What a Therapist Needs to Join ValorWell (and Who Isn't a Fit)

What do you need to join ValorWell?

A full, independent license to provide therapy, in a license type that can bill insurance. That's the main requirement. The rest is what any telehealth therapist needs anyway.

• An independent mental health license. Any license that lets you treat clients and bill insurance without supervision: LPC, LPCC, LMHC, LCPC or another state title for professional counselors, LMFT, LCSW, or psychologist.
• Your license must be active and in good standing in each state where you'll see clients.
• Your own malpractice insurance. ValorWell doesn't provide it.
• A private, reliable telehealth setup. A space where no one can overhear sessions, a dependable internet connection, and a device that runs video well.
• The information credentialing needs, such as license details, your NPI (National Provider Identifier), and your malpractice coverage. ValorWell does the credentialing work; you supply the facts.

Counselor licenses go by different names in different states. If yours is the independent level of licensure in your state, it counts. See LPC, LPCC, LMHC, LCPC: Why Counselor License Titles Differ.

Who isn't a fit right now?

Two groups, for now:

• Associates and pre-licensed clinicians. If you need clinical supervision to practice, such as an LPC Associate, LMFT Associate, LSW, or LGSW, ValorWell can't bring you on yet.
• Prescribers. ValorWell doesn't offer psychiatry or medication management, so it isn't working with psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, or other prescribers.

If you're close to full licensure, keep the page bookmarked. The day your independent license is issued, you meet the main requirement.

Do you need military experience?

No. You don't need to be a Veteran or to have worked in military settings. What helps is curiosity about military culture and a willingness to learn it. VA offers free training and consultation for community providers. See What Should Civilian Therapists Know About Military Culture?

Who will you be treating?

Veterans, Veteran spouses, and children of Veterans. Care is paid for through CHAMPVA, VA Community Care, or the ValorWell Foundation, depending on the client.

You set the youngest age you'll see. ValorWell can serve clients as young as about 10, but many clinicians see adults only, and that's completely up to you.

Which states is ValorWell hiring in?

All of them. ValorWell needs more therapists in every state and in D.C. Because telehealth follows the client's location, you'll be matched with clients located in the states where you're licensed. See Can Therapists See Telehealth Clients in Another State?

How ValorWell handles this

Once you're on board:

• You set your schedule and capacity in ValorWell's EHR, including whether clients can book themselves and when to take new clients.
• ValorWell handles credentialing, authorizations, billing, and claims.
• You're paid weekly for sessions documented that pay period. Denials don't come out of your pay, and when a client can be billed a no-show fee, the full amount goes to you. VA Community Care doesn't allow no-show charges, so ValorWell limits how many sessions those clients can miss, to protect your time.
• Continuing education and extra state licenses may be supported case by case, depending on need in those states.
• You can leave any time, with enough notice for your clients to be moved to a new clinician.

To apply, start at valorwell.org/clinicians.

Important limits

• Meeting the requirements doesn't guarantee a set caseload. Referrals depend on demand, eligibility, authorizations, and fit.
• Credentialing takes time. You can't see clients through a payer until credentialing for that pathway is complete.
• The license list follows the payers. CHAMPVA and VA Community Care decide which provider types they'll pay. ValorWell's list reflects licenses that can bill those programs.
• This is a 1099 role. There are no employee benefits, and you handle your own taxes. See What Is a 1099 Therapist Responsible For?