AS A CLIENT OF THIS PRACTICE YOU HAVE CERTAIN RIGHTS THAT APPLY TO YOUR RELATIONSHIP TO THIS AGENCY.

Rights

All Clients have:

I. RIGHT TO NOTIFICATION
You have the right to request a copy of the Informed Consent/ Services Agreement when you register for counseling. You have the right to review the detailed policies and procedures outlined in the handbook.

II. RIGHT TO TREATMENT
This practice provides services to individuals of any Race, National Origin, Sex, Age, Religion, or Handicap.

III. RIGHT TO CONFIDENTIALITY
Your records will be released only with your consent or the consent of your authorized representative, or by court order, except in emergencies, or as otherwise permitted by law. In general terms, the exceptions to confidentiality include these situations:
1. If it is judged by the Practitioner that a client has the intent to harm him/ herself and/ or another individual or if any of these individuals is in imminent danger.
2. Practitioners are required by law to report any incidence of suspected child/elder/domestic abuse, neglect, or molestation in order to protect the individuals involved. The suspected abuse of mentally retarded or developmentally disabled adults is also required to be reported by practitioners.
3. If records are subpoenaed by the courts, confidential information may have to be discussed by practitioners.

V. RIGHT TO DIGNITY
You have the right to be addressed by your preferred legal name, to be treated with respect and courtesy, and to be consulted in matters related to your treatment.

VI. RIGHT TO LEAST INTRUSIVE THERAPY
You have the right to personal autonomy, to understand the nature and purpose of any therapeutic technique, to refuse to cooperate with any assignment with which you disagree, to refuse to disclose any information you do not wish to disclose.

VII: RIGHT TO PRIVACY AND SAFETY
You have the right to maintain the privacy of your physical person. You have the right to safety from physical and verbal abuse.
You have the right to privacy outside the counseling practice.

VIII. RIGHT TO MEDIATION OF ALL DISPUTES
You have the right to third-party mediation of all disputes regarding therapy and disagreements between you and your counselor.
INSURANCE
If your therapy is being paid for in full or in part by a Health Insurance managed care firm, there are usually further limitations to your rights as a client imposed by the contract of the managed care firm. These may include their decision to limit the number of sessions available to you, to decide the time period within which you must complete your therapy, or to require you to use medication if their reviewing professional deems it appropriate. They may also decide that you must see another therapist in their network, if your therapist is not on their list. Such firms also usually require some sort of detailed reports of your progress in therapy, and on occasion, copies of your case file, on a regular basis. Practitioners do not have control over any aspect of their rules. However, Allied Behavioral Health Services, Incorporated will do all that we can to maximize the benefits you receive by filing necessary forms and gaining required authorizations for treatment, and assist you in advocating with the managed care company as needed.
We encourage you to seek information regarding your insurance coverage. We will also be happy to assist you any way we can. Your co-payment is due on the date of service. If you plan to pay for your services yourself, payment is also due on the date of service. We offer a sliding fee schedule for those who need an alternative payment arrangement. All missed appointments without prior notification are billed directly to you at a rate of $100.00 each time. All cancellations without 24 hours notice are billed directly to you at a rate of $100.00 each time.
Your diagnosis will be released to your insurance carrier. While a diagnosis is very sensitive information and is generally treated as such by insurance carriers, we cannot guarantee how any particular insurance carrier may respect this private information.

Responsibilities

AS A CLIENT YOU HAVE RESPONSIBILITIES RELATED TO YOUR THERAPY. FULFILLING THESE RESPONSIBILITIES WILL ENABLE YOU TO RECEIVE THE MOST EFFECTIVE TREATMENT SERVICES.
THE CLIENT IS RESPONSIBLE TO:
I. PROVIDE ESSENTIAL INFORMATION
It is your responsibility to provide the agency and your counselor with all possible information relating to your mental or physical health.
II. COMPLY WITH AGREED TREATMENT PLANS AND SERVICES
You are responsible for actively participating in the planning and progress of your treatment program. You are responsible for communicating any difficulties or disagreements to your counselor. It is your responsibility to keep your scheduled appointments or notify this agency twenty-four hours in advance if you cannot.

