Information in the Person's records are privileged and confidential.  At no time will any clinician release any information to any other outside agency without written permission from the Person or Person's parent/guardian(s), except as stipulated by the limitations of confidentiality, (see below).  At no time will any information that did not originate in this office be released to an outside agency or person. The Person or Person's parent/guardian(s) shall, upon request have access to the  record within two weeks of the request.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts Policy:

8.02: Standards of Conduct Applicable to all Allied Mental Health Practitioners Licensed by the Board of Allied Mental Health and Human Services Professions (1) Treatment Records. (a) A licensee shall create and maintain a treatment record for each client which meets the standards of usual and customary practice. (b) The licensee must maintain a client's treatment record for a minimum period of seven years from the date of the client's last professional contact with the licensee and in a manner which permits the former client or a successor licensee access to the record within the terms of 262 CMR. In the event that the client is a minor, the licensee must maintain the client's record for at least one year after the client has reached the age of majority as defined in M.G.L. c. 4, 7, but in no event shall the record be retained for less than seven years. (c) Upon commencing services, licensees shall notify clients in writing that treatment records will be maintained and the manner in which clients or authorized representatives may inspect treatment records. Licensees shall adhere to the following practices: 1. upon written request and within a reasonable period of time, licensees shall provide the client or authorized representative of the client a copy of such client's treatment record, pursuant to M.G.L. c. 112, 12CC; 2. licensees may decline to permit a client or the client's authorized representative to inspect or obtain a copy of his or her treatment record if the licensee, in the reasonable exercise of his or her professional judgment, believes that allowing that client or the client's authorized representative to inspect or copy his or her treatment record would adversely affect the physical or mental well-being of that client; and 3. if a licensee declines to provide a copy of a client's treatment record to that client or the client's authorized representative pursuant to 262 CMR 8.02(1)(c)2., the licensee shall provide that client with a treatment summary in lieu of the full treatment record. If after receiving the treatment summary the client continues to request a copy of the full treatment record, the licensee shall provide a copy of the full treatment record to either an attorney designated by the client or a psychotherapist, as defined in M.G.L. c. 112, 12CC designated by that client. (d) licensee may not require payment of any balance due for prior professional services rendered to the client as a pre-condition for making the treatment records available. A licensee may charge a reasonable fee for copying of treatment records and postage where applicable. (e) Licensees shall protect confidentiality, in accordance with applicable regulations and laws, in the creation, maintenance, storage, transfer and disposal of client records and in the event of withdrawal from practice or death of the licensee. (f) Licensees shall comply with all state and federal laws regarding the creation, maintenance, storage, transfer, and disposal of treatment records.

Emerging Paradox Mental Health Therapies, LLC utilizes an electronic healthcare records system that is HIPPA compliant.  Information in these records are confidential and will only be released with the consent of Person served or Person's parent/guardian in the compliance with State and Federal laws.  The exceptions to this are referred to as the limits of confidentiality and refer to the following situations.

1.  If a Person served indicates to a clinician their ideation, plan, intent and/or means to cause them self harm and/or take their own life, the clinician is required to assess level of risk and provide help.  Help may or may not include safety planning with Person, contacting parent/guardian in the case when Person is a minor, calling emergency services (911 etc.), recommend a crisis screening or other action clinician feels is necessary to preserve the safety, health and/or life of Person served.  At that time clinician may share with emergency medical respondents pertinent medical information necessary to ensure Person's safety.  

2.  If a Person served indicates to a clinician their intention to willfully cause harm or death to another person, clinician is required to inform said person of the potential danger they are in.  This action, referred to as Duty to Warn, may include informing the threatened person directly, informing the police near threatened person's assumed location and contacting parent/guardian in the case when Person is a minor.  The expression of homicidal ideation by Person served may also result in a crisis screening (see above).

3.  If a Person served indicates to a clinician their knowledge of either the abuse or neglect of a minor child or a senior citizen, clinician must file a report with the appropriate state agency.  All clinicians are mandated reporters.  A mandated reported is required by law to report their suspicion or knowledge of abuse or neglect and may not do so anonymously.  Failure to report by a mandated reporter is punishable with fines.  For minor children, a report will be made with the Department of Children and Families (DCF) office where the child resides.  For senior citizens, the report is made to the Department of Public Health. 

All Persons served are asked to observe a 24 hour-before session cancellation policy.  This provides Clinician ample time to offer the spot to another person.  However, it is understood that life happens; one goes to bed well, and wakes up ill, tires go flat, loved ones enter the hospital and so on.  In the spirit of this understanding, all cancellations prior to session start will be accepted.  Please make note that with this flexibility, ALL NO SHOWS WILL BE CHARGED A FEE.  The only exception to this is where it is prohibited by insurance.

No show fees will be half the amount of the agreed upon regular session fee and will be invoiced in the same way as a session.  Excessive numbers of no shows may lead to termination of services, generally no showing or cancelling less than 24 hours prior to session 2 out of 4 times will lead to termination, at the discretion of the clinician.

As with all things, communication is key.  If you cannot keep your appointment, it only takes a couple of minutes to cancel.  Thank you.

Emerging Paradox Mental Health Therapies, LLC offers mental health counseling to children, adolescents, adults and seniors.  It has a policy of equal opportunity and non-discrimination and will not discriminate on the basis of race, cultural heritage, national origin, marital status, religion, political beliefs, disability or sexual orientation.  

However, Telemental health services are not ideal for all Persons.  Neither is all therapists an appropriate fit for all clients.  It is the ethical obligation of all clinicians to recognize when a service or a clinician is not the appropriate fit for a Person served and make referrals for other services or providers.  Emerging Paradox Mental Health Therapies reserves the right to terminate with any Person served at any time, with appropriate notification and referral when it is determined that continuing the therapeutic relationship would be unhelpful or detrimental to either Person served or clinician.

In the event that a Person served is unhappy with an aspect of the service, they are encouraged to communicate this to the clinician so a mutually beneficial outcome can be reached.  

The terms of a clinicians license to practice include outlines for ethical practice, as well as other guidelines.  These are all readily accessible for all to read.  Please follow links to the  BOARD OF ALLIED MENTAL HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES PROFESSIONS  web page through Mass.gov.