You Are, Worth It Counseling Services Privacy Policies and Procedures

The purpose of You Are Worth It Counseling Services (YAWICS) mental health treatment is to help you achieve your goals and overcome any obstacles that led you to seek counseling with YAWICS. You are encouraged to work with your counselor in the development of your treatment plan and be informed of any new modes used within your treatment process. The associated risks of mental health counseling are limited. You may experience some emotional difficulty, which your counselor will do their best to help you work through. The benefits to be gained from counseling are vast. Some potential benefits of counseling are an improved outlook on life, more effective coping skills, greater understanding of yourself: and better communication tools that will not only have positive effects on your relationships, but through many spheres of your life.

1.  Participation in Counseling
     a.   As a client of YAWICS, you are not required to accept treatment from YAWICS at any time. You have the right to decline part or all of your treatment, including withdrawal from our services should you not be willing to participate.
b.    The Counselor - client relationship is a professional relationship engaged in for the purpose of working on client - identified goals, using the professional and academic experience of the counselor and the relationship built in sessions. While this relationship may be significant, it is in no way of a personal or romantic nature.
c.   While your counselor will do their best to assist you, counseling is a collaborative process, and there are no guarantees that you will be satisfied with your treatment.

2.   Informed Consent for One Medical Record
I understand and consent to YAWICS having one medical record for me. I understand that every counselor who provides treatment for me at YAWICS will have access to all clinical notes in my clinical record.

3.   Informed Consent for Research
There may be opportunity in the course of your treatment to participate in research or outcome based metrics. You are not required to participate and there will be no direct or implied deprivation or penalty for refusal to participate.

4.   Release of Information Form
     a.    All information obtained/derived during the course of treatment is fully confidential; disclosures you share with your therapist are confidential unless you have SIGNED a consent form to release part or all of the information.  If you desire YAWICS to either release or obtain information from a specific individual or agency, a Release of Information form must be obtained, signed, and dated. A fee may be associated with providing information to a specific individual or agency. 
Exceptions to this guideline include instances when: 1) the client is a clear danger to (a) themselves or (b) others, 2) when a client discloses abuse or neglect that occurred as a minor (client is either currently a minor or past abuse occurred when client was a minor), 3) if there is any suspected abuse to a child or vulnerable adult, or 4) when judicially required (e.g. subpoena). 
     b.   In addition, cases are occasionally discussed by the You Are Worth It Counseling Services staff to obtain feedback and provide alternative treatment plans and continuity of care (e.g. your therapist, if unlicensed, will discuss your case with her or his Clinical Supervisor). In these cases, identifying information is not disclosed, and only clinically relevant information is discussed.

5.   Telephone Calls / SMS Messaging
Occasions may arise when you need to talk to your counselor in between normally scheduled sessions. If you leave a message with your counselor, they will make every effort to respond in a timely manner. Any consultation by telephone made between scheduled sessions will incur a charge to the client. If there is a life­ threatening emergency, call 911 or go immediately to your local Emergency Room. If there is a mental health crisis, call 988 or go immediately to your local 
Emergency Room.
SMS Messaging: SMS opt-in or phone numbers for the purpose of SMS are not being shared with any third party or affiliate companies for marketing purposes.

6. Length of Session
Depending on what your insurance allows and authorizes, the psychotherapy sessions are varied in length between 38 and 53 minutes in length. It is to your benefit to arrive a few minutes in advance of the appointment time. Since your counselor has additional sessions scheduled after yours, the session must end at the appointed time regardless of your arrival time.

7. Fees and Payments
    a. Our current fee per session is $155-$225 depending on the Current Procedural Terminology(CPT) code. 
   b.   All payment is due at the time services are rendered. Payment may be made in the form of cash, check, or credit. If you choose to pay by check, please be prepared to supply a form of ID (e.g. driver's license) and make checks payable to You Are Worth It Counseling Services. A $25.00 service charge will be levied on all checks returned by a bank for insufficient funds. If you choose to pay by credit card, please use our 'Credit Card Authorization' form or you may pay using IVY Pay.  (Copay/Coinsurance does not apply to Medicaid clients.)
   c.  If any or all outstanding balances are not paid in a timely manner, YAWICS reserves the right to release a client's name and address to a collection agency. Also, a monthly fee of 2% will be charged for these balances until they are paid in full. (Does not apply to Medicaid clients.)
   d.  There are additional fees for requests for additional medical records, court documents or any other requests outside of the counseling relationship.

8.  Insurance
    a.   You Are Worth It Counseling Services is in-network with most major companies. If we take your insurance, we will bill your insurance company for all sessions unless otherwise agreed upon. You are responsible for any balance that insurance does not cover and agree to pay any unpaid balance on your account in a timely manner.
    b.   All balances on accounts will be collected from clients 90 days after insurance has been billed. This means that YAWICS is giving your insurance company 90 days to pay the claim. The law states that it must be processed within 30 days of receipt. After 90 days, you are responsible to pay YAWICS directly. We will give you a receipt to submit to your insurance to pursue reimbursement.
    c. If your insurance changes or terminates, please call the YAWICS Administrative Office as soon possible to provide updated information. If the insurance changes or terminates and you fail to notify us, this will result in the claim being denied from the insurance company and you will be held responsible for the entire fee. 
     d.  YAWICS requires clients to  present and maintain the most up-to-date insurance card and identification on file.  Services will not begin until insurance has been verified and approved. 

9.  Social Media Policy
    a.  Social Media platforms (e.g. Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, etc.) are not appropriate mediums for communication with your counselor. Your counselor will not accept any requests for a social media connection with a current client. Please communicate with your counselor via their approved email address and/or phone number when communicating outside of session.
    b.  Our social media pages are for information purposes on larger scale. Please do not post personal information on our public pages. Any concerns regarding your account or contact with clinician should be directed through the appropriate channels via the approved email address and/or phone number provided by your counselor.

10.  Cultural Considerations:
YAWICS seeks to provide culturally appropriate counseling services to all of our clients. If clients require a translator or interpreter in order to understand the communication from their counselor, YAWJCS will make every necessary effort, within reason, to accommodate the clients for the purpose of clinical counseling, as required by the ADA.

11.  Complaints to Board
You have a right to contact your counselor's State Professional Licensure Board. For this infonnation please contact the administrative office and speak to the Office Manager.

We trust that your involvement within You Are Worth It Counseling Services, LLC. will be helpful to you. If you have any questions regarding these arrangements or other aspects of your relationship with us, please discuss them with your therapist or his/ her Clinical Supervisor.