Information About Clinical Services
Psychotherapy is not easily described in general statements. It varies depending on the personality of both the therapist and the patient and the particular problems which the patient brings. There are a number of different approaches which can be utilized to address the problems you hope to address. Each requires a very active effort on your part, both during our sessions and at home.
Psychotherapy has both benefits and risks. For example, risks sometimes include (a) experiencing uncomfortable levels of feelings or recalling unpleasant aspects of your history, or (b) insurance submissions including diagnosis and history can affect future applications for health, life, and/or disability insurance. Psychotherapy has also been shown to have benefits for people who undertake it. For example, it often leads to (a) a significant reduction of feelings of distress, (b) resolutions of specific problems, and (c) better relationships. But there are no guarantees about what will happen.
Our first several sessions should include an assessment on my part regarding whether or not I can offer you a service which might be helpful to you, and whether or not you feel comfortable working with me. By the end of the evaluation, I will be able to offer you some initial impressions of what our work will include and an initial treatment plan, if you decide to continue. You should evaluate this information along with your own assessment about whether you feel comfortable working with me. Therapy involves a large commitment of time, money, and energy, so you should be very careful about the therapist you select. If you have questions about my procedures, we should discuss them whenever they arise. If your doubts persist, I will be happy to help you to secure an appropriate consultation with another mental health professional. You can seek a second opinion from another therapist or terminate therapy at any time. More information in on my website at: www.MichaelMetzPhD.com
I schedule my own appointments during regular business hours during weekdays, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Because my clinic schedule usually is relatively full for 3 - 4 weeks out, I suggest that we schedule several sessions well ahead so that times will be available for you. Sometimes appointments may be made sooner if you request being on the "wait list" to fill cancellations. Messages regarding scheduling or changing appointments can be left on my confidential voicemail, 651-642-9317 x 107. Beyond an initial contact, I do not conduct any clinical matters with internet email due to privacy concerns. For all scheduling and all clnical matters, please only communicate by telephone and confidential voicemail.
Sessions are usually 50 minutes long, although some appointments are prearranged for longer or shorter periods of time. Please make every effort to be on time for your appointment, and I will do the same. If for any reason you are late, please understand that I must still follow my regular schedule in ending appointments. I will usually schedule three to four sessions per month with you, although sometimes sessions will be more or less frequent.
If you find it necessary to cancel an appointment please notify me so that I can attempt to fill the unused appointment time. Appointments canceled with less than 24 business hours notice will be charged to you if the time is not filled, unless we both agree that you were unable to attend due to serious circumstances beyond your control. Please note that a late cancellation or missed appointment is not covered by insurance and is the responsibility of the patient.
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I am often not immediately available by telephone. While I am usually in my office between 9 AM and 5 PM, I usually will not answer the phone when I am with a client. I do have call-in hours most days between 9:30 and 10:00 am. When I am unavailable, my telephone is answered by an automatic confidential answering system which I monitor frequently. I will make every effort to return your call on the same day you make it with the exception of weekends and holidays, or when I am out of town. If you are difficult to reach, please leave some times when you will be available.
In an emergency, you can call the number given to you on my professional card, (651) 642-9317 x107. If you cannot reach me, and you feel that you cannot wait for me to return your call, you should call your family physician, or the emergency room at the nearest hospital and ask for the psychologist or psychiatrist on call. You may also call the Crisis Connection (24 hour) at (612) 379-6363, Hennepin County Crisis Intervention Center (24 hour) at (612) 347-3161, or Ramsey County Crisis (24 hour) at (651) 266-7900; or call Directory Assistance in your area to obtain the number for the crisis center in your area. If it is a medical emergency, please go to your nearest emergency care facility or call 911. If I am unavailable for an extended time (e.g., vacation), I will provide you with the name of a trusted colleague whom you can contact if necessary.
