Telepsychiatry is psychiatric care delivered remotely, usually by live, secure video, so you can be evaluated and treated by a psychiatric clinician without traveling to an office. The American Psychiatric Association (APA) describes telepsychiatry as a subset of telemedicine that can include psychiatric evaluations, therapy (individual, group and family), patient education and medication management.

In everyday terms, a telepsychiatry visit is a psychiatric appointment on your phone, tablet or computer. You talk with your clinician face to face on screen, they ask about your symptoms and history, and together you agree on a plan, which can include a prescription sent to your local pharmacy. You may also see it called online psychiatry, virtual psychiatry, telehealth psychiatry or simply "telepsych."

Key takeaways

Telepsychiatry is the psychiatric part of telehealth: evaluations, medication management and, in some practices, therapy, delivered by video or sometimes by phone.
Reviews of the research find that video-based psychiatric care works about as well as in-person care for many common conditions. See what the research says about telepsychiatry's effectiveness.
During each visit you must be physically located in a state where your clinician is licensed (or otherwise authorized) to treat you.
Telepsychiatry is not emergency care. If you are in crisis, call or text 988, or call 911 if you are in immediate danger.

Telepsychiatry meaning and definition

"Tele" means at a distance, so telepsychiatry is psychiatry practiced at a distance. It is the same specialty care you would get in a psychiatrist's office, the evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of mental health conditions, delivered through technology instead of in the same room.

According to the APA, telepsychiatry can work in three ways:

Direct care: you and your psychiatric clinician meet through live, interactive communication, including video or audio-only care.
Recorded information: medical information such as images and videos is recorded and sent securely to a psychiatrist or other clinician to review later.
Consultation: psychiatrists support other clinicians, including primary care providers, with mental health consultation and expertise.

Most people who search for telepsychiatry mean the first kind: a scheduled video appointment with a psychiatrist, psychiatric nurse practitioner or psychiatric physician assistant.

How does telepsychiatry work?

A typical outpatient telepsychiatry visit follows the same steps as an office visit, just without the drive:

Request an appointment. You contact the practice online or by phone. At TelepsychHealth you can request an appointment online.
Check your coverage. The practice confirms your insurance or explains self-pay prices. TelepsychHealth verifies benefits before your first visit, so you know your cost up front.
Complete intake forms. You fill out paperwork about your symptoms, history and current medications before the first visit.
Join by secure video. At the appointment time you open a private video link on your phone, tablet or computer, from a quiet, private place in a state where your clinician can treat you.
Have your evaluation. The first visit is a psychiatric evaluation. The APA suggests preparing just as you would for an in-person appointment: have relevant records and your current prescriptions ready, along with a list of questions.
Agree on a treatment plan. Your clinician explains the diagnosis and options. If medication is part of the plan, the prescription is sent electronically to the pharmacy you choose.
Follow up. Follow-up visits, often shorter, happen by video to check progress and adjust treatment.

You need a device with a camera and microphone, a reliable internet connection and a private space. Our tips for a smooth video visit cover setup in more detail.

Talk with a board-certified psychiatric provider — from home

TelepsychHealth offers online psychiatry for adults in Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, and Texas, and therapy in Illinois, Texas and Florida. We are in-network with major insurance plans, which vary by state.

Request an appointment See accepted insurance

Types of telepsychiatry services

Telepsychiatry is not one single service. The main types are:

Live video visits (synchronous care). Real-time, two-way audio and video between you and your clinician. This is the standard for outpatient psychiatric evaluations and medication management.
Phone (audio-only) visits. Some visits can take place by phone. Medicare, for example, permits two-way, audio-only technology for behavioral health telehealth services, according to the CMS telehealth FAQ. Starting January 1, 2028, Medicare is scheduled to allow audio-only behavioral health visits at home only when the patient can't use video or doesn't consent to it.
Store-and-forward (asynchronous) care. Information such as documents or pre-recorded video is sent securely to a clinician, who reviews it later. The Center for Connected Health Policy lists store-and-forward as one of the four main telehealth modalities.
Consultation and collaborative care. A psychiatrist advises your primary care clinician, who continues to prescribe and follow you.
Hospital, emergency department and residential telepsychiatry. Facilities without an on-site psychiatrist use video for evaluations and ongoing care. TelepsychHealth provides telepsychiatry services for hospitals, detox and residential programs.

