In plain words

Audio-only telehealth means a mental health visit done entirely by regular phone call, with no video or camera required. Most state Medicaid programs and Medicare permanently allow this for mental health care, so you do not need a smartphone or internet connection to receive remote mental health services.

You do not always have to travel to an office to talk to a counselor or a psychiatrist. Telehealth means getting care from a provider over a video call or a phone call, from wherever you are. For many people, it makes good mental health care easier to reach. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services keeps a plain federal guide for patients at Telehealth.HHS.gov, and it has a section on using telehealth for behavioral health care.

At a glance
  • Telehealth means getting mental health care by phone or video from home.
  • You do not need a smartphone or fast internet; audio-only phone visits are allowed for behavioral health.
  • Ask for a free interpreter in your language when you book; the interpreter can join the same call.

Why telehealth can help in your language

When you are not limited to providers near your home, your choices grow. You can reach a counselor in another city or another part of the state who speaks your language. If no one available speaks your language, a phone or video interpreter can join the call, and you have the right to that interpreter at no cost to you. Telehealth also means less travel, less time off work, and no long bus rides with children in tow. The federal guide describes these same benefits, including privacy and less disruption to work and childcare, on its behavioral health telehealth page.

Phone-only visits are allowed

You do not need a smartphone or a fast internet connection to get help. If you cannot do video, many mental health services can be done by a plain phone call, with no camera. This is called audio-only telehealth. Medicare permanently allows audio-only visits for behavioral and mental health care, in your own home and no matter where you live, for times when you cannot use video or would rather not (Medicare payment policies). Most state Medicaid programs allow audio-only visits too. Telling the clinic “I can only use a regular phone, not video” is enough.

No smartphone needed

You do not need a smartphone or a fast internet connection. Many mental health visits can be done by a plain phone call with no camera. Telling the clinic "I can only use a regular phone, not video" is enough.

What you need to start

You need very little: a phone or a device, a quiet and private place, and a time when you will not be interrupted. Before the visit, the federal guide suggests you pick a quiet spot, get comfortable so you can talk openly, and test that your phone or internet works. See what to know before your telehealth visit and how to schedule one.

How a first video visit works

A staff member usually sends you a link by text or email, or tells you which app to open. A few minutes before the time, you click the link or open the app, and you may wait briefly in a virtual waiting room. When the provider joins, you can see and hear each other and talk just as you would in person.

Get a linkby text or email
Open it at your timeclick the link or open the app
Wait brieflyin a virtual waiting room
Provider joinsyou see, hear, and talk
A first video visit, step by step.

To get an interpreter on the call, ask when you book: “I speak [language]. I need a [language] interpreter at no cost for my video visit. Can you arrange that?” Confirm again at the start of the visit. The interpreter can join the same call by phone or video. If you cannot understand the interpreter, it is fine to say so and ask for another.

Privacy basics

Your telehealth visit is private and protected by federal health privacy law (HIPAA), the same as an in-person visit. Take the call in a space where others cannot overhear, use your own device when you can, and avoid public Wi-Fi for the visit. The federal guide explains simple steps at how to protect your data and privacy.

This varies by state, and it has been changing

Whether your plan covers telehealth, whether it covers audio-only phone visits, and which providers you can see across state lines all vary by state, and the rules have been shifting in recent years. Because of this, the safest move is to confirm the details for your own state and plan before you book. For most benefits, federal Medicaid law lets each state set its own telehealth rules, so coverage differs widely. Before you book, check with your state Medicaid office or call the number on your insurance card to confirm what is covered. Medicare’s own rules are at Medicare’s telehealth page.

Where to find telehealth care

If you do not have a provider yet, these can help you start:

  • Community health centers offer telehealth and in-person care no matter your income, insurance, or immigration status, on a sliding fee scale. Find one at findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov.
  • findtreatment.gov is a free federal tool to find mental health and substance use care near you, including providers who offer phone or video visits. Search at findtreatment.gov.
  • Dial 211 or visit 211.org to reach someone, often in your language, who can connect you to local counseling and services.
  • The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is free and open 24 hours a day, by phone or text, with interpreters in many languages. Call or text 988 any time you are in crisis.

When you call any of these, you can ask for a phone-only visit and for a free interpreter in your language.

