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Mental Health Care
Compensation may be available for crime-related mental health care costs.
Once your application is approved, we will work with you to determine what mental health care costs are eligible for compensation.
What Mental Health Care Costs Are Covered?
Mental health services provided by a:
- Psychiatrist or other Medical Doctor (MD)
- Clinical Psychologist
- Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS)
- Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)
- Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)
- Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)
You should use your insurance plan and providers that are in your insurance network. If you need to use a different mental health care provider, contact your case manager for more information.
Treatment must be necessary, reasonable, and directly related to the crime injury. CVC will not pay for:
- Pre-existing psychological conditions
- Missed appointments
- Therapist court appearances for testimony
Compensation is generally limited to one session per week. Contact your case manager if you are requesting compensation for additional sessions.
CVC does not make referrals to mental health care providers. If you need assistance in locating an approved mental health care provider, contact your insurance provider or local victim advocate.
Note: For loss of earnings, a disability period for mental health can only be determined by an MD, a DO (Doctor of Osteopathy), or the OAG. Learn more about Loss of Earnings.
Who May Receive Compensation?
- Victims who receive crime-related mental health care
- Claimants who paid mental health care costs on behalf of a victim
- Claimants who receive crime-related mental health care and who are either a household member or an immediate family member
A "household member" is an individual who resided in the same permanent household as the victim on the crime date and who is related to the victim by blood or marriage. An "immediate family member" is an individual related to a victim within the second degree by blood or marriage.
Compensation Limits
Compensation is limited to 60 sessions for crimes after September 1, 2014. For dates of crime before this, other limits will apply.
The limits are applied per person, per claim. Family counseling has the same limit for the entire family.
The victim, claimant, or mental health provider can request an exception to these limits.
CVC is the last source of payment by law. All other readily available resources must pay before any payment by the program. Learn more about payment sources at Covered Costs.
Related Documentation
As your application is being processed, be prepared to provide copies of:
- Itemized medical bills
- Receipts for paid bills
- Insurance Explanation of Benefits (EOB)
We will tell you what documentation to mail to CVC and when.
Information for Mental Health Providers
Mental health providers will be asked to complete a Mental Health Form (PDF) that will be mailed to them (or faxed, if requested). This will document the diagnoses, symptoms, short term and long-term goals.
Once the service is provided, the mental health provider may submit to CVC for payment. The bill(s) must be itemized and include the patient’s CVC victim claim number.
Include a copy of the EOB from the insurance provider with the itemized bill.
The bill(s) and any accompanying documentation should be sent to CVC:
Crime Victim Services
P.O. Box 12198
Austin, Texas 78711-2198