III. REFUSE TREATMENT THAT YOU DO NOT WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN AND ACCEPT THE CONSEQUENCES OF THAT REFUSAL
You are responsible for the conduct of your therapy program. You may elect to refuse certain treatments or assignments and discuss the reasons for your refusal with your counselor.

IV. PAY AGREED FEES
You are responsible to pay all fees for services as promptly as possible.

V. FOLLOW PRACTICE RULES AND REGULATIONS IDENTIFIED IN YOUR RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES INFORMATION
You are responsible for following all practice rules and regulations which apply to client care and behavior. If you do not understand a rule or regulation you are responsible for seeking clarification.

VI. RESPECT AND CONSIDER OTHER CLIENTS AND AGENCY STAFF
You are responsible to be considerate of the rights of other clients and agency staff. You are responsible for respecting the property and privacy of other clients and agency staff.
VII. RESPECT APPROPRIATE BOUNDARIES OF THE COUNSELING RELATIONSHIP
You are responsible for reflecting the limits of the relationship you establish with your counselor. Contact with your counselor should be limited to the appointments scheduled at this agency.
In case of emergencies, your counselor or another staff member will be available to you in most instances. If, in your opinion, you may require emergency services during the course of therapy, you should request a list of telephone numbers available for such purposes.
Counseling Information

Description of Counseling
Allied Behavioral Health Services, Incorporated utilizes short-term and long-term models of therapy. This means that counseling is goal-focused and may be brief, consisting of 2 to 10 sessions, or open-ended, consisting of an undetermined number of sessions to meet therapy goals. Counseling, whether individual, couples, or group, focuses on resources, solutions and strategies to deal with your presenting problem. While your counselor will initially ask about many areas of your life, the focus of therapy will be on working toward your specific goals. In order for counseling to be effective, it is necessary for you to take an active role. Participation involves discussing your concerns openly, completing assignments, and providing feedback to your counselor about the progress of counseling.

Your First Appointment
During your first visit, called the Intake session, you will discuss your concerns and goals for treatment. This session will help both you and your counselor decide how you can best be helped. These services may consist of individual, couples or group counseling or possibly a referral to another practice or agency that may be more appropriate to your needs.

Sessions
If it is mutually decided that additional individual sessions at the practice are needed, you will begin treatment. Depending on your issues and goals, counseling may consist of one or several sessions. The length of session time varies on the basis of services provided. Individual counseling is generally scheduled for 45-50 minutes and is known as the “clinical hour”. The remainder of the time after a session is also devoted to you in the form of updating your file, telephone correspondence, and general chart management.

Risks of Counseling
In therapy, you risk learning things about yourself or your relationships that you may not like. Often improvement cannot occur until you confront issues that cause you to feel uncomfortable feelings such as sadness, sorrow, anxiety or pain. It is important to remember that these feelings may be natural and normal and are an important part of the counseling process. Other risks of therapy might include recalling unpleasant events, facing unpleasant thoughts and beliefs, increased awareness of feelings, values, and experiences, and alteration of your ability or desire to deal effectively and harmoniously with others in relationships. Your therapist will be there to support you as you accept the responsibility for making the choices and changes that are required to achieve your goals. There is also the risk that therapy may not resolve your problem or that therapy alone may not be sufficient. Should this be the case, the therapist will explore alternative plans with you.

Cancellations and No-Shows
The practice’s ability to provide services in an uninterrupted fashion to clients is dependent upon you keeping scheduled appointments. We expect that you will notify us in advance if you are unable to keep an appointment. Your appointment time will be given to another client if you do not keep your counseling appointment, and do not call to cancel. If you cancel two consecutive appointments, you will lose your scheduled appointment time. You will need to call and schedule a new appointment if you wish to continue counseling and may be subject to termination from treatment.

Termination
Termination may occur at any time and may be initiated by either the client or counselor. We request that if you decide to terminate, please inform your counselor with at least a week’s notice so a termination session may be scheduled. The termination session will address the reasons for termination and be an opportunity to assist with any concerns following termination. Any necessary referrals will be provided at that time.

E-mail Correspondence
E-mails to the practice or the individual counselors containing clinical information are discouraged. As the retrieval of email is limited to business hours, it is not an effective form of communication in a crisis. In addition, the staff is unable to guarantee the confidentiality of your email. If you have a message or question for the practice or a staff member, please call the office.