Your first appointment will be an initial assessment, which will take up to 2 hours. Following your first appointment, sessions will usually last 50 minutes once a week at a time that is convenient. Any changes in this schedule, due to vacation or other scheduling conflicts, will be discussed in advance. Calls outside regular appointment times will be charged at twice the usual rate and are not usually reimbursed by insurance.

Sessions will begin on time. If you are late, we will most likely not be able to meet for the full time, and you will be charged proportionately. If your therapist needs to cancel, you will be notified as soon as possible, and we will expect the same from you. If you cancel less than 24 hours before your appointment or do not show up for your appointment, you will be charged the full fee. Your insurance will not cover this charge. The exception will be if you are having symptoms of an illness consistent with covid-19 or if you or a close family member or friend has tested positive for covid-19.

Therapy is a commitment to work collaboratively and consistently to improve symptoms and overall quality of life. Therefore, it is important that you show up for your sessions and participate fully. If you miss more than 3 sessions, services will be terminated.

Timely payment is an important part of the therapy relationship, just as with any other professional service. A session for regular psychotherapy (50 minutes) is $140. The initial assessment fee is $250. There is no charge for brief calls to discuss appointments or similar issues; however, more extended calls will be pro-rated based on a regular session, which insurance will most likely not cover. Fees for other services can be discussed in advance as needed.

Full payment is expected at the time of service before the session begins. If you have decided to use your insurance, you will be responsible for the co-payment at the time of service. If your insurance company does not pay fees within a reasonable period of 60 days, you will be expected to pay the full amount. Of course, if we receive payment from your insurance company after you have paid, you will be reimbursed the full amount. You may request a statement monthly regarding your sessions and charges, the amount paid and how much is still owed. Any problems with charges, billing, insurance or other financial issues should be discussed immediately so that they do not interfere with the work we do together. If your unpaid balance reaches $500 you will be notified by mail; if it continues to be unpaid, therapy will be discontinued. Fees that are unpaid will be turned over to small-claims court or a collection service.

Your health plan may help you pay for therapy; however, not all providers or services are covered by insurance panels. It is therefore up to you to find out what services and providers are covered, what your co-payments are for each session, whether you have a deductible amount for which you are not covered, and related issues. Please bring this information to your initial session. As a service to you, we will provide information about your diagnosis, date of service, and the fee charged to your insurance company but only with your informed and written consent. We will ultimately maintain your privacy to the utmost extent, but we have no control over your information once it is communicated to the insurance company. You will be asked to sign a release of information allowing us to contact your insurance company at the initial assessment.

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Your insurance company may also ask for and review our records as part of its regular audit of providers. If you are included in this request, you will be notified. If your insurance plan does not cover our services, we will provide a receipt for the services, which will include standard diagnostic and procedure codes, session dates and times, fees and whatever you have paid to date.

Our offices are not open seven days a week, and we do not take phone calls when we are with clients. Your therapist will discuss the best approach for contacting him or her. Your call will be returned as soon as possible, generally within the same day. If you have a crisis and can’t reach us immediately, you or your family member should call 911, your primary care physician, or the nearest hospital emergency room. If your message is not returned within 24 hours, please assume a mechanical problem has occurred and call back.

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If there is an emergency or there is concern about your personal safety, we are required by law and by the rules of our professions to contact someone close to you to protect you. We are also required to contact this person or the authorities if there is concern about your harming someone else. At the initial assessment, you will be asked to provide the name and information of your chosen contact person for these purposes.

We maintain a record of your sessions, and you are free to review these as needed. If you create and/or provide additional records, notes or other documents, these will be added to your file. Once completed, dated and signed, records can’t be altered or edited. These records are maintained in a locked file cabinet with the exception of forms submitted to an insurance company with your informed and written consent or other third-party, such as a primary care physician, only upon your signing a release of information form.

If it is necessary to communicate with your therapist outside of your scheduled session, you may call or email regarding your appointment or other related information. Because of issues related to confidentiality, we will not respond to text messages or extensive emails. We will also not engage in interactions with clients on social media. Our goal is to maintain your privacy and confidentiality.

Presently, we are not offering teletherapy; however, this may change with circumstances. Your therapist will apprise you of any changes in this policy.

Dr. Jones and Dr. Kramer are licensed professionals who practice independently but maintain a clinical practice together in the same location. We maintain the confidentiality of our clients and do not discuss cases unless one of us or another therapist has agreed to be available to cover emergencies. At times we also consult with each other or other therapists regarding a client’s general situation to assure high-quality care. If a consultation does occur, your name and any other information that might identify you will never be discussed.

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In all but a few rare situations, your confidentiality is protected by federal and state laws and by the rules of your therapist’s profession. Confidentiality will not be protected:

• If you were sent by a court or employer for evaluation or treatment, the court or employer will likely expect a report from your therapist. If this is the case, please discuss this with your therapist in advance.

• If you are suing someone or being sued or charged with a crime and the court knows you are in treatment, then your therapist may be ordered to show the lawyers your therapy notes. In this case, please consult with your lawyer about what you are able to say in session.

• If you make a serious threat to harm yourself or another person, the law requires your therapist to try to protect you or that other person. Your therapist can’t promise never to tell others about threats you make.

• If your therapist believes that a child, older adult or other dependent person has been or will be abused or neglected, your therapist is legally required to report this to the authorities.

If you could benefit from a treatment your therapist is not trained or able to provide, he or she will refer you to someone who can help. Based on your symptoms, you may also be referred for a medical exam or for consultation regarding the use of medication. If you are involved or become involved in a divorce or custody battle or other legal matter, your therapist will not be involved in an evaluation, deposition or testimony in court. Your therapist also will not conduct any type of evaluation for disability, return to duty, custody, parenting fitness or similar issue.

While Covid-19 continues to be active in our community, we will follow the Center for Disease Control guidelines, including mask-wearing and social distancing during face-to-face sessions whether you are vaccinated or unvaccinated. If you are unvaccinated, you will need to provide documentation of a negative Covid-19 test conducted within 24 hours prior to your face-to-face session. Sessions will be scheduled so that only one individual is in the office, including the waiting room, at a time. Only clients are permitted in the office; family members need to wait outside the office building. All clients will be screened prior to a face-to-face session by telephone (for example, recent symptoms, travel, exposure and testing) while they wait in their vehicles. Your therapist will escort you from outside the building into the office while maintaining social distancing.