We want you to feel like you are fully informed about Bright Therapeutic Services, PLLC and the care you are receiving.
Below are important practice policies that may feel helpful to know.
Practice Policies
Policies...
Privacy & Confidentiality: as integrity is a core value here at Bright Therapeutic Services, PLLC, your privacy and confidentiality is our upmost priority. Information sharing is only done with your explicit written consent via a Release of Information (and you get to choose how much information is shared), or when required by law.
If utilizing insurance, at times there will be a request for engagement in services from the insurance carrier As the policy owner you have agreed for them to request this information from any provider that has rendered services to you (or any other plan participants), without the provider obtaining a specific consent or release of information for the insurance carrier. At Bright Therapeutic Services, PLLC, in the event we receive such a request, you will be informed that the request was made and that we will comply with the request by providing only essential, requested, necessary information.
Minor clients: Consent, Caregiver Involvement & Confidentiality: when services are provided to an individual who is under the age of 18, the minor is considered the client. Before beginning services, Bright Therapeutic Services, PLLC will need verification of who has legal authority to provide consent for the minor's mental health treatment. Consent must be provided by the parent, legal guardian, custodian, or other legally authorized individual or entity with authority to make medical and mental health decisions for the minor, unless an exception under applicable law permits the minor to consent independently.
If parents/caregivers are separated, divorced, or otherwise subject to a custody agreement or court order, the clinician may request a copy of the current custody agreement before services begin to verify who has authority to consent to treatment, which will be added to client's profile. If there are changes made to any part of the custody agreement, that must be shared with clinician to ensure consent paperwork is accurate.
As a practice policy, when parents share joint legal custody and joint authority for medical or mental health decision-making, Bright Therapeutic Services, PLLC generally requires consent from both parents before initiating ongoing therapy services, unless the applicable custody order provides otherwise or another legal exception applies.
As parents, caregivers, or legal guardians may have certain rights to participate in care and access records, this does not automatically provide access to the specific content of therapy sessions or require the clinician to disclose what the client did or did not discuss in session. Parents and caregivers are welcome to provide information they believe may be important to the client's care. Providing information to the clinician does not create an expectation that the clinician will disclose confidential session content in return.
Clinician's will work diligently with the client and their parent, caregiver, or legal guardian to establish a clear understanding regarding confidentiality, communication, and caregiver involvement. Information may be shared when clinically appropriate and consistent with those established boundaries, or when disclosure is required or permitted by law or necessary to address a safety concern.
Mandated Reporting & Safety: as licensed clinicians, we are considered mandated reporters and have legal and ethical responsibilities to take appropriate action when certain safety concerns arise. This may include suspected abuse or neglect of a child, abuse or exploitation of a vulnerable or disabled adult, or situations involving a serious or imminent risk of harm to yourself or another person.
Thoughts of death/dying, suicide, self-harm, or harming someone are not uncommon and do not automatically result in a report being made or confidentiality being broken. You and your clinician will work together to understand the nature and level of risk and, whenever possible, collaborate with you on steps to support your safety.
When disclosure or other action is legally or ethically required, your clinician will share only the information reasonably necessary to address the concern. When possible and clinically appropriate, they will discuss this with you and support you through the process.
Communication: at Bright Therapeutic Services, PLLC, we utilize Spruce Health for all client communications. Spruce Health is a HIPAA compliant phone system that allows for phone calls, text messages, video telehealth, and fax.
Your clinician will send you an invitation via text message with a link to download the app, and once your profile is completed it provides a secure form of communication directly with your clinician. Your Spruce profile will be assigned to your clinician, so all calls and messages go directly to them!
**Note: clinician's are not available 24/7. they will respond within a timely and professional manner. If there is ever an emergency, please all 911, go to your local emergency, dial 988 for the National Suicide & Crisis Hotline, or dial 888-315-2880 for Mobile Crisis.**
Late Cancellation Policy: there is a 24 hour late cancel policy for all scheduled session. If a session is canceled or rescheduled within the 24 hour window, the late cancellation fee will be applied to your account. This fee is the full self-pay rate which cannot be filed with insurance and will be charged to the card on file.
We do our very best in sending a multiple reminders and utilizing various reminder methods to ensure any necessary cancellation can be made outside that 24 hour hour window. As clinicians we do our best to work with you and your needs, we also understand life happens, so as soon as you know, please let us know.
No Show Policy: if a session is scheduled and no one presents to the session, and there has been no communication about rescheduling needs, this would be considered a no show. This fee is the full self-pay rate which cannot be filed with insurance and will be charged to the card on file.
We do our very best in sending a multiple reminders and utilizing various reminder methods to ensure awareness of upcoming session and limit chances of no shows. As clinicians we do our best to work with you and your needs, we also understand life happens, so as soon as you know, please let us know.
Inclement WeatherPolicy: in the event of inclement weather, session will generally align with Rabun Gap Nacoochee School & Macon County Schools . If either or both schools announces a closure due to snow, ice, or other hazardous weather conditions, some clinicians may have limited availability.
Each clinicians will determine whether scheduled sessions can safely proceed, or if a session may be transitioned to telehealth when appropriate. Unless you are contacted directly by your clinician or Bright Therapeutic Services, PLLC, please assume your appointment will proceed as scheduled.
**Note: If weather conditions make it unsafe or otherwise difficult for you to attend your appointment, please contact your clinician as soon as possible to discuss available options.**
Credits/Refunds: there are times when your account my have a credit or a refund. If may happen if there is an overpayment on the account of any kind, and will live in your account as a credit. This credit could be used to make future payments until the credit has been exhausted (co-pays, fees, etc.). If you would prefer the credit be refunded (you've met your out-of-pocket max for the year, you have discharged from services, etc.), the credit can be refunded to card on file.