For mental health professionals, the right electronic health record (EHR) should adapt to your specialty and not the other way around. That means selecting a system built for customization, flexibility, and the unique way you deliver care. Your investment in an EHR should reduce the time you spend on mundane tasks, like billing and documentation, and increase your availability for direct, billable hours. 

The demand for behavioral health services has never been higher. At least 1 in 5 adults in the United States lives with a mental illness, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). That makes reliable, accessible care more essential. 

Especially since the COVID-19 pandemic, technology has played a central role in meeting that demand. Individuals in need of mental healthcare can log on to their laptop, tablet, or phone to receive professional treatment with the provisions of an EHR. 

As private practice therapist Kristin Trick, MA, LPC-S, RPT, explains: “Investing in an EHR for your practice is more important than marketing for new clients or preparing your office space.” Read on to discover which EHR features to look for, how to evaluate vendors, and the steps to take to select the system that suits your specific workflows and needs. 

For behavioral health professionals, documentation is different from other specialties. Therapy notes, psychiatric evaluations, and treatment plans often contain some of the most sensitive information in healthcare. 

At the same time, providers must manage complex, long-term treatment plans, track outcomes over time, and coordinate care across multiple settings. They must also be prepared for third parties to review their documentation, as in the cases of court orders, insurance audits, and patients’ or their guardians’ requests to view their charts. 

A generic EHR may not fully protect or organize this information, which can put both patients and providers at risk. That’s why a behavioral health-specific system matters: It safeguards confidentiality, supports accurate documentation, and makes it easier to demonstrate progress toward treatment goals.

Consider taking these 3 foundational steps to find the best EHR for behavioral health.

The right EHR depends on your workflows, team size, and growth plans. Before comparing vendors, take time to define your priorities.

Ask yourself:

Once you’ve defined your needs, focus on key features:

For mental health professionals, the highest level of protection is required for therapy notes and psychiatric evaluations. A behavioral health EHR should make compliance easier, not harder.

Look for systems with:

Once you know which features and safeguards to prioritize, the next step is evaluating whether vendors can deliver on those promises. Here are questions to ask before signing a contract.

Make sure the system includes psychiatry and counseling templates, outcome measures like PHQ-9, and tools for care coordination. Inquire about the frequency of system upgrades and additional features. 

Confirm that billing, scheduling, lab systems, and telehealth platforms connect seamlessly with the EHR. Understand how the EHR will handle your patients’ payments, which include credit card processing fees, and its payout schedule. 

Look for HIPAA compliance, role-based access for sensitive notes, and data encryption. Review the BAA in detail and save a copy after signing it for your records.

Evaluate the implementation timeline, training resources, and ongoing support options. If you run a group practice, ask how each clinician can receive training (all at once during a staff meeting, or individually within their admin hours?). 

Inquire about the average response times for all support interventions, including chat, email, and phone requests.

Clarify whether costs are per provider, per user, or subscription-based, and ask about fees for upgrades, templates, or support. For example, you may need to pay one rate for yourself as a clinical provider in addition to a different rate for one administrative user. 

Check on whether or not there are additional costs involved for prescribing medications or facilitating group telehealth services. 

A feature list only tells part of the story. The best way to know if an EHR fits is to see it in action. Ask vendors for demos that mirror your workflows — documenting a therapy session, sending a prescription, submitting a claim, or scheduling a virtual appointment. 

Share sample scenarios in advance so you can see how the system handles documentation and reporting in real situations.

Training and onboarding are just as critical as the demo itself. Choose a vendor that offers comprehensive training which covers the clinical, billing, and patient features. They should also guide you through data migration, template setup, and workflow mapping. 

Finally, confirm what ongoing support looks like — from after-hours help to software updates — so your team has backup when challenges arise. For instance, all Tebra customers can gain 24/7 access to Tebra University (Tebra U), a comprehensive online portal that offers live training, pre-designed courses, and eLearning.

Use this structured checklist to help you move from evaluation to a confident selection:

Confidentiality, complexity, and rising demand all define behavioral health. Your EHR should help you stay compliant, deliver better care, and scale efficiently as your practice grows.

Find out how Tebra's behavioral health-specific EHR supports your practice with customizable templates, outcome tracking tools, and comprehensive compliance safeguards designed for mental health professionals. Book a free, personalized demo today.