Fees and Length of Treatment
Fees for services provided by the clinician will be discussed during or prior to the initial intake session. Clients will receive an estimate of the frequency, length and cost of services by the end of the intake process, and before formally starting therapy. Regular psychotherapy appointments are generally offered on a weekly basis. Parenting and family therapy sessions are usually arranged on a bi-weekly, monthly or as-needed basis. Cost of services are subject to change, and will be revisited on an annual basis. Recommendations of frequency and length of treatment are subject to updates and changes based on the clinical assessment of each individual client. At any time, clients or parents of clients should fee free to discuss any questions regarding the cost or length of treatment.
Payment and Insurance
Payment can be made by credit card, check or bank transaction (e.g., Zelle, Venmo), and is generally due at the time of service unless other arrangements are made with a clinician in advance. We do not bill insurance companies directly. Clients will receive a detailed statement of services every month that can be submitted to insurance carriers for reimbursement.
Phone Consultations
Brief phone contacts to discuss scheduling or logistics, or for client updates are considered part of an ordinary treatment plan and are not billed separately. Scheduled phone consultations and calls with clients, parents, schools or other professionals to discuss treatment planning and coordination that extend beyond 15 minutes are billed at a pro-rated hourly amount.
Scheduling and Cancellation
All scheduling is arranged between a client or parent and the treating CDA clinician. We make every effort to be as flexible as possible when scheduling appointments, but please understand that our hours for seeing clients are limited. We have a 24-hour cancellation policy. Clients will be billed for appointments cancelled after that time, if the clinician is unable to reschedule the appointment for another time that same week.
Use of Teletherapy
Teletherapy is a form of psychological service provided via internet technology, which can include consultation, treatment, transfer of medical data, emails, telephone conversations and/or education using interactive audio, video, or data communications. Teletherapy also involves the communication of medical/mental health information, both orally and/or visually.
Teletherapy has the same purpose or intention as psychotherapy or psychological treatment sessions that are conducted in person. However, due to the nature of the technology used, teletherapy may be experienced somewhat differently than face-to-face treatment sessions. Clients and their families are free to discuss with their psychotherapist at any point in treatment whether they would be better served by in-person psychotherapeutic services.
Consent and Confidentiality
Clients and their families have the right to withhold or withdraw consent at any time without affecting their right to future care or treatment. The laws that protect the confidentiality of medical information apply to both in-person treatment and teletherapy. The information disclosed during the course of therapy or a consultation is generally considered confidential. However, there are mandatory exceptions to confidentiality, including reporting child abuse and the imminent risk of danger to self or others.
Release of Medical Information
Except where mandated by law, we are prohibited from sharing any information about a child or adult client without express consent from the client or parent of the client. Consent to share information with other medical providers, school personnel or any other third party must be given by the client or parent. Oral consent may be given, if necessary, to expedite an initial contact, but we prefer to have written authorization in advance of discussing client information with other professionals.
SMS Text and Email
Each clinician has his or her own policy about receiving and responding to SMS texts and email. Some therapists do offer text and email contact for purposes of scheduling appointments and reviewing other brief logistical matters. However due to concerns about client privacy and the timely response to client inquiries, we do not offer extended clinical discussions via SMS text or email, nor do we provide emergency contact through text or email.
Emergency Procedures
CDA provides clinical services during weekdays according to the clinicians’ schedules. We do not offer coverage for emergencies on nights, weekends or holidays. Should you have an emergency situation you should proceed to your nearest emergency room or call 911. You may also contact the Crisis Prevention and Response Team at 914-925-5959.