AWC Centers
Welcome to AWC Centers (AWC). This informed consent will provide you with information regarding our business practices and available counseling services. Please read over this document carefully. The informed consent is subject to change but you will receive written notification of any changes and will have the opportunity to approve them. You may also request a copy for your records.
APPOINTMENTS
All counseling sessions begin and end on time and last 50 minutes. On the rare occasion that your counselor is running late or in an emergency situation, someone will inform you of the approximate wait time and reschedule if necessary. Please do not be late to your appointment. If you are more than 10 minutes late, you will be rescheduled. AWC also has a 24 hour cancellation policy. This means that you are required to cancel your appointment at least 24 hours in advance. Monday appointments should be canceled by 2 pm the Friday before. Please be considerate of this as our sessions are limited and other clients may be waiting for an appointment.
CHILDCARE
Please do not bring children or babies to counseling unless you have a family session scheduled. Children are disruptive to counseling sessions and they cannot remain in the waiting room. Making childcare arrangements prior to your appointment will ensure that you receive high-quality services and will also protect our pregnant clients and their unborn babies from common childhood diseases.
COUNSELING SERVICES
AWC services include individual, couples, family, and marriage counseling for our medical clients, members of their immediate support systems, and all females with self-esteem, relationship, or sexual health issues. Your counselor will determine during the initial session if you qualify for counseling services at AWC and how to best meet your needs. Referrals will be made if you don’t qualify for AWC Center’s professional counseling program or if the counselor believes you’ll be better served by another provider.
CUSTODY OF FILES
CUSTODY OF FILES Electronic counseling records are kept by AWC. All records are kept for the period required by The Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council Board of Examiners (TBHECBE) for the counselor’s specific licensure. Most records are kept a minimum of five (5) years. Security and privacy are also governed by TBHECBE.
FEES & PAYMENT
AWC is a nonprofit health center funded solely by donations from the community. All counseling services are free-of-charge to clients.
COURT ORDERED COUNSELING, PROBATION REQUIREMENTS, CUSTODY EVALUATIONS, AND OPEN LEGAL CASES
AWC counselors do not perform forensic mental health services related to child custody, divorce, or other legal proceedings or for disability or unemployment claims. AWC cannot provide “forensic opinions, reports, assessments, and/or recommendations” according to Rule 465.18 of the Texas Administrative Code. Due to the experience level of our volunteer counselors, we cannot offer counseling services to those on probation or those engaged in open or active legal cases.
MARRIAGE & FAMILIES
Marriage counseling involves meeting with the counselor both individually and as a couple. As the relationship becomes more harmonious, fewer individual sessions will be scheduled unless you need individual counseling for issues unrelated to your marriage. Information obtained during individual sessions will remain confidential from the spouse, but every effort will be made to encourage you both to confide in each other. If an individual reveals that he or she is engaging in an extramarital affair without the spouse’s knowledge, he or she will be asked to end the affair and work with the counselor toward providing full disclosure to the spouse.
Family counseling is typically done by a Marriage and Family Therapy student or intern. During family counseling, the entire family may be seen but appointments can be divided into individual sessions and end with a group session based on the family’s needs. Please read the section on “Treatment of Minors” for more information about counseling individuals under the age of 18.
COUNSELING INFORMED CONSENT
PHONE CONTACT
Counselors are not usually available to take calls but you can leave a message and they will call you back at the end of the day or during their next shift. They have permission to contact you by any method you approve on the case opening form. If you need immediate assistance, contact your psychiatrist or primary care doctor. In the event of an emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
PRIVACY PRACTICES
Texas law and the Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) require that AWC protect your health information. Effective counseling may require the sharing of confidential information at times with AWC employees, counseling students and interns at the center, and their supervisors. AWC shares information for both clinical and administrative purposes. Center personnel abide by the rules of confidentiality and maintain strict privacy standards. See the attached Notice of Privacy Practices for more information.
