ADDENDUM: SERVICES PROVIDED TO A MINOR

Privacy practices are modified when the targeted client is a minor. This addendum is an extension of the general PRACTICE INFORMATION and NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES that is also applied for all counseling relationships with Better Life Therapy LLC.

Practice Information

• Therapy with children and adolescents can be valuable to their development and provide essential skills that can help them become successful adults. We understand that the decision to seek therapy for your child isn't easy for the parent/guardian as well as the child. Children may be resistant in the beginning, and this is to be expected. If this resistance continues and becomes a barrier to progress, alternative structure or referral to another professional that might be a better fit will be discussed.

• Helping a child's mood or behavior is not only about the child, it also involves the family unit and caregivers. Thus, individual counseling with a minor client will be complemented with occasional family sessions. This is used to allow for parent support and direction, as well as permitting a time for the child to safely share with the family members. When family sessions are longer than the individual sessions (approx. 90 mins) they consequently are subject to a higher fee billed to the insurance an additional 1/2 of the self pay rate.

• Participation from parents/guardians is essential to the success of the child. You may be asked to take data on certain behaviors, implement interventions/behavior plans in the home, seek assessment/evaluations from related providers (IQ testing, school support services, psychiatrists, neurologists, developmental pediatricians, etc) or other helpful assistance. You have the right to refuse to fulfill these requests, however after continued requests it may be deemed to be a barrier to the therapeutic process and inhibiting further progress with the child and therefore the therapist may elect to refer or terminate services.
• A leading concern for minor clients in therapy is that of privacy. Although parents/guardians reserve the right to view the clinical records of the child, it is imperative that they feel a sense of privacy. Therefore general information that is shared and discussed during the individual sessions is not shared with the parent/guardian unless it involves neglect/abuse of a child or the elderly or past/present/possible harm to the minor client or someone else (including threats of violence involving schools In non urgent instances, the counselor will work with the child and encourage he/she to divulge this information to the parent/guardian themselves. If this does not take place, then the counselor will inform the parent/guardian; the minor will be notified.

Your Health Information Rights

Although your health record is the physical property of the practice and the clinician that has complied it, you have the right to:

• Right to clinical records: Parents/guardians of a minor are privileged to view the clinical records
• Release of Information: Any request for release of information is to be signed by the parent/guardian of the minor client. Release of information without consent from parent/guardian: Just as with adult clients, there are specific circumstances in which release is not required to share information. These circumstances involve current or risk of harm to self or others.
• Legal use of clinical records: Participation in therapeutic services with Better Life Therapy LLC do not automatically serve as sustenance for custody and/or divorce mediation. Should this matter arise, it must be discussed with the therapist prior to releasing the information to related 3rd parties. This helps to ensure the appropriateness and allow for proper referral to providers that specialize in such matters if such referral is needed.
• School records: should school records be deemed relevant and helpful to the therapeutic process, permission must be first obtained from the parent/guardian of the minor client.
• School input: Your child's therapist may give you questionnaires/checklist/inventories and request school staff to complete and return them. The parent/guardian has the right to refuse.

Right to Privacy: During times when parents/guardians are present for therapy sessions with the minor child, it is expected that all parties reserve the child's privacy and refrain from discussing the sessions outside of the present parties unless previously discussed.

Right to Privacy: Therapists are not permitted to inform parents, guardians, or caregivers without the minor consent. Therapists are legally and ethically bound to keep their sessions confidential and not to disclose their client's information with anyone.