Prior to beginning treatment, it is important for you to understand the therapist’s approach to child therapy and agree to some guidelines about your child’s confidentiality during the course of his/her treatment. The information herein is in addition to the information contained in the Patient-Therapist Agreement. Under HIPAA and the APA Ethics Code, the therapist is legally and ethically responsible to provide you with informed consent. As we go forward, the therapist will try to remind you of important issues as they arise. Therapy is most effective when a trusting relationship exists between the psychologist and the patient. Privacy is especially important in securing and maintaining that trust. One goal of treatment is to promote a stronger and better relationship between children and their parents. However, it is often necessary for children to develop a “zone of privacy” whereby they feel free to discuss personal matters with greater freedom. This is particularly true for adolescents who are naturally developing a greater sense of independence and autonomy. By signing this agreement, you understand the therapist will not be sharing the content of what your child discloses or their records without your child’s consent.
It is our policy to provide you with general information about treatment status. If it is necessary to refer your child to another mental health professional with more specialized skills, he/she will share that information with you. The therapist will tell you if your child does not attend sessions. At the end of your child’s treatment, a treatment summary that will describe what issues were discussed, what progress was made, and what areas are likely to require intervention in the future will be provided.
If your child is an adolescent, it is possible that he/she will reveal sensitive information regarding sexual contact, alcohol and drug use, or other potentially problematic behaviors. Sometimes these behaviors are within the range of normal adolescent experimentation, but at other times they may require parental intervention. If the therapist ever believes that your child is at serious risk of harming him/herself or another, you will be informed.
Although the therapist’s responsibility to your child may require his/her involvement in conflicts between the two of you, your agreement that his/her involvement will be strictly limited to that which will benefit your child. This means, among other things, that you will treat anything that is said in session with the therapist as confidential. Neither parent will attempt to gain advantage in any legal proceeding between the two of you from therapeutic involvement with your children. In particular, you agree that in any such proceedings, neither parent will ask the therapist to testify in court, whether in person, or by affidavit. You also agree to instruct your attorneys not to subpoena the therapist or to refer in any court filing to anything he/she may have said or done.
Note that such an agreement may not prevent a judge from requiring the therapist’s testimony, even though he/she will work to prevent such an event. If he/she is required to testify, the therapist is ethically bound not to give his/her opinion about either parent’s custody or visitation suitability. If the court appoints a custody evaluator, guardian ad litem, or parenting coordinator, he/she will provide information as needed (if appropriate releases are signed or a court order is provided), but the therapist will not make any recommendation about the final decision. Furthermore, if the therapist is required to appear as a witness, the party responsible for his/her participation agrees to reimburse him/her at the rate of $275 per hour, including preparation time prior to court, time away from office/other clients on court date, and all related correspondence with third parties. A retainer fee of $1100 will be due one week in advance of your court date. The retainer fee only secures your court date on our calendar and will expire after that one date passes. It also includes up to 4 hours of time at $275/hour and you will be responsible for any fees exceeding four hours. In the event, time spent is less than four hours, the retainer fee will be returned at a prorated rate. All fees are due no later than 30 days after the court date and will be sent to collections if unpaid at that time.