What can telepsychiatry treat?

Telepsychiatry is used for most of the same conditions treated in an outpatient psychiatry office. Studies comparing telehealth with in-person care include depression, anxiety disorders, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), eating disorders and substance use disorders, including opioid use disorder. Our article on telepsychiatry for substance use disorder explains how addiction care works by video.

Telepsychiatry is not the right fit when you need emergency care, a hands-on physical examination, or care in a hospital. In those situations your clinician will help you find the in-person care you need. You can still see the clinician by video for ongoing treatment, and lab work, if needed, is done at a local lab.

Telepsychiatry vs. telehealth, teletherapy and in-person care

Telehealth is the broad term. The APA puts it simply: "Telemedicine, or telehealth, is the process of providing health care remotely using videoconferencing or other technology." It covers every specialty, from primary care to dermatology.
Telepsychiatry is the psychiatric part of telehealth. Because psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners and physician assistants are medical clinicians, telepsychiatry can include diagnosis, medical decision-making and prescriptions.
Teletherapy (online therapy) is talk therapy by video with a therapist, such as a counselor, psychologist or social worker. Most therapists do not prescribe medication. At TelepsychHealth, therapy is available only to patients in Illinois, Texas and Florida.
In-person psychiatry is the same care delivered in an office. The APA states that telepsychiatry is equivalent to in-person care in diagnostic accuracy, treatment effectiveness, quality of care and patient satisfaction.

Who provides telepsychiatry?

Telepsychiatry is provided by the same clinicians you would see in an office:

Psychiatrists (MD or DO): physicians who specialize in mental health. They diagnose conditions and prescribe and manage medication.
Psychiatric nurse practitioners (PMHNP) and psychiatric physician assistants (PA-C): advanced-practice clinicians who evaluate patients and prescribe within their license.
Therapists: licensed counselors, psychologists and social workers who provide talk therapy.

Licensing follows the patient. During each visit you must be physically located in a state where your clinician is licensed or otherwise authorized to treat you. TelepsychHealth sees patients who are physically located in Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, New York or Texas during each visit. You can meet our providers, a team led by our founder and Medical Director, Dr. Bruce Bassi, a board-certified psychiatrist.

Is telepsychiatry effective?

Yes, for many people and many conditions. In 2018 the APA adopted the policy that "telemedicine in psychiatry, using video conferencing, is a validated and effective practice of medicine that increases access to care" (APA). Meta-analyses of randomized trials comparing real-time telehealth (video or phone) with in-person care for depression, anxiety and PTSD have found no significant differences in symptom outcomes. The evidence is thinner for some conditions, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. For the studies, the numbers and the limits, read our review of whether telepsychiatry is effective.

Benefits and drawbacks of telepsychiatry

Benefits. According to the APA, telehealth reduces barriers to appointments such as transportation, childcare and time off work, and improves access to specialty care that might not otherwise be available nearby, such as care in rural areas. Patient privacy and confidentiality are equivalent to in-person care. For a longer list, see our guide to the benefits of telepsychiatry.

Drawbacks and limits.

You need privacy and a working connection. A dropped call or a shared living space can make a visit harder.
It is not for emergencies. A video appointment cannot replace emergency services.
No hands-on exam. Vital signs, physical exams and lab tests have to happen locally if you need them.
Location rules. You must be in a state where your clinician can treat you during each visit, which matters if you travel.
Some medications have extra rules. Prescribing controlled substances by telehealth is governed by federal and state law. The DEA and HHS have repeatedly extended temporary federal telemedicine flexibilities, most recently through December 31, 2026, while permanent rules are written. Your clinician will tell you which options apply in your state.
It can feel unfamiliar at first. The APA notes that some people feel awkward talking to a person on a screen, but most people are comfortable with it.

How much does telepsychiatry cost?

Cost depends on your insurance, your plan and the practice.

Medicare: under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, Medicare beneficiaries in both rural and urban areas can receive behavioral health telehealth services in their homes, and audio-only visits are permitted, according to the CMS telehealth FAQ (updated February 26, 2026). After December 31, 2027, Medicare is scheduled to require periodic in-person visits for mental health telehealth, with some exceptions, and to allow audio-only visits at home only when the patient can't use video or doesn't consent to it.
Private insurance: coverage for telehealth visits depends on your plan and your state. Check your plan, or ask the practice to verify your benefits.
At TelepsychHealth: with insurance, your cost is typically your usual copay or coinsurance. Our accepted insurance page explains coverage, and each state page lists its plans. In New York we also accept straight, fee-for-service New York Medicaid, not Medicaid managed care plans; we do not accept Medicaid in other states. Without insurance, our self-pay rates are published: an initial psychiatric evaluation with a psychiatric nurse practitioner or physician assistant is $225, and follow-up visits are $150 (visits with our psychiatrist, who is taking a limited number of new patients, are $450 and $225).

A brief history of telepsychiatry

Telepsychiatry is older than the internet. According to the APA's history of telepsychiatry, in 1959 the Nebraska Psychiatric Institute was using early videoconferencing to provide group therapy, long-term therapy, consultation-liaison psychiatry and medical student training at the Nebraska state hospital in Norfolk. In 1969, Massachusetts General Hospital provided psychiatric consultations at a health clinic at Boston's Logan International Airport. Telepsychiatry became more common through the 1970s and 1980s, spread worldwide in the 1990s, particularly in Australia, and grew rapidly during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 then permanently removed Medicare's geographic and place-of-service limits for behavioral health telehealth, so Medicare patients can be seen at home.

Frequently asked questions

What does telepsychiatry mean?

Telepsychiatry means psychiatric care delivered remotely, usually by live video and sometimes by phone. It can include psychiatric evaluations, diagnosis, medication management, patient education and, in some practices, therapy.

Can telepsychiatry prescribe medication?

Yes. Psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners and psychiatric physician assistants can prescribe medication after a telehealth evaluation, and prescriptions are sent electronically to your pharmacy. Controlled substances have additional federal and state rules for telehealth prescribing, so whether a specific medication can be started by video depends on the medication, your state and your clinician's assessment.

What is the difference between telehealth and telepsychiatry?

Telehealth is any health care delivered at a distance using technology. Telepsychiatry is the psychiatric part of telehealth: mental health evaluation and treatment, including medication management, by psychiatric clinicians.

What are the four types of telehealth?

The Center for Connected Health Policy lists four telehealth modalities: live video, store-and-forward, remote patient monitoring and mobile health. Telepsychiatry relies mostly on live video, with some phone visits and store-and-forward review.

What conditions can telepsychiatry treat?

Common examples include depression, anxiety disorders, PTSD, eating disorders and substance use disorders. Telepsychiatry is not a substitute for emergency care or hospital care.

Is telepsychiatry covered by insurance?

Often, yes. Medicare covers behavioral health telehealth services at home, including audio-only visits through December 31, 2027; after that, audio-only is limited to patients who can't use video or don't consent to it, and periodic in-person visits are scheduled to be required. Private plan coverage varies by plan and state. TelepsychHealth verifies your benefits before your first visit. See accepted insurance.

Is telepsychiatry private?

The APA states that patient privacy and confidentiality in telepsychiatry are equivalent to in-person care. Choose a private spot for your visit, and see how we keep online psychiatry visits private and secure.

Is telepsychiatry as effective as seeing a psychiatrist in person?

For many common conditions, research finds similar results. See what the research says about telepsychiatry's effectiveness for the studies and their limits.

What should I do in a mental health emergency?

Do not wait for a telehealth appointment. Call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, which is free, confidential and available 24/7, or chat at 988lifeline.org. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 911.

Getting started with telepsychiatry at TelepsychHealth

TelepsychHealth offers online psychiatry in 10 states: psychiatric evaluations and medication management by secure video for patients physically located in Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, New York or Texas, with therapy available in Illinois, Texas and Florida. When you are ready, request an appointment and we will verify your coverage before your first visit.