What is your confidentiality policy?

Illinois law protects the privacy of all communications between a patient and a therapist. In most situations, if you are 18 years of age or older, we can only release information about your treatment to others if you sign a written authorization form that meets certain legal requirements imposed by HIPAA and/or Illinois law. However, in the following situations, no authorization is required:

• Consultation with other health and mental health professionals. During these consultations, every effort is made to avoid revealing the identity of the patient.
• Disclosures required by health insurers or to collect overdue fees (as discussed elsewhere in the Agreement).
• If you are involved in a court proceeding and a request is made for information concerning your diagnosis and treatment, such information is protected by the psychotherapist-patient privilege law. We cannot disclose any information without a court order.
• If a government agency is requesting the information for health oversight
• In malpractice suits.
• In Workman’s Compensation Claims.

Psychotherapists are mandated reporters, and as such, we have the legal obligation of notifying appropriate authorities in the following situations.

These situations are handled with the utmost care to protect those at risk for harm and with respect to the patient’s broken confidentiality.

• If we believe that you present a clear, imminent risk of serious physical or mental injury or death to yourself, we may be required to disclose information in order to take protective actions. These actions may include seeking your hospitalization or contacting family members or others who can assist in protecting you.
• If you have made a specific threat of violence against another, or if we believe that you present a clear, imminent risk of serious physical harm to another, we may be required to disclose information in order to take protective actions. These actions may include notifying the potential victim, contacting the police, or seeking hospitalization.
• If we have reasonable cause to believe that a child, under age 18, known to me in my professional capacity, may be abused or neglected by a parent, caretaker, or other person responsible for the child’s welfare. The law requires that we file a report with the local office of the Department of Children and Family Services.
• If we have reason to believe that an adult over the age of 60, or under 60 and disabled, has been abused, neglected, or financially exploited in the preceding 12 months. The law requires that we file a report with the agency designated to receive such reports by the Department of Aging.

If such situations arise, we will make every effort to fully discuss these disclosures with you, and will include you in the process of disclosure if at all possible.

What is your payment policy?

In order to set realistic treatment goals, it is important to evaluate what resources you have available to pay for your treatment.

If we are a provider with your insurance company, and you decide to utilize insurance to cover the cost of services, you should contact your insurance company to discover what your mental health coverage provides. Mental health coverage is usually different than physical health coverage.

Please ask:

• if you need precertification
• what your co-pay is
• and how many sessions you are allowed in what period of time.

We provide the courtesy of billing your insurance company, if we are a provider with that company, and ask for you to make your co-payment at the time of service.

Ultimately, you are responsible for full payment of fees that your insurance company does not agree to cover. Therefore, it is important for you to fully understand your mental health benefits.

Self-pay rates are determined on a case-by-case basis. Please contact us for more information.

What insurance companies do you accept?

Partners in Pride® currently accepts Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, PPO, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, HMO (Duly/DMG, IHP, Edward/Elmhurst) and Cigna.

Partners of the Wellness Center also accept Humana, Medicare and Medicaid.