Privacy policy
Family Prospect Program @ Prospect House
Client Rights, HIPPAA & Therapeutic Agreement
Part I: Therapist Information
Family Prospects Program therapists/counselors are professionals licensed by the state of Ohio to be certified in their practice. They are experienced and competent in providing psychotherapy and substance use recovery services to families and individuals. More information regarding specific credentials and training is available upon request.
Part II: Client Rights
1. You and your family play an important role in your treatment, so you have the right to ask questions at any point. You may request and collaborate on therapeutic goals, and you have the right to be informed about any procedures, approaches, methods and practices used during therapy, including resources and research for evidence-based treatment.
2. You and your family have the right to end treatment services at any time; in which case we can refer you to other qualified professionals whose services you might prefer. You have the right to end therapy without any legal or financial obligations. However, we ask that you try to commit to groups you start, as this will allow you and other group members to experience the full group curriculum without frequent drop outs, which can be disruptive. Also, it is recommended we schedule an in-person termination session to finish therapy, giving us a chance to review treatment progress and any future needs.
3. It is our duty to maintain professional and ethical boundaries by not entering into other personal, financial, or professional relationships with you or your family, all of which would compromise our therapeutic relationship. We adhere to the State Board’s code of ethics and strive to provide a safe environment on our premises.
4. An important right involves confidentiality: Within the limits of the law, what you and your family share in therapy is strictly confidential and will not be revealed to anyone without your written permission. As therapists, we are legally prohibited from revealing to another person that you are in treatment with us, nor can we reveal what you have said to us in any way that identifies you without your written permission. However, there are a few situations in which confidentiality is limited by the law and professional standards:
Limits of Confidentiality:
a) Actual or suspected physical or sexual abuse, emotional cruelty, and/or neglect of a child, an elder or dependent adult, must be reported to the appropriate protective services under Ohio law.
b) If we have a reason to believe that you or a member of your family pose a clear and substantial risk of imminent harm or danger to self or others, we are bound by law to help maintain your safety as well as others’ safety. This may involve notifying others who may help protect against such harm, such as potential victims, public authorities, and other professionals.
c) If a judge orders our testimony or, in the context of a legal proceeding, you raise your own psychological state as an issue, we may be required to release your confidential information to the court.
In all of the above cases, we will only release information necessary to appropriately carry out our responsibilities. Your confidentiality remains an ethical priority.
Legal action:
Please note that we do not provide psychological testing services or forensic evaluations, including those that may be helpful to you or your family in a court of law. If legal actions occur in which are subpoenaed to provide testimony, you may be responsible for paying us directly for providing these services including: (a) the time spent preparing for court; (b) transportation to/from court; and (c) the time spent appearing in court. Charges for legal services will be billed at $ 300 per hour. This fee is NOT reimbursable by insurance and is therefore the full responsibility of the client.
Part III: Treatment Services
The Process of Family Therapy:
Therapy, also known as counseling, is a process of change in which you, your family and your therapist will collaborate to identify areas the family wishes to work on and improve in life. It is important we establish what is called a ‘therapeutic relationship’, which is one that you and your family feel safe and thus able to open up about your concerns, inner experiences, and life situations. We will engage in treatment goal setting, which the therapist will guide based on the problems and concerns the family has, as well as its aspirations for change and growth. Through a combination of talk and creative ways of communicating, we will explore for insights, investigate patterns, and define the family’s strengths, values, and needs. The therapist will teach, model, and practice with you what are called ‘interventions’ to equip you with the coping skills, tools, and solutions for your family to make the changes needed to achieve its goals.
For this process to be most effective, we ask that you and your family share honestly, give us feedback on what is helpful or not along the way, and try to implement the skills and ‘tools’ in your daily life.
The Process of Group Therapy:
Group therapy involves interacting with people that are outside of your social circle, yet share a common need or problem which the group is centered around. It is important we establish an environment where you, your family and other group members feel safe and thus able to open up as they feel ready. We do this through establishing group norms that all agree to abide, and through our responsibilities as group facilitators to help manage group interactions. This includes the agreement that group members, including yourself, keep private what is shared within the group. We will follow a group curriculum, but also allow the influence of the group to set the pace.
Expectations of Family & Group Therapy:
As a result of the hard work you and your family put in to your treatment, your relationships may improve greatly, as communication and family dynamics improve. Personally, you may feel an increased sense of capability, self-confidence, and a better mood as therapy progresses. Overall you and your family may experience a true sense of healing, have more hope and happiness, and find ongoing recovery with supportive community.
However, as change is usually difficult, participating in therapy can include discomfort and strong emotions, especially when discussing difficult events and experiences. It’s common for intense feelings and greater challenges to emerge for you and your family before feeling relief. This is usually very natural.
Personal growth and change is a journey, and different for each of us. As trauma-healing based therapists, we attune to you and your family’s pace, allow you to share as you feel able and ready, seek to be a witness to your experience, and strive to create a safe, trusting relationship with you and your family.
Therapy Appointments:
Your appointment time is reserved especially for you and your family. Therapy sessions are normally 50 minutes. We ask that you make cancellations within a 24 hour notice to respect our time, as well as the other families who could use that time for therapy. Regular attendance is recommended to insure continuity and to enhance the effectiveness of the therapy/counseling. Generally families may attend weekly, every other week, or as needed. We are flexible to meet your needs regarding what frequency is best for you and your family.
Group Attendance:
Group sessions are normally 1 hour. Please inform us of any cancellations within 24 hours. Regular attendance is strongly recommended to insure continuity and to enhance the effectiveness of the group process. Generally groups are weekly, and the length of time you and your family should attend is at your discretion.
Emergencies:
As an outpatient program, we cannot cover mental health needs outside of the services scheduled with us. Please call 911 or PES for emergency psychiatric care.
Records and Administrative Services:
We are required to by law to keep clinical notes on you and your family’s treatment. At all times you may have a copy of your medical records as a client right; you simply need to sign a written release for yourself. We will maintain client records for seven years following termination of therapy at which time your records may be destroyed in a manner that preserves your confidentiality.
Professional Fees and Payments:
At this time we only accept Ohio Medicaid insurance. We can bill other insurance companies and “out of network” providers but can not guarantee reimbursement, in which case the cost of services would be the responsibility of the identified primary client (typically a family member that is attending the session). In instance in which billing insurance is not possible we do provide a sliding scale based on income that will be reviewed in the consultation. If financial hardship is such that any financial obligation would prevent a family member from attending therapy, please contact the Family Program Director, Samantha Battrell LPCC at 513-873-1690 to discuss options. Financial barriers will never block anyone from services with Family Prospects.
Complaints:
If you or your family believe we have violated your privacy rights, you may file a complaint with our Privacy Officer, listed below. If you don’t want to first file the complaint with us, then you may send a written complaint to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Privacy Officer:
The privacy officer for Prospect House’s Family Prospects Program is Samantha Battrell LPCC, Family Program Director, 682 Hawthorne Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45205, (513) 921-1613.