New Patient Information
Treatment
Thank you for choosing Counseling Solutions of Alaska for your care. We will make every attempt to schedule your initial visit with a clinician who best meets your needs. However, please be aware that the initial visit is an evaluation. The evaluation will involve obtaining your history, concerns, needs and preferences, so that symptoms can be evaluated, a diagnosis determined and treatment goals established. At the end of the evaluation, the clinician will provide his/her recommendations and an agreement will be established about beginning a treatment relationship.
Confidentiality
In general, the confidentiality of communications between a patient and their clinician is protected by law and written consent must be obtained before any information about your care is released. However, the law has established some exceptions to written consent that require the clinician to disclose, including:
- We must notify others if there is a clear threat of violence to an identifiable victim.
- We must notify the proper authorities or others if a patient is determined to be suicidal/homicidal or unable to take care of himself/herself.
- We must report suspected abuse and neglect of children, the elderly or the handicapped.
- We must respond to subpoenas and court orders from a legitimate court of law requesting records or testimony.
- We must release information to your insurance company or companies if they request information to help in the processing of your insurance claims.
Office Policies and Procedures
Attendance
You are responsible for attending your scheduled appointments. Reminder calls are provided as a courtesy only. Because your appointments are reserved for you, it is important that you provide a 24-hour notice when cancelling appointments so that they can be offered to someone else that needs the time. If you do not show up for an appointment, or you cancel your scheduled session with less than a 24-hour notice, your clinician will determine whether it is feasible to continue the therapeutic relationship. In the case of sudden illness, or genuine emergency, 24-hour notice may not be feasible; in this case, please call as soon as you know that you cannot make the appointment. There is a $50.00 fee for late cancellations, or "no-show" appointments, applied at the provider's discretion.
Services for Minors
Patients under the age of 18 must have a parent or legal guardian present at the intake appointment and minors under 16 must have a parent at every appointment. Minors whose parents share custody must have both parents authorize care in writing.
Children and Appointments
Children may not be left unattended in the clinic. Our office staff cannot provide supervision of your children under any circumstances. In addition, children should not participate in the appointments of their parents or siblings, other than planned family sessions, as it can be distracting to therapy and potentially detrimental to the treatment process.
Emergencies / Crises
Our clinicians are often scheduled up to two or more weeks in advance; therefore, they are not typically available to respond to crises or emergencies. If you are experiencing a psychiatric emergency such as thoughts of harm to yourself or others, or you are in a crisis involving the need for immediate help, please call the 24-hour Crisis Hotline at (907) 563-3200, go to the nearest hospital emergency room or call 911.
Medication Management
Medication Refills
Please ask for refills 3-5 days before you run out. If it is the weekend and you need a refill and cannot wait you must go to the emergency room. Call your pharmacy and ask for a refill request to be faxed to 907-770-0357. Call our office, ask for Margaret (mornings) or Ruth (afternoons) at extension 105. Be sure to say which pharmacy you use.
Payment and Insurance
We will bill your insurance as a courtesy, but ultimately you are responsible for any amount that is not covered by insurance. We are preferred providers for BCBS, Aetna, Providence and Tricare.
Co-pays and/or deductible are expected to be paid at the time of each session. Please inform us when you have any changes to your health insurance. Health insurance does not cover the cost of court appearances or report generation - those services are your financial responsibility.
We are unable to accept any Medicaid/Denali Kid Care clients for Counseling Services.
Our established patients may continue to be seen when they become Medicare eligible
and sign up for Part B so long as they have been established patients for at least 5 years.
We do not accept new Medicare patients or those who have not been seen at Counseling Solutions of Alaska in the last 3 years.
Contact Us to schedule an appointment for quality, comprehensive services.