mothers with trained providers. This directory surfaces crisis lines, low-cost therapy, women's support groups, and state mental health authorities.
Arkansas circuit courts hear family law matters in all 75 counties, with the Office of Child Support Enforcement under the Department of Finance and Administration. Little Rock, Fort Smith, Fayetteville, and Springdale are the largest metros. Legal Aid of Arkansas, the Center for Arkansas Legal Services, and the Arkansas Coalition Against Domestic Violence provide help to women.
Dialing 988 from any Arkansas phone routes the call to a regional crisis center where trained counselors answer 24 hours a day. The line covers suicidal ideation, anxiety attacks, and emotional crises with no requirement to be in active danger. Spanish-language line available by pressing 2. Texts to 988 are answered by the same network. Free, confidential, and does not require insurance.
988 · Statewide Phone/Text Service · 24/7 · Visit Website
NAMI Arkansas runs the state chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness from offices on Autumn Road in west Little Rock. They host the free Family-to-Family course for relatives of people with mental illness, the Peer-to-Peer program for women in recovery, and monthly support groups in several cities. The state office also advocates at the legislature for parity and crisis-system funding.
501-661-1548 · 1012 Autumn Rd Suite 1, Little Rock, AR 72211 · Mon-Fri 9am-5pm · Visit Website
Counseling Associates is a long-running outpatient practice with multiple central Arkansas locations including the West Capitol Avenue office in Little Rock. Licensed therapists provide individual and family counseling for depression, anxiety, grief, and trauma. They accept Arkansas Medicaid, Tricare, and most major commercial plans. Self-pay rates are quoted at intake; ask about a sliding scale if cost is a concern.
501-372-4613 · 1401 W Capitol Ave, Little Rock, AR 72201 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website
Ozark Guidance is the community mental health center for Benton, Washington, Madison, and Carroll counties, with its largest campus in Springdale. They provide outpatient therapy, psychiatric medication management, school-based services, and a 24-hour crisis line for northwest Arkansas. Mothers without insurance can apply for the sliding-scale program at intake; Medicaid is accepted across all programs.
479-750-2020 · 2400 S 48th St, Springdale, AR 72762 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website
Postpartum Support Arkansas is the state coordinator of Postpartum Support International, with trained peer mentors who connect new mothers to providers experienced in perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. They host warm-line callbacks, monthly virtual support groups, and a provider directory filterable by city and insurance. The 800-944-4773 helpline routes to the national PSI line, which calls back within one business day.
800-944-4773 · Statewide Service · Mon-Fri 9am-5pm; Crisis Text: HOME to 741741 · Visit Website
SACMHC is the community mental health center for the southwest corner of Arkansas, with the Magnolia office serving Columbia, Lafayette, and surrounding counties. Services include outpatient therapy, psychiatric services, and case management for women with serious mental illness who qualify for the Arkansas Medicaid Behavioral Health Agency program. Walk-in crisis assessments are available during business hours.
870-234-7348 · 2904 E Main St, Magnolia, AR 71753 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm
Mid-South Health Systems is the community mental health center covering 14 counties in northeast Arkansas with the Browns Lane campus in Jonesboro as its main site. The agency offers therapy, medication management, intensive outpatient programs, and a mobile crisis team that responds to 988 calls in their region. Medicaid and self-pay sliding scale accepted.
870-972-4200 · 2707 Browns Ln, Jonesboro, AR 72401 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm
The national 988 Lifeline website hosts chat, the Spanish line, the Veterans Line (press 1), and the LGBTQ+ specialty line for callers under 25. The site also publishes safety-plan templates that mothers can fill out with a counselor or use independently between sessions. Materials are downloadable in multiple languages.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
SAMHSA's 1-800-662-HELP helpline is the federal treatment-locator line for mental health and substance use. Counselors stay on the phone while they search Findtreatment.gov for Arkansas providers that match your needs and insurance. The line is staffed 24/7 in English and Spanish and does not record your name or call back.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
The NAMI national HelpLine at 1-800-950-NAMI is staffed by trained volunteers who help callers navigate the mental health system, find local NAMI affiliates, and identify support groups. Mothers can also email helpline@nami.org for a written reply. The helpline does not provide crisis intervention but will warm-transfer to 988 when appropriate.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
Mental Health America hosts the most-used free online mental health screening tools in the country, including PHQ-9 for depression, GAD-7 for anxiety, and screeners specific to postpartum and parental burnout. Results include suggested next steps and a referral list. Useful as a private first step for mothers who suspect they need help but aren't ready to call a therapist.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
MentalHealth.gov is the federal portal that explains how to talk to family about mental illness, what therapy options exist, and how insurance parity works under the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act. The site uses plain language and is built for people who have never used mental health services before.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
PSI's national helpline at 1-800-944-4773 routes callers to trained perinatal coordinators who suggest local providers and support groups. The PSI provider directory is searchable by Arkansas city and lists clinicians with documented perinatal training, which most general therapist directories do not capture. Free online support groups meet weekly.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
The Maternal Mental Health Hotline at 1-833-TLC-MAMA is staffed 24/7 by counselors trained in perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. The line is run by HRSA and offers a callback option in English and Spanish. Free, confidential, and does not require insurance or a referral. Useful when symptoms don't rise to a 988-level crisis but feel beyond what a primary care visit can address.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
Crisis Text Line connects you with a trained volunteer counselor by text when calling feels impossible. Text HOME to 741741 from any US carrier; the service is free and does not appear on phone bills as a billed call. Useful for mothers in situations where a caller could be overheard, or for those who simply process better in writing.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
Therapy for Black Girls hosts a national therapist directory specifically for Black women and girls seeking culturally competent providers. The Arkansas listings are limited but growing, and many directory members offer telehealth across state lines for clients in rural counties without local options. The companion podcast covers therapy access, racial trauma, and intergenerational family dynamics.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
ADAA publishes evidence-based information on anxiety and depression including specific resources on perinatal anxiety, OCD in motherhood, and panic disorder. Their therapist directory lets you filter by Arkansas and by treatment specialty such as CBT, exposure therapy, or DBT. Free peer-support communities operate through the website.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website