It is my primary purpose to work with you to identify goals and implement strategies to assist you or your child in living fully – and to remove the barriers that prevent it. This information is designed to clarify some of the initial questions you may have about our work together. It is important that we have a solid foundation for our working relationship and that you feel comfortable with the policies of this office. I would welcome you in raising any questions or concerns that you may have about this information.

Location
The office is located at:
6934 Miami Ave., Suite 19
Cincinnati, OH 45243

Scheduling appointments

Appointments can be scheduled during the time of our meeting or by contacting me by phone at 513-272-1500. In our initial session, we will discuss in depth the concerns that have brought you here, the history of those concerns and the ways in which I may be able to be of assistance. We will then work together in therapy sessions to fully understand and alleviate the areas of difficulty that have been identified.

Payment

Costs of diagnostic assessment (initial visit) and therapy are reflected on your fee agreement. Payment (or co-payment) is due at the time of each session. For insurance companies for whom I serve as an in-network provider, insurance billing will be handled through this office. This typically involves providing your diagnosis and treatment plan to the insurance company. Your signature on the Fee Agreement indicates that you wish for me to submit claims with required documentation to your insurance company. Out-of-network insurance reimbursement must be handled by you. However, I will be glad to assist by providing a treatment plan or progress note to your insurance company at your request only. It is your right always to choose what information is shared with your insurance company.

Regrettably…

Sessions are fifty minutes and, due to the difficulties of coordinating many schedules, I am very limited in my ability to extend sessions beyond the scheduled time. A large block of time is set aside for each session. Unfortunately, this makes it necessary to require payment if a session is not cancelled 24 hours in advance, unless I am able to fill the time slot. If I am able to do so, you will not be billed. I realize that this is a difficult issue and want to work with you to avoid the situation arising.

Confidentiality

The content of our sessions is confidential. Confidentiality is essential in allowing you to speak freely and openly. However, there may be times when you wish for information to be shared. For instance, particularly in working with children, it is often helpful to work collaboratively with other service providers. I will be happy to coordinate our work with your physician, your child’s teachers, or others you may designate. Again, I will do so at your request only. I will ask that you sign an Authorization for Release of Protected Health Information prior to making any outside contacts. (You can revoke this release by filling out a simple form at any time if you choose to do so.) You may also request that I supply certain information to your insurance company to access benefits. A third example would be when we have agreed on the need to collaborate with a psychiatrist for diagnostic and medication consultation.

• In certain specific circumstances, such as the occurrence of child abuse and neglect or the threat of harm to another person or structure, there is both a safety need and a legal requirement to pass on information. Should this become necessary, I would prefer to discuss with you the need for this contact in advance if this can be accomplished without compromising safety.
• It is possible for records to be subpoenaed in certain court proceedings. If possible, we would discuss this before releasing them.
• You should also be aware that under certain circumstances, the Patriot Act allows officials to require the release of information that in the past would have remained confidential.

Emergencies

In case of a life-threatening emergency, please call 911 or proceed to a hospital emergency room. However, in a lesser emergency, there will be instructions on my voice mail at 513-272-1500 for how to reach me.

In non-urgent situations where you need to speak with me between sessions, please leave a voice mail message, and I will return your call. While the bulk of our work together will occur during our sessions, there are times when contact between sessions is very important. We will explore this as needed as we work together and develop a plan for that contact.

A Final Note

Please remember that these are guidelines. If needed, we will clarify and fine-tune them as we work together to ensure that your needs are met in a way that is feasible for both you, as my client, and for me, as your therapist.