The following professionals may be involved in your evaluation. They may also provide service planning and care. Each has a specific specialty. But, each is also part of the treatment team. The duties and responsibilities will be different in different agencies:

• Psychiatrists are physicians (M.D. OR D.O.). They have specific training in psychiatry. A psychiatrist will evaluate a patient. They also make the diagnosis and prescribe medicine. Sometimes, a they will give other kinds of treatment as well. They work with the treatment team. They plan for care in the hospital and after discharge. Some psychiatrists also provide counseling, either on on one or with groups. The only other type of professional who can prescribe medication is a nurse practitioner.
  
  
• Psychologists have special training to assess and treat emotional disorders. In most states, a person with a clinical license to practice has a Ph.D. They do mental testing to help make a diagnosis. They may also provide one on one, group and family therapy. Some have other job duties similar to those done by psychiatric nurses and social workers.
  
  
• Psychiatric nurses have specific training in this field. They generally have major responsibility for direct care of patients in a hospital setting. They also provide this care in day treatment programs and community mental health center clinics. They may also provide one on one, group and family counseling.
  
  
• Social workers work with the individual, family and community to coordinate care in all areas of a person’s life. Some people have extensive needs and may be involved with numerous systems (i.e. mental health, the court system, vocational services, medical services, etc.) Care coordination is important to getting good care. Social Workers may also offer individual, family or group counseling.
  
  
• Counselors have special training in counseling principles. They help their clients find solutions to problems. Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC’s) and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFT’s) are trained to work with families and family issues. Both LPC’s and LMFT’s have master’s degrees.
  
  
• Case managers coordinate care and services in the community. They help their clients get services from a variety of community agencies. They generally work for a Community Mental Health Center or an agency under contract to Community Mental Health.
  
  
• Indigenous healers are people who know about traditional healing practices. Many people have found these practices to be extremely helpful. These include curanderismo and Native American healing practices.
  
  
• Peer Counselors are people who are recovering from mental illness and have had training in basic counseling skills. They can provide support from the perspective of someone who has experienced mental illness or substance abuse first hand.