Best Mental Health in Virginia — 13 resources

About Mental Health for Women

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.

Mental Health in Virginia

Virginia has Juvenile and Domestic Relations Courts handling custody, visitation, and child support (for unmarried parents and modifications), plus Circuit Courts handling divorce. The Division of Child Support Enforcement operates under DSS. Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Norfolk, Richmond, Arlington, and Alexandria are the largest cities. Central Virginia Legal Aid and the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance serve women.

13 Resources

1. NAMI Virginia — Free

NAMI Virginia at PO Box 8260 in Richmond runs 17 local affiliates offering free Family Support Groups, Connection peer groups, and Family-to-Family eight-week courses statewide. Call (804) 285-8264 Mon-Fri 9am-5pm to find the affiliate covering your county.

(804) 285-8264 · PO Box 8260, Richmond, VA 23226 · Mon-Fri 9am-5pm · Visit Website

2. Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board

Fairfax-Falls Church CSB at 12011 Government Center Pkwy is one of Virginia's 40 CSBs providing mental health, substance use, and developmental services to Northern Virginia women. CSBs charge sliding-scale fees and accept Medicaid. Crisis line (703) 573-5679; office (703) 383-8500.

(703) 383-8500 · 12011 Government Center Pkwy, Fairfax, VA 22035 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website

3. Richmond Behavioral Health Authority

RBHA at 107 S 5th St in Richmond is the city's CSB-equivalent serving Richmond residents with outpatient therapy, MAT, and the Crisis Intervention Team for police mental-health calls. 24/7 crisis line (804) 819-4100; sliding scale.

(804) 819-4100 · 107 S 5th St, Richmond, VA 23219 · 24/7 crisis line · Visit Website

4. 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — Free

Calling 988 from a Virginia phone routes to a Virginia-based call center coordinating with the state's REACH and Marcus Alert mobile-response teams. Free, confidential, 24/7 by call, text, or chat. Veterans press 1; Spanish press 2.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

5. SAMHSA National Helpline — Free

1-800-662-HELP (4357) is SAMHSA's free 24/7 treatment locator that knows which Virginia CSBs and private providers accept Medicaid and have current openings. English and Spanish.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

6. NAMI HelpLine — Free

1-800-950-NAMI (6264) is staffed Mon-Fri 10am-10pm ET by trained volunteers — many themselves living with mental illness or family of someone who does — who can help a Virginia woman navigate insurance, hospital discharge, or family conflict.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

7. Mental Health America — Free

MHA's anonymous online screening tools at mhanational.org produce a printable result you can hand to your Virginia primary care doctor — often the fastest path to a therapist referral that insurance will cover.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

8. MentalHealth.gov — Free

MentalHealth.gov is the HHS gateway explaining diagnoses, treatments, and how Medicaid covers mental health — useful for Virginia women learning vocabulary before their first therapy intake.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

9. Postpartum Support International — Free

PSI's Virginia coordinators (one in each region) connect pregnant and postpartum women to perinatal psychiatrists, support groups, and peer mentors who have personally recovered from PMADs. Call 1-800-944-4773.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

10. National Maternal Mental Health Hotline — Free

Call or text 1-833-TLC-MAMA for HRSA's 24/7 maternal mental health line staffed by counselors trained specifically in perinatal mood disorders. English, Spanish, and 60+ other languages by interpreter.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

11. Crisis Text Line — Free

Text HOME to 741741 — the safer crisis-support option for Virginia women whose abuser monitors phone calls. Trained volunteers respond within five minutes 24/7; chat history can be cleared.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

12. Therapy for Black Girls — Free

TherapyForBlackGirls.com lists culturally competent therapists in Virginia's major metro areas (Richmond, Hampton Roads, Northern Virginia) and beyond. Free podcast covers common mental health topics in Black women's lives.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

13. Anxiety & Depression Association of America — Free

ADAA's therapist finder lets Virginia women filter by in-network insurance and specialty (CBT for OCD, panic, trauma). Free webinars taught by ADAA member clinicians on coping skills.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

Frequently Asked

How many mental health resources are in Virginia?
Women's Corner tracks 13 mental health resources for women in Virginia.
Are mental health resources in Virginia free?
11 of the 13 listed mental health resources in Virginia are explicitly free or low-cost.
Which cities in Virginia have mental health resources?
Listings span cities including Richmond, Fairfax.
What are some examples of mental health resources in Virginia?
Featured entries include NAMI Virginia, Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board, Richmond Behavioral Health Authority, 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, SAMHSA National Helpline.
Do these listings include phone numbers?
3 of 13 Virginia mental health listings include phone numbers.
I'm in crisis right now — who do I call?
Dial or text 988 — the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, free and confidential, 24/7. For substance use or mental health referrals, call SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP. If you're a woman in immediate danger from a partner, also call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.
How do I find a therapist I can afford?
Community Mental Health Centers in every state offer sliding-scale therapy based on income. Medicaid covers therapy in all 50 states. Open Path Collective offers
0–$80 sessions nationwide. Psychology Today's directory filters by insurance, sliding scale, and women's issues. Many universities offer free counseling through graduate training clinics.
Will going to therapy hurt my custody case?
Almost never — judges view voluntarily seeking mental health care as responsible parenting. Therapy records are confidential except for narrow exceptions (child abuse disclosure, imminent self-harm). If your ex tries to use your therapy against you, courts routinely reject that argument. Court-ordered evaluations are different and you should have an attorney.
Is there mental health support for postpartum depression?
Yes. Postpartum Support International (1-800-944-4773 or text 'Help' to 800-944-4773) runs a free helpline and connects you to local providers specializing in perinatal mood disorders. Most OB/GYNs screen for PPD and can prescribe or refer. Medicaid covers PPD treatment, and many states extended postpartum Medicaid to 12 months.