A mental health care navigator is an individual who assists patients and families to find appropriate mental health caregivers, facilities and services. Individuals who are care navigators are often also trained therapists and doctors.
The need for mental health care navigators arises from the fragmentation of the mental health industry, which can often leave patients with more questions than answers.[1] Care navigators work closely with patients and families through discussion and collaboration to provide information on best options and referrals to healthcare professionals, facilities, and organizations specializing in the patients’ needs.[2] The difference between other mental health professionals and a care navigator is that a care navigator provides information and directs a patient to the best help rather than offering treatment.[3] Still, care navigators may provide diagnosis and treatment planning.[4]
Mental health care navigation is also sometimes provided by self-help books.
Many mental health organizations use “navigator” and “navigation” to describe the service of providing guidance through the health care industry.[1][5][6][2] Care navigators are also sometimes referred to as “system navigators.”.[7] One type of care navigator is an "educational consultant."[8]
Models for mental health care navigation can involve many scenarios from a brief consultation to an extended process with follow-up. They offer referrals, assistance with insurance and other financial matters and general support. A highly detailed method of care navigation with long-term follow up was developed in 2011 by San Francisco-based psychiatrist and mental health expert Eli Merritt, M.D. His model involves what he calls the “3 R’s” of mental health care: “Research, Resources, and Referrals.”[4] It involves four steps: