Menu

Back to the home page

How to start

The first call

For most people the hardest part of getting help is the phone call. You do not need the right words. You do not need a diagnosis, a referral or a tidy summary. "I don't really know where to start" is a perfectly good opening line.

Call (805) 210-2288.

What happens when you call

There are four steps, and saying yes to one does not sign you up for the next. Reaching out does not commit you to treatment.

  • 1. The call. You describe what has been going on, and you can ask anything you like. It is a short call, and there is no charge.
  • 2. Benefits check. If you have insurance, Nexa checks it and tells you what it finds, including an estimate of what you would owe. An estimate is not a guarantee from your plan, and we say so at the time.
  • 3. Assessment. A clinician sits down with you to work out which level of care fits, or whether somewhere else would serve you better.
  • 4. Start. If it is a fit and you decide to go ahead, we set a start date with you. Call (805) 210-2288 to ask how soon.

A "no" can come from either side, at any step, and neither one is a failure. If Nexa is not the right place, the useful thing we can do is say so quickly and point you somewhere that is.

If you are calling for someone else

A parent, a partner, a grown child, a friend. Often the first call comes from the person doing the worrying, not the person being worried about. You are welcome here.

You can call to ask how the programs work and what the first step would be, without the other person on the line. What changes once someone becomes a client is privacy. We can always listen to you, but what we can tell you about an adult in our care depends on their written permission. That rule is not there to shut families out. It is what lets the person in treatment say things out loud.

If you are calling about someone under 18, call and we will walk you through consent.

What to bring on the first day

  • Photo identification and your insurance card.
  • A list of medicines you take, including doses.
  • The name and number of your regular doctor or therapist, if you have one.
  • Comfortable clothes, and lunch or a snack if you are in the daytime Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP).

You do not need to bring a polished account of yourself. Showing up is enough.

Common questions

Do I need a referral?

No. You can call yourself. Some insurance plans require one, and Nexa tells you if yours does when it checks your benefits.

Can I keep working?

Often, yes. The Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) runs a few hours at a time, so it can fit around a working day:

  • Mental Health Track: mornings, 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
  • Dual Diagnosis Track: evenings, 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

The daytime Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP), 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., is harder to combine with full-time work.

Will my employer find out?

Not from Nexa without your written permission. Your records are protected, and the Notice of Privacy Practices sets out exactly who can see them and what control you have. Two honest footnotes. If you take medical leave, the leave paperwork usually asks a clinician to confirm that you need the time. And if your insurance comes through someone else's plan, the plan normally sends its statements to the policyholder. Ask about either one on the first call.

I already have a therapist. Do I have to give them up?

No. With your written permission, Nexa keeps your therapist or doctor informed while you are here.

What if I am not sure I need this?

Call anyway. Working out whether it fits is what the first call is for, and being told "not yet" is a normal outcome.

If you are a clinician referring someone

If you are a therapist, psychiatrist or physician with a client who needs more than an hour a week can hold, we would rather work alongside you than replace you. A referral can start with a phone call from you or from your client. With their written permission, Nexa sends you updates during the program and a summary when it ends.

If this is an emergency

Call or text 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, any hour of any day. If this is a medical emergency, or anyone is in immediate danger, call 911. Nexa is not an emergency service, and this website is not monitored.