Understanding Your Rights to Mental Health Care
Confidentiality
Your privacy is a priority. Pellicer Counseling LLC follows HIPAA privacy rules. Our full privacy notice is available in your introductory packet and on our website at PellicerCounseling.com. Your therapist will not share your information without your written consent, except for billing purposes.
Confidentiality may be broken in the following circumstances:
- Suspected abuse or neglect of a child, elder, or dependent adult
- Threat of harm to yourself, others, or property
- Disclosure of child pornography or related material
- If you introduce your mental health into a legal case
- If required by a court order
Mandated Reporting
As licensed therapists, we are mandated reporters. This means that if we suspect or learn of any instance of child, elder, or dependent adult abuse or neglect, we are legally required to report this information to the appropriate authorities. Although you are legally able to consent to your own care, you are still a minor in the eyes of the law. If there is a concern regarding your safety or the safety of others, including threats of harm, we may need to report this information as part of our duty to protect your child, and others. In such cases, we will inform you as much as possible, but our first priority is your safety.
Identification
We require a legal adult to provide valid identification to confirm your identity. Because you are not an illegal adult, you may not have the appropriate documentation. That is okay. We can work with you to confirm your identity through other means.
Confidentiality and Parental Access to Information
For children under 16, we are required to share information with parents or guardians upon request. We encourage parents to reach out and share any relevant updates or concerns about their child’s well-being.
If the child is over 16, the details of their therapy sessions are confidential, and we cannot share specific information with the parent without their written consent, unless there are safety concerns or other legal obligations.
We are happy to communicate with your parents if you want them involved. We encourage an open and productive communication with minors and their parents. However, you are under no obligation to authorize us to share any information with anyone, including your parents.
If you are using insurance and you are covered under your parent’s insurance policy, they may receive an Explanation of Benefits (EOB) which includes general details like dates and types of services. However, this may still acknowledge that you are being seen here. Regardless, we will not share specific details about therapy sessions unless you provide written consent for us to do so.
Your parents may be financially responsible for the cost, but this does not automatically give them access to detailed session information. To allow us to share specific details about therapy, you will need to sign a release of information. This release will outline what information we can share with your parents while ensuring your confidentiality.
Parent Attendance Policy
We believe that parent or guardian involvement is key in supporting a child’s mental health journey. At the same time, we also respect the independence and privacy that older minors may need in therapy. To balance these needs, we’ve set the following policies for parent attendance.
For Minors Under Age 16: We generally encourage at least one parent or guardian to attend the first session to provide background information and help set therapy goals. From there, parents may be asked to participate in occasional sessions as needed to support the therapeutic process. If at any point a session with parents is necessary to discuss progress or concerns, we will let you know.
For Minors Ages 16 and Older: Minors aged 16 and older have the legal right to decide whether or not they want their parents to attend therapy sessions. If you consent, we can invite parents to participate in sessions to discuss progress or share concerns. However, the details of the therapy will remain confidential unless you agree to share specific information.
Policy for Working with Children of Separated/Divorced Parents
If you are navigating the challenges of separation or divorce. Our goal is to support you clinically. It’s important that legal actions such as custody disputes be addressed outside of therapy, as they can interfere with the therapeutic process.
Divorce/Custody Cases
We do not make custody recommendations on your behalf or determine fitness of a parent in legal matters. If custody issues arise, we suggest exploring options like mediation or custody evaluations instead of using therapy for legal decisions.
Authorized Parental Communication
We don’t handle routine communication outside of therapy sessions for parents who do not attend. If additional communication is necessary or requested, parents will need to arrange it directly with us and cover the associated costs.
Please note that communication with attorneys, guardian ad litem, or other therapists, will be your (or your guarantors) responsibility for any time spent discussing your therapy. If the conversation exceeds 15 minutes, the parent will be responsible for the associated costs.
