Texas has a well-documented shortage of mental health providers — and a huge, geographically spread out population. The result is that many Texans face long waits, long drives, or simply cannot access in-person psychiatric care at all.
Telehealth changes that equation. As a psychiatric provider practicing via telehealth across Texas, I want to walk you through what to look for, what to expect, and how to get started.
What to Look for in an Online Psychiatrist
- Licensure in Texas: Your provider must be licensed in the state where you are physically located during the appointment
- Board certification: Look for MD, DO, or PMHNP-BC credentials in psychiatry or psychiatric-mental health
- HIPAA-compliant platform: Any telehealth service should use encrypted, secure technology
- Transparency about what they treat: Be wary of practices that treat everything without specialization
- Clear communication: You should be able to reach your provider or their team with questions between appointments
What Telehealth Psychiatry Can and Cannot Do
Telehealth psychiatric care can do most of what in-person care does: comprehensive evaluation, diagnosis, medication management, monitoring, and follow-up.
What telehealth cannot do: physical examinations, point-of-care lab draws, or management of psychiatric emergencies. If you are in crisis, please call 988 or go to the nearest emergency room.
What to Expect at Your First Telehealth Appointment
Before your appointment, you will typically complete digital intake forms covering your mental health history, current medications, insurance, and the concerns bringing you in.
Your first appointment is an evaluation — not just a medication visit. I take time to understand your full picture: your history, your lifestyle, your goals. From there, we develop a plan that may include medication, referrals, or both.
Telehealth Psychiatry and Texas Law
Texas law supports telehealth psychiatric care and requires that insurance cover telehealth services on the same basis as in-person services. You should not be charged more for a telehealth visit than an equivalent in-person visit.
All prescribing via telehealth must comply with the same standards as in-person prescribing. Controlled substance prescribing via telehealth has specific regulatory requirements.
About Heartland Psychiatry and Wellness
I am Chime Ajiere, DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC, FNP-BC — a Doctor of Nursing Practice dually board-certified in psychiatric-mental health and family medicine. I practice with Queen Ajiere, APRN, PMHNP-BC, and together we serve patients across Texas via secure telehealth.
We are rooted in the Heartland Texas community — Forney, Crandall, Kaufman County — and extend that same care to patients statewide. If you are looking for a psychiatric provider in Texas, we are accepting new patients. I would be glad to be part of your care.