NEW DIRECTIONS
POLICIES
When you schedule an appointment with one of our professionals, we will ask you to complete an intake form providing relevant physical, emotional and family history. Forms can be sent out to you in advance or completed by coming a few minutes prior to the scheduled intake session. Intake sessions are used to gather information, identify issues, and provide information about the counseling process.
If the client chooses to engage in the counseling process a plan is made with the therapist and subsequent sessions will be scheduled one time per week or as necessary based on the client's needs. Counseling sessions are typically 50 minutes, although longer sessions may be appropriate at times, particularly with family groups.
New Directions is a private practice and is not a direct provider for any insurance companies. While we do not process insurance claims, our clients with mental health insurance coverage are often eligible for non-provider or out-of-network reimbursement under their policies. Clients pay for their sessions in cash, check, credit card or HSA/FSA at the time of each session and are provided with the necessary information to provide to their insurance company for reimbursement of any covered expenses if requested.
All of our services at New Directions are confidential and each client will be asked to review and sign a confidentiality policy. If you wish for us to consult or coordinate with other service providers (medical practitioners, attorneys, schools, therapists or outside agencies) we will obtain a release of information to communicate with those parties.
You may contact our office to schedule an appointment with our professionals. We ask our clients to respect our scheduling policy by keeping appointments or calling 24 hours in advance in the event of a cancellation. No-shows will be billed for 75% of the session. Repeated no-shows will not be rescheduled unless they have made specific arrangements with their therapist.
After 90 days without an appointment with your provider, a client may be deemed inactive and may be asked to complete intake paperwork and subject to a waiting list if provider is full.
Good Faith/No Surprises Act
Effective January 1, 2022, a ruling went into effect called the “No Surprises Act,” which requires mental health practitioners to provide a “Good Faith Estimate” (GFE) about out-of-network care to any patient who is uninsured or who is insured but does not plan to use their insurance benefits to pay for health care items and/ or services.
The Good Faith Estimate works to show the cost of items and services that are reasonably expected for your mental health care needs for an item or service. The estimate is based on information known at the time the estimate was created. The Good Faith Estimate does not include any unknown or unexpected costs that may arise during treatment.
You are entitled to receive this “Good Faith Estimate” of what the charges could be for psychotherapy services provided to you. While it is not possible for a psychotherapist to know, in advance, how many psychotherapy sessions may be necessary or appropriate for a given person upon the initiation of psychotherapy, this form provides an estimate of the cost of services provided. Your total cost of services will depend upon the number of psychotherapy sessions you attend, your individual circumstances, and the type and amount of services that are provided to you. This estimate is not a contract and does not obligate you to obtain any services from the provider listed, nor does it include any services rendered to you that are not identified here.