PROFESSIONALISM
The counseling relationship is strictly a professional one. Contact with your counselor is usually limited to scheduled sessions. Counselors at AWC do not correspond via email or text since this communication is often not secure. You will benefit greatly when the counseling relationship remains professional and the sessions concentrate exclusively on your concerns.
RECORDS REQUESTS
Counselors maintain confidentiality according to the ethical guidelines of their licensure and legal requirements. While you are entitled to a copy of your record, we do not recommend this due to the possibility of misinterpreting notes which are written for the healthcare professional and are often abbreviated with medical shorthand. A verbal summary can be provided upon request or a written narrative.
STATEMENT OF ETHICS
Licensed Professional Counselors (LPCs) are regulated by the Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors and Licensed Marriage & Family Therapists (LMFTs) are regulated by the Texas Board of Examiners of Marriage and Family Therapists. These boards carry out general oversight of licensed counselors in the state of Texas. Licensed counseling professionals provide services in accordance with state law and board regulations. This includes following a code of ethics established for the counseling profession. You should expect to be treated with dignity and in a professional manner at all times. If you have a concern, please speak to your counselor or to AWC’s counseling site supervisor. If you’re unable to resolve the problem, you may file a consumer complaint by calling the state’s toll-free complaint hotline at 1-800-942-5540. Written complaints may be mailed to: Complaints Management & Investigative Section, P.O. Box 141369, Austin, TX 78714-1369. Visit dshs.state.tx.us/counselor for more information or to view counselor licensure status.
STATEMENT OF FAITH
AWC is a faith-based ministry and our counselors practice from a Christian worldview. However, professional counseling must be a client-centered experience. There are no religious requirements and any discussion of faith or religion is guided by you, the client.
TERMINATION OF SERVICES
You may choose to discontinue the counseling relationship at any time and your counselor will be supportive of that decision. The goal of professional counseling is for you to be successful facing life’s challenges without the support of a counselor. If you decide to terminate services, please notify your counselor and complete an exit survey to help us evaluate the effectiveness of our program.
TREATMENT OF MINORS
If a child is under the age of 18, he or she will only be treated with the consent of a parent or legal guardian. In situations of divorce, the parent with legal custody must sign the documents authorizing professional counseling. The non-custodial parent may bring the child to counseling appointments, but only after the custodial parent has given permission and signed the informed consent. Please understand that in order to maintain trust with your child, the counselor will not discuss confidential conversations that take place in counseling sessions. If a child does not feel safe to confide in his or her counselor, the treatment process can be greatly hindered.
Parents usually have the right to see their child’s record, but AWC discourages this and would prefer to provide a summary upon request. If your child’s counselor believes it would endanger your child in any way to reveal their record, the counselor will seek the advisement of their clinical supervisor or the Texas State Board of Licensure prior to releasing the record. In cases involving suicide prevention, chemical substance abuse or dependence, or physical, emotional, or sexual abuse, the record will not be released to the parents.
WHAT TO EXPECT NEXT
After signing the informed consent, you will meet with your counselor for an initial session. The counselor will assess your needs and determine if you qualify for our program. The counselor will also decide if they have the skills and experience to help you or if you’d be better served by a referral. This is the time for you to decide if this is the right therapist for you. The decision to continue counseling requires a time commitment so you should be comfortable with your choice. This marks the beginning of the therapeutic relationship.
Once the counseling relationship has been established, your counselor will meet with you regularly for 50 minute sessions. Sessions can be weekly or more or less frequent based on your individualized treatment plan. It’s important to work with your therapist, giving honest feedback if you feel uncomfortable with a suggested technique or approach. Counseling is an interactive process that requires work both in session and at home. You must complete the work that you and your counselor agree upon to receive the full counseling experience.
There are benefits and risks associated with professional counseling. Counseling can improve relationships and self-image and help you to understand yourself, your values, and your goals. Counseling may also result in unexpected feelings that can impact you and your relationships. Your counselor at AWC Centers will work with you to create a positive therapeutic experience.