State Required Documentation
In accordance with the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council's regulations, the following information is required for every practice to provide for its patients.
Patients Rights and Responsibilities
The following information is intended to help you, as a patient of Hopes for Healing Counseling and Consulting, PLLC to understand your rights and responsibilities as they pertain to your therapy sessions with our practice. Consumer Rights As a patient of Hopes for Healing Counseling and Consulting, I understand that I have the following rights regarding my mental healthcare: Be informed of the qualifications of your counselor: education, experience, and professional counseling certifications and state licenses. Receive an explanation of services offered, your time commitments, and fee scales and billing policies prior to receipt of services. Be informed of limitations of the counselor's practice to special areas of expertise (e.g. working with cancer patients, LGBTQIA+ issues, etc.) or age group (e.g. adolescents, older adults, etc.). Have all that you say treated confidentially and be informed of any state laws placing limitations on confidentiality in the counseling relationship. Ask questions about the counseling techniques and strategies and be informed of your progress. Participate in setting goals and evaluating progress toward meeting them. Be informed of how to contact the counselor in an emergency situation. Request referral for a second opinion at any time. Request copies of records and reports to be used by other counseling professionals. Receive a copy of the code of ethics to which your counselor adheres. Contact the appropriate professional organization if you have doubts or complaints relative to the counselor's conduct. Terminate the counseling relationship at any time. Consumer Responsibilities As a patient of Hopes for Healing Counseling and Consulting, PLLC, I understand that I have the following reponsibilities regarding my mental healthcare: Set and keep appointments with your counselor. Let him/her know as soon as possible if you cannot keep an appointment. Pay your fees in accordance with the schedule you pre-established with the counselor. Help plan your goals. Follow through with agreed upon goals. Keep your counselor informed of your progress toward meeting your goals. Terminate your counseling relationship before entering into arrangements with another counselor. If you have questions about any of these rights and responsibilities, please discuss them with your counselor. Thank you for allowing us the privilege to serve you. Joseph W. Fincher, MEd, LPC-Associate Hopes for Healing Counseling and Consulting, PLLC Under the Supervision of Noel C. Gonzalez, PhD, LPC-Supervisor
Request for Medical Records
Texas law requires that requests for mental health records be in writing. In order to obtain your records or your child’s records from our practice, please do the following: · Complete our HIPAA-compliant Authorization and send it to us through the patient portal of https://www.therapyportal.com/p/hopesforhealing/ our electronic health records system. In the subject line, write “REQUEST FOR RECORDS.” Please be sure to include the records you want, and the name, address, and/or e-mail address of the intended recipient. · If you do not have access to the patient portal, please e-mail your request for records and the Authorization to this e-mail address: info@hopesforhealing.com. In the subject line, please write “REQUEST FOR RECORDS.” · If the records are to be used in litigation, please include case information, such as the cause number, title, and court where the case is pending. · If you need a Business Records Affidavit, please let us know in your request for records. There is a $15 charge for providing a Business Records Affidavit. No Affidavit will be provided unless the fee is paid. · There is a $125.00 per hour charge for providing records in this practice. We accept credit cards, cash, Venmo, and Zelle. Please note that Texas law does not require us to provide records until the fee is paid. · If you are requesting a copy of couples counseling records, family counseling records, or records for a person who is not yourself or your child, state and federal law require that you provide either a Court Order or an Authorization signed by the person (or parent of the person) whose records you are requesting. 45 C.F.R. §164.512(e); Texas Health & Safety Code §611.004, §611.0045, §611.008.
To File A Complaint
It is important to me that my work with clients is both effective and efficient. It is also of the utmost importance to me that clients feel they are treated ethically and fairly throughout the counseling relationship. Therefore, if at any time clients are dissatisfied with any aspect of my work, please inform me immediately. If the client thinks he/she/they has not been treated ethically or fairly by me and also feels that the problem cannot be resolved by me, the Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors can provide the client with clarification of his/her/their rights. Clients can file complaints with Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors by contacting them using the following information: Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council George H.W. Bush State Office Building 1801 Congress Ave., Ste. 7.300 Austin, Texas 78701 Main Line (512) 305-7700 Investigations/Complaints 24-hour, toll-free system (800) 821-3205