Privacy & Other Policies 

Confidentiality and Privacy

Legally and ethically counselors in North Carolina are required to keep all information shared confidential with the following exceptions:

·      If your therapist believes you are a danger to yourself or to someone else

·       In the case of abuse to an elderly person, handicapped person, or a child

·       If the release of confidential information is court ordered by a judge

·       In the case of an medical emergency

·       If you desire to seek reimbursement from a managed care company, the disclosure of confidential information may be required for reimbursement

·       These rights are waived if accusations of misconduct are brought

Even under the above circumstances, only the essential information will be revealed, and your counselor might attempt to inform you before confidentiality is breached.

Mental health counselors are required to follow the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). This will be further elaborated by your therapist prior to receiving services. Generally speaking HIPPA protects a person’s health information.

For more information on HIPPA click here.

Other Policies

Appointments and Cancellations

We do understand that incidents occur that are out of your control, but due to the increase of demand of therapy appointments, most of our therapists are requiring a 24-hour notice for canceling appointments. If an appointment is cancelled with less than 24-hour notice or if an appointment is not attended, fees may be charged. Insurance does not cover no show and late cancellations fees.

In the event that consistent late cancellation or no show occurs you may lose the agreed upon time and day of regular session. Please DO NOT use email when canceling within 24 hours, as we cannot maintain 24/7 access to email.

Emergencies

If you need assistance between sessions, please leave a message on our office voice mail or email your therapist directly. Due to the nature of our business we cannot guarantee immediate response. We do our best to respond within 1-2 business days. Please note that face-to-face sessions is the preferred form of therapy; however, in the event that you are struggling with child care, sick or need additional support, phone sessions are available.

If a true emergency situation arises, please call 911 or Mecklenburg Crisis hotline at 704-566-4310 (option1) or go to any local emergency room.

Divorce and Custody

We often work with families going through divorce. We understand that working with your ex-spouse might bring discomfort and discord, but we are required to do our best to get parental consent from BOTH parents. If the other parent does not consent to therapy, ethically we may not be able to work with your child. We require a copy of the most recent custody or parental agreement on file. We require that the parent who is reaching out to the therapist, first contact the other parent prior to therapist reaching out to the other parent. We know this might be difficult and we are here to support you through the process.

Telehealth

Telehealth is ideally used during emergency situations, such as the COVID-19 epidemic. Telehealth is an option for those residing in the state of North Carolina. Our therapists utilize a HIPPA-Compliant telehealth platform that is designed to protect your rights to confidentiality. In situations when a person cannot access internet or a computer, the phone can be used for Telehealth, but know that your counselor cannot promise confidentiality while on a phone.

Insurance may also not cover telehealth sessions fully and you may be responsible for the more than what you pay for in a regular in-office session. For more information on Telehealth, click here.