DISCLOSURE STATEMENT
Kenneth L. DeSeve, PhD
Therapeutic Model
My therapeutic model recognizes that each person is an individual with spiritual, biological, and psychological aspects to their being. Depending on your needs and preferences, I blend systems, dynamic, cognitive, and behavioral approaches. I will discuss therapy goals and the proposed course of therapy with you periodically throughout therapy. If you have any concerns or questions, please bring them to my attention. You have the right at any time to refuse therapy, change therapists, or request a change in therapy approach.
Risks: It is important for you to know that there are risks involved in treatment. For example, sometimes people experience an increase in stress, especially during the early stages of treatment. Some problems seem to get worse before they get better. These are natural occurrences, but you need to be aware of them. Other issues may come up during the course of therapy. Please feel free to discuss these at any time.
Alternatives: Not all clients are well-suited to my approach, nor am I able to treat all problems confronting my clients. As a result, I cannot guarantee successful treatment. If I determine that I cannot adequately treat you, I will inform you at the earliest opportunity and assist you in finding more appropriate services. Likewise, if at anytime you have doubts about the appropriateness or effectiveness of your treatment, please feel free to discuss this as soon as possible. Again, it is important that we develop a treatment well-suited for you.
Rights to Privacy and Exceptions to Privacy
The work that I do here is confidential, legally in the category of “privileged communication.” The things that you choose to discuss in therapy are strictly private and protected by Washington State Laws. Except under unusual circumstances discussed below, we will not share anything we talk about with others unless we have your written permission to do so.
Sometimes it is helpful to exchange information with others who may be involved in your care. I will explain the need to do so and discuss specific information to be shared. If that is acceptable, I will ask for your permission in writing and ask you to complete a Release of Information form. If there is specific information you believe would be helpful in therapy, such as previous mental health treatment, please bring this to my attention as soon as possible.
Some things, by law, cannot be kept private. Although these situations seldom occur, it is important that you are aware of them. If you are gravely disabled, suicidal, or dangerous to another these situations require disclosure. However, I will release only the information that is relevant to provide for your safety, the safety of others, or as required by court mandate. We are required by law to report the abuse of children and the elderly to the proper officials.
Child, Adolescent & Family Treatment: Privacy is also important when Spouses or children are involved in treatment. When both members of a couple are involved in therapy, it is important to balance the need for individual privacy with the need for open communication. However, there are no confidentiality laws that apply to couples work. When children or adolescents are referred for treatment, it is important to respect their need for privacy, while also identifying issues to be addressed by the entire family. Adolescents over the age of 13 have the legal right to confidentiality.
Legal Proceedings/Court Involvement: If you are involved in or anticipate being involved in legal or court proceedings, it is important for me to understand how, if at all, your involvement in these proceedings might affect our work together. It is also important for you to know that I will not be a party to legal proceedings against current or former clients.
My goal is to support our clients to achieve therapy goals, not to address legal issues that require an adversarial approach. Clients entering treatment are agreeing to not involve me in legal/court proceedings or attempt to obtain records of treatment for legal/court proceedings when marital or family therapy has been unsuccessful at resolving disputes. This prevents the misuse of your treatment for legal objectives. If you are required by court to obtain an evaluation, it is important that you understand that treatment is not a substitute for an evaluation or an appropriate method to obtain evaluative results. If you need an evaluation I will be happy to help you find a provider that offers this service.
In the event that you require our testimony or involvement in non-adversarial aspects of legal/court proceedings, I will do so only with your consent. I will be unable to disclose information pertaining to other family members or parties involved in treatment without their specific consent to disclose this information.
Office Policies
Appointments & Cancellations: All office hours are by appointment. It is important that you plan to be on time, as we cannot encroach upon the following session if you are late. Therapy sessions are fifty minutes (clinical hour) in length. When you make an appointment, please try to keep it even if you felt upset during the last session or feel anxious about the next one. Please call immediately if you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment. Confidential voicemail is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, (509) 534-9558.
*You must provide at least 24 hr. notice to cancel appointments. You will be charged at least half the session fee for Late-cancellations and No-shows.
Emergencies: If you cannot reach us, or you feel that you cannot wait for us to return your call, you should call the Crisis Line at 838-4428.
Fees & Billing: Fee for the initial session is $225. All other individual visits are $170/hour. Psychological testing fees are $85/test. These fees will take effect August 1, 2010. Billing for court related work will be at one-and-one-half times the hourly rate and will include travel and preparation time.
I require payment/co-payment for services at the time of service unless you have an insurance company that requires a different arrangement. I will provide the billing of your Primary insurance company as a service to you. Billing of any Secondary insurance will be the client’s responsibility. I will help with any information you may need to do this. Mental health reimbursement policies differ dramatically from one third-party contract to another. It is often difficult to predict the services and fees different plans will cover. For this reason, it is important to discuss these issues in your early sessions or when there is any change in your insurance to avoid confusion and problems that could interfere with therapy.
You should also be aware that most insurance agreements require you to authorize us to provide a clinical diagnosis and occasionally additional clinical information such as a treatment care plan or summary. It is very important that you contact your insurance company before treatment to verify that you do have mental health benefits, and to get authorization if necessary per your policy.
*In all cases, you, not your insurance company, are responsible that your account is paid in full. If it becomes necessary, you are responsible for any and all collection fees, at which time client confidentiality will be waived.
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