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If you are contacting us by phone, please be advised that our therapists are working diligently to meet the needs of our patients. Calls are forwarded to voicemail. You will receive a return phone call within 24-48 hours after leaving a message. You can also email our therapists by clicking on the Contact Positive Starts button below or by clicking on the photo of the therapist you would like to talk to in the Meet Our Lead Therapists and Meet Our Team Tab.
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Privacy and Practice Policies
Privacy Policy
NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES- For those seeking Therapy
Positive Starts
Your Privacy Matters to Us
This notice explains how Positive Starts may use and share your protected health information (PHI) and how you can access it. Please review it carefully.
Our Commitment to Your Privacy
At Positive Starts, we respect that your health information is personal. We are committed to protecting your privacy and maintaining the confidentiality of your records. We create and maintain records of your care to provide quality services and to meet legal requirements.
By law, we must:
Keep your PHI private
Provide you with this notice
Follow the privacy practices described here
We may update this notice as needed. The most current version will always be available on our website and in our office.
How We May Use and Share Your Information
We may use or disclose your PHI without written authorization for:
Treatment, payment, and health care operations
Coordinating care with other licensed providers
Appointment reminders and information about the services we offer
Legal, public health, safety, or oversight purposes as required by law
This may include consultations, referrals, billing, audits, or responding to court orders. Positive Starts does not use your PHI for marketing purposes and does not sell your information.
Uses That Require Your Authorization
Psychotherapy/progress notes are kept confidential and will only be used or shared with your written authorization, except in limited situations allowed by law (such as safety concerns, mandated reporting, legal requirements, or compliance reviews).
Your Rights
You have the right to:
Request limits on how your information is used or shared
Request confidential communication methods
Access and receive copies of your records
Request corrections to your records
Request a list of certain disclosures
Receive a paper or electronic copy of this notice at any time
Acknowledgment
By receiving services from Positive Starts, you acknowledge that you have received or have access to this Notice of Privacy Practices, in accordance with HIPAA.
Positive Starts-For Seeking a Therapist
Practice Policies
At Positive Starts, we are committed to providing compassionate, ethical, and professional care. These policies are designed to support transparency, protect your privacy, and ensure a positive therapeutic experience for all clients.
Appointments & Scheduling
Sessions are provided by appointment only and may be conducted in person or via telehealth, based on clinical appropriateness and availability. Appointment reminders are sent through our secure scheduling system. Please ensure your contact information remains up to date.
Group sessions - Group sessions are purchased as a package; a commitment to a full segment and failure to attend the group will not change the total price of the group segment. Group is being billed on a weekly basis for client convenience, and you will be responsible for paying weekly until the group segment has been paid in full. Missing more than 3 group sessions will result in removal from the group, and the client will be responsible for payment of the full group segment.
Required Paperwork
All intake forms and required documentation must be completed at least 48 hours prior to the initial appointment. Completed paperwork allows us to provide safe, appropriate, and effective care. All forms will be sent through one of the secure platforms we use. Once the applications are sent to you via email, the access link will expire after seven (7) days. Appointments cannot be held or rescheduled until all required forms are received.
Cancellations & No-Show Policy
We respectfully request 48 hours’ notice for cancellations or rescheduling. You will be responsible for the entire fee of the service that was scheduled, if cancellation is less than 48 hours prior to an individual session. This policy helps us honor both your time and the needs of other clients seeking services. Additionally, this is necessary because a time commitment is made to you and is held exclusively for you. If you are late for a session, you may lose some of that session time.
Fees & Payment
Payment is due at the time services are rendered unless other arrangements have been made in advance. A valid form of payment may be kept on file for your convenience. Clients are responsible for all fees not covered by insurance.
Insurance & Billing
Positive Starts accepts select insurance plans. Insurance benefits are verified as a courtesy; however, verification of benefits does not guarantee payment. Coverage varies by plan and provider.
Clients are responsible for:
Copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles
Any services not covered by their insurance plan
Charges denied by insurance due to eligibility, authorization, or benefit limitations
Claims are submitted using the information provided by the client. Inaccurate or incomplete insurance information may result in client responsibility for the full balance.
Communication Between Sessions
Secure, HIPAA-compliant platforms (such as Spruce) may be used for administrative communication, scheduling, and brief check-ins. These platforms are not intended for emergencies, crisis communication, or urgent clinical matters.
TELEPHONE ACCESSIBILITY If you need to contact me between sessions, please leave a message on my voicemail. I am often not immediately available; however, I will attempt to return your call within 24 -48 hours. If a true emergency arises, please call 911, 988, or go to your local emergency room.
SOCIAL MEDIA AND TELECOMMUNICATION Due to the importance of your confidentiality and the importance of minimizing dual relationships, I do not accept friend or contact requests from current or former clients on any social media sites (such as Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.). I believe that adding clients as friends or contacts on these sites can compromise your confidentiality and our respective privacy. It may also blur the boundaries of our therapeutic relationship. If you have questions about this, please bring them up when we meet, and we can discuss them further.
Telehealth Services
Telehealth sessions are provided through secure, HIPAA-compliant platforms. Clients are responsible for ensuring privacy, appropriate technology, and a confidential environment during sessions.
Electronic Communication & Telemedicine
At Positive Starts, we may use secure electronic tools—like email, phone, messaging apps, and video—to support scheduling and some aspects of therapy. These methods are considered telemedicine, which means providing care remotely using technology.
Important notes:
While I try to respond promptly, I cannot guarantee immediate replies.
Do not use electronic communication for emergencies. In a crisis, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
Benefits: Telemedicine can improve access to therapy, convenience, and continuity of care.
Limitations: Some observations—like body language, grooming, or physical cues—may not be fully visible online. This may affect clinical assessments.
By using telemedicine, you acknowledge understanding the benefits, risks, and limitations of electronic communication for therapy.
If you like, I can also make a version under 150 words that is super easy for clients to scan quickly in a packet or online form. This makes it feel very approachable without losing legal coverage. Do you want me to do that?
TERMINATION / COMPLETION of Treatment
Ending relationships can be challenging. Therefore, it is important to have a process in order to achieve some closure. The appropriate length of the treatment is dependent on many factors (client needs, safety needs, and type of problems being addressed in therapy. You as the client may choose to end (terminate) our professional relationship at any time. I will attempt to contact you to see if you are still interested in services. Lack of contact will result in your case being closed.
Discussions around ending therapy will be clinically determined and we will be discussing closure within sessions. Closure / Termination may also be appropriate discussion with you if you or I determine that the psychotherapy is not being effectively. I will also discuss Closure / Termination if you are in default on payment. I will attempt to discuss and explore the reasons and purpose of terminating if it is related to lack of progress or being in default.
If you determine that you would like to seek services elsewhere / see another therapist outside of our practice; I can If desired I can provide you with a list of qualified therapists to treat you. You may also choose someone on your own or from another referral source.
Should you fail to schedule an appointment for four consecutive weeks, unless other arrangements have been made in advance, for legal and ethical reasons, I must consider the professional relationship discontinued and your file will be closed.
We encourage you to reach back out if you would like to re-enter therapy and we will help you through the process of completing needed documentation.
Emergencies & Crisis Support
Positive Starts does not provide 24/7 emergency or crisis services. If you are experiencing a medical or mental health emergency, please call 911, go to the nearest emergency room, or contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
Respectful Therapeutic Environment
Positive Starts is committed to maintaining a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment. Disruptive, threatening, or inappropriate behavior may result in termination of services.
Policy Updates
Practice policies may be updated periodically. Clients will be notified of any material changes that affect services or privacy rights.