How to get ready for your visit

A little planning makes the visit go better. The federal guide suggests a few simple steps on its page about what to know before your telehealth visit:

  • Write down what you want to talk about and how you have been feeling. Note when your symptoms started and what makes them better or worse. Keep paper and a pen close by so you can take notes during the visit.
  • Get your medicine list ready. Write down the name and dose of every medicine you take, and note any allergies to food or medicine.
  • Ask two questions when you book: how long the visit will last, and how much it will cost.
  • Pick a quiet, private place where no one will interrupt you, with the best internet or phone signal you have.
  • For a video visit, sign on about 15 minutes early so you have time to fix any problem before the provider joins.
  • Ask for what you need. Tell the clinic if you want a free interpreter in your language, or help such as captions on the screen.

Before the visit, get a phone number you can call if the technology does not work.

If the technology stops working

Technology fails sometimes, and there is always a backup. When you book, ask what happens if the video or the call drops. Often the provider will simply call you back on your phone, so keep it nearby.

If the video will not start or freezes, you can try a few things, based on the federal help for trouble using telehealth:

  • Restart your phone, tablet, or computer.
  • If you are on Wi-Fi, move closer to the router for a stronger signal.
  • Try a different device. If your computer will not connect, your phone or tablet might.
  • If it still will not work, call your provider’s office. Someone there can help you get connected, or switch you to a phone-only visit.

You do not lose your appointment because the video failed. Most mental health visits can finish as a plain phone call.

Does telehealth really work for mental health?

Yes. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services calls telehealth “an effective tool that expands access to behavioral health services” and says it can protect your privacy and make care easier to keep up with, while lowering barriers such as the fear of being seen going to a clinic (introduction to telehealth for behavioral health care).

Researchers have tested this too. In two clinical trials published in 2025 and listed in the National Library of Medicine’s PubMed database, therapy given by video or phone worked about as well as care given in person. In a large trial of pregnant women and new mothers, video or phone talk therapy eased depression and anxiety as well as the same therapy in person did (Singla et al., 2025). In another trial, a program for anxiety worked about as well over video as in person (Hoge et al., 2025). Getting care by phone or video, in your own language, is real care.

Getting an interpreter on the call

You have the right to a qualified interpreter in your language, at no cost to you, for a telehealth visit. Under federal civil rights rules, a health provider that receives federal funding must offer interpreter services free of charge and must use a phone or video system that can add an interpreter to your call (HHS guidance on nondiscrimination in telehealth).

Ask for the interpreter when you book, not on the day of the visit, so there is time to arrange it.

Ask for an interpreter

"I speak [language]. I need a [language] interpreter, at no cost, for my visit. Please have the interpreter on the call."

Confirm again at the start of the visit. This works for phone visits too, not only video. You should not have to bring your own interpreter or ask your children or family to interpret for you. If you cannot understand the interpreter, say so and ask for a different one.

Privacy on a shared phone, and staying safe

Your telehealth visit is protected by the same privacy law as an in-person visit. You can also protect yourself at home:

  • If you use a shared or borrowed phone or computer, sign out of the app or patient portal when you finish, and delete the visit link from any texts.
  • Use headphones so no one nearby can hear the conversation.
  • Take the call in a room, a car, or a quiet corner where family or others cannot overhear you.

If it is not safe to speak freely at home, tell the clinic. You can ask for a phone-only visit, use a chat or text option, or set a time when you can be alone. You decide who, if anyone, is in the room with you.

What can and cannot be done from home

Most mental health care works well from home. Talk therapy, counseling, and many medicine check-ins can all be done by phone or video.

A few things have special rules. Certain controlled medicines, such as some medicines for attention, anxiety, or opioid use disorder, are covered by federal rules that can require an in-person visit at some point. These rules have been changing. Through the end of 2026, many of these medicines can still be started or continued by telehealth without a first in-person visit (prescribing controlled substances via telehealth). If you take one of these medicines, ask your provider what the current rule means for you.

Sources

LINC is a research prototype, not a medical or legal service. Translation can be wrong; you have the right to a free, qualified interpreter. For anything high-stakes, do it with a community health worker or someone you trust. In a crisis, call or text 988, or 911 for immediate danger.