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Do you qualify for
sliding-scale therapy?
federally funded health centers are required by law to discount care based on what you earn — full discount at or below the poverty line, a sliding schedule up to double it. two numbers tell you which band you're in. the intake desk does this exact arithmetic; now you can do it first.
where the bands come from
federal law requires health centers funded under section 330 (42 U.S.C. 254b) to keep "a corresponding schedule of discounts adjusted on the basis of the patient's ability to pay" (42 CFR 51c.303(f)): a full discount at or below the poverty guidelines, no required discount above twice the guidelines, and the center's own schedule in between. the income thresholds come from the 2026 HHS poverty guidelines published by ASPE. we update this page when new guidelines are published.
Frequently asked questions
What income qualifies for sliding scale therapy?
at federally funded health centers, the rule is set by regulation (42 CFR 51c.303): incomes at or below 100% of the federal poverty guidelines get a full discount (a small nominal fee may still be charged), incomes between 100% and 200% fall on the center’s sliding schedule, and above 200% no discount is required. for one person in the 48 contiguous states, 200% of the 2026 guideline is $31,920 a year. private sliding-scale therapists and training clinics set their own cutoffs, which are often higher.
What does 200% of the federal poverty level mean?
double the poverty guideline for your household size. in 2026 the guideline for a single person in the contiguous states is $15,960, so 200% is $31,920; for a family of four it’s $33,000 and $66,000. alaska and hawaii have higher guidelines, which this checker accounts for.
Do I need proof of income for sliding scale therapy?
almost always, at health centers — pay stubs, a tax return, or a benefits letter, plus who’s in your household. this checker asks for none of that and stores nothing; it just does the arithmetic the intake desk will do.
What if my income is above 200% of the poverty level?
the federal requirement stops there, but plenty of reduced-fee care doesn’t: university training clinics and nonprofit counseling centers set their own scales, and open path collective lists therapists at roughly $40–$70 per session without a federal income test. and free peer support never asks about income.
Now find the actual clinic
a band is only useful with a door to knock on. we keep city-by-city lists of verified free and low-cost services — every organisation checked against its own website, sliding-fee language quoted from its own pages. for a cost picture across every way of paying, the therapy cost calculator runs the numbers. and while you wait for an appointment, veisund is free anonymous peer support — no income test, no intake, open now.
this page does the published federal arithmetic; it is not legal, medical or financial advice, and each center's own schedule is the authority on what you'll pay. nothing you type here is stored or sent anywhere. if you are in crisis, call or text 988 (suicide & crisis lifeline) — free, confidential, 24/7.