Generic EHRs often create more problems than they solve for behavioral health practices, which can lead to burnout, compliance risks, and fragmented patient care. This is because behavioral health demands what few other specialties do: personalized and exhaustive documentation for therapy notes and treatment plans, coupled with the highest standards for patient privacy in compliance with HIPAA. 

The right EHR should feel like an extension of your practice — a tool tailored for behavioral health to improve the patient experience, streamline efficiency, and support your professional growth. 

“As you prepare professionally for the new year, revisit your choice in an EHR. Your decision has a ripple effect on the providers, administrators, and patients in your practice,” Kristin Trick, MA, LPC-S, RPT, says.

As you prepare for 2026, keep in mind the following EHR must-have features that help behavioral health practices work smarter and deliver better care. 

Must-have EHR features for behavioral health:

A quality EHR should reduce any friction in your current processes, while creating even more consistency in your patient care. From built-in screening tools to secure document controls, here’s what to look for as you compare EHR platforms.

Search for EHRs that feature behavioral health-specific patient screening tools, such as:

The most effective EHRs integrate these tools into your clinical workflow. For instance, Tebra's EHR+ platform includes the above screening tools with auto-scoring that saves directly to the patient record, which turns a manual task into a seamless part of the care process.

Your documentation isn’t one-size-fits-all. The progress notes and individualized treatment plans you create for your caseload will include categories, checkboxes, and symptom listings that are unique to behavioral health

Customizable templates give you increased control over your documentation and help you to reduce errors and improve accuracy in your records. These templates allow you to capture information in a way that matches your workflow and your patients’ needs. This leads to:

As a mental health provider, you may recommend regular appointments with your patients in order to help them manage their medications or stabilize their mental health concerns. Look for a platform that allows you to easily schedule recurrent individual or group appointments.

Thirty-eight percent of patients in Tebra’s 2025 Patient Perspectives Report want easier ways to contact their healthcare practice. Meet that demand by choosing an EHR-integrated portal that offers patients access to secure messaging, billing statements, and simple ways to pay their balances.

Across practice types — and especially behavioral health settings — the availability and attention of a healthcare provider truly matter. Your EHR should simplify scheduling, billing, and communication so that you can stay focused on patient care. 

An EHR with integrated telehealth is non-negotiable. This means going beyond a simple video link to offer a secure, seamless experience. Tebra’s platform, for instance, has integrated HIPAA- and HITRUST-certified telehealth.

Patients can join sessions directly from their browser, with no downloads required. Providers can use features like a dual-screen option or AI Note Assist to streamline documentation during the visit.

Billing requires time and close attention that, for busy behavioral health practices, can be in short supply. Patients who use insurance must have their eligibility benefits confirmed prior to their first appointment.

Submitted claims for completed sessions must be filed with the correct information to be successfully processed. Copays, deductible or co-insurance payments, and self-pay balances must be efficiently collected.

Connecting clinical documentation directly to financial workflows is critical to reduce denials and accelerate revenue. Tebra’s integrated billing tools are designed to do just that, ensuring fewer denials with built-in coding support and clearer visibility into your practice’s revenue cycle. The platform also includes a self-pay billing workflow, ensuring that practices that do not bill insurance are just as efficient. 

Integrated billing delivers:

Cloud-based EHRs with mobile access keep providers connected to their practice when they need to review records, document notes, or send orders from outside their office. Patients receive faster responses to their treatment or scheduling inquiries, while providers gain flexibility and efficiency in their workload.

That’s why Tebra’s EHR is fully cloud-based, designed specifically for private practices that need secure, on-demand access from any device. Providers can update patient charts with notes and assessments during telehealth visits, send secure messages in between appointments, or manage scheduling matters without being tied to a physical office. 

Automatic updates keep the system current, while HIPAA-compliant infrastructure protects sensitive patient data. And because everything runs on the cloud, practices avoid the cost and complexity of local servers.

Cloud and mobile access offers: 

When it comes to behavioral health, privacy is of the utmost importance. An EHR software must reduce your risk of security breaches, compliance issues, and costly mistakes. Here’s what to consider: 

EHRs must meet HIPAA standards with their built-in protections, including encryption, audit trails, and secure patient portals to help practices stay compliant. But look for an EHR that not only meets but exceeds expectations. Tebra, for example, reinforces HIPAA compliance with HITRUST certification, continuous risk monitoring, and encrypted servers, so you can focus care, not compliance.

Behavioral health records contain sensitive therapy notes that can be misused if viewed outside of the clinical context. Administrative workers, such as secretaries or billers, don’t need independent access to this documentation. 

Similarly, clinicians within a group practice should feel at ease knowing that colleagues cannot readily review their patients’ records. A robust EHR allows practice owners to assign permissions to specific individuals. Tebra makes this easier with role-based permissions, two-factor authentication, and detailed audit logs, all of which safeguard confidentiality without slowing down daily workflows.

Whether you’re adding additional mental health providers, opening a new location, or sharing records across specialities, the EHR platform you choose should make coordination of care feel seamless.

If growth is your goal, you may be adding new providers or opening additional locations. That makes a scalable EHR essential. It should grow with you, making it simple to add new users or sites without disruption.

Tebra’s cloud-based design helps everyone work from the same secure platform while keeping data consistent across the practice.

It’s common for patients to need different types of care from a range of providers. Interoperability makes it possible for you to securely exchange records with your treatment team and avoid gaps in your patients’ treatment.

Likewise, interoperability is a compliance requirement. The Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS), which assists clinicians with payment adjustments, has high security standards. It highlights the use of Certified Electronic Health Record Technology (CEHRT), which involves report measures such as e-prescribing, referral loops, and allowing patients electronic access to their records, when requested.

Tebra supports these requirements by providing certified EHR capabilities that make data exchange easier. You can share information with providers in other specialties, give patients timely access to their records as needed, all while staying aligned with regulatory expectations.

One mental health clinic, Brain and Body Connections in Texas, turned to Tebra to launch and grow its services. Founder Dr. Ruth Felton needed an EHR solution that could support documentation, e-prescribing, scheduling, and remote visits while she continued practicing across state lines.

With Tebra, Dr. Felton’s patients can book their appointments online, attend secure telehealth sessions, and receive their prescriptions electronically. The platform has elevated her clinic’s marketability, making it easier for new patients to find her practice. 

“I’ve used Tebra in the past and love everything about it. But the best thing is its customer service,” Dr. Felton says.

The right EHR features for behavioral health practices should improve your current processes, scale as you grow, and automate key tasks that tend to consume time and revenue. Don’t settle for a more generic EHR platform built for general medicine — take the time to research your options and choose a system designed for the unique demands of running a mental health practice. 

Want to learn how Tebra can help your behavioral health practice? Book a personalized demo today.