Both law and the standards of my profession require that I keep an appropriate treatment record or "file" which is the property of the clinic. You are entitled to receive a copy of the record, but if you wish, I can prepare an appropriate summary. Because these are professional records, they can be misinterpreted and/or can be upsetting. If you wish to see your records, I recommend that you review them in my presence so that we can discuss what they contain. I am sometimes willing to conduct such a meeting without charge. Clients will be charged an appropriate fee for any preparation time which is required to comply with an information request.
The therapists of Meta Associates are independent of other agencies and each other. While the members share a name and office space, I want you to know that I am completely independent in providing you with clinical services and I alone am fully responsible for those services. My professional records are separately maintained and no member of the group can have access to them without your specific, written permission. Information is released only with your informed consent after you have signed a written form, unless otherwise required (see below).
An important understanding for individuals, couples, and families seeking psychotherapeutic services is the nature of confidentiality in therapy. While all matters related to your therapy services are held in the strictest professional confidence, there are some understandings and legal aspects to confidentiality that I would like you to know. The HIPAA forms also tell how private data may be used.
Patients have a clinical record or "file" which is the property of my clinical practice. Routine release of any information about or from this record requires a dated and signed authorization by the patient(s) which designates specifically what may be released and to whom. A phone call request to release information is not sufficient. A fax copy of your authorization with your recognizable signature is acceptable.
For couples or families who seek clinical services together, commonly a composite or combined record is maintained. To release conjoint or composite information from the record, both persons (a couple) or all persons involved (a family) must give written signature authorizing release of information, or only the authorizing person's strictly individual materials may be released. Upon request, each individual may have his/her clinical record or file kept separately.
While parents or guardians may obtain information about their legal minor (younger than 18) for whom they are responsible, I encourage all members of a family -- regardless of age -- to agree to respect the privacy and confidentiality of each person. However, if you are under eighteen years of age, please be aware that the law may provide your parents with the right to examine your treatment records. It is my policy to request an agreement from parents that they consent to give up access to your records. If they agree, I will provide them only with general information on how your treatment is proceeding unless I feel that there is a high risk that you will seriously harm yourself or another, in which case I will notify them of my concern. I will also provide them with a summary of your treatment when it is complete. Before giving them any information I will discuss the matter with you and will do the best I can to resolve any objections you may have about what I am prepared to discuss.
Please be aware that I have an ethical obligation to balance the interests of both partners in couple therapy, and all members in family therapy. If you inform me of a situation that, in my opinion, is blatantly harmful, unfair, or unethical, or if, in my opinion, therapy cannot profitably proceed unless something you tell me is shared with your partner (couple therapy) or other family members (family therapy), I may at my discretion, give you the choice of correcting the situation when that is feasible, informing the other(s) of the situation, having me tell the other(s), or terminating therapy.
Situations which may permit or require release of private information are:
1) Ordinarily, information is only released when you authorize it in writing such as to exchange information with your physician, another therapist, or health insurance company. Please be aware that if you have third-party reimbursement (health insurance or HMO) and file a claim with authorization for release, that your insurance company may request or require detailed information, and in some cases a copy of your file.
2) By Minnesota State Statute, helping professionals are required to immediately report every case of specific physical and/or sexual abuse of children (minors) and "vulnerable adults" (mentally limited, severely ill, incompetent, etc.) to the appropriate legal authority (child protection department, police). In such cases, confidentiality between the patient / client and therapist must be broken.
3) In cases where there is imminent danger to an individual, such as severe risk of harming one's self (suicidal) or danger of harming another (homicidal), the professional is required to act to protect. In the case where the patient may disagree, it must be the professional's clinical judgment to decide when confidentiality must be broken in the interest of protection of the client or others from harm. If I believe that a client is threatening serious bodily harm to another, I may be required to take protective actions which may include notifying the potential victim, notifying the police, or seeking appropriate hospitalization. If a client threatens to harm him/herself, I may be required to seek hospitalization for the client, or to contact family members or others who can help provide protection. These situations have rarely arisen in my practice. Should such a situation occur, I will make every effort to fully discuss it with you before taking any action.
4) In cases where there is a legal subpoena requiring the release of records, information must be disclosed. This is rare, and a subpoena is not easily obtained. In many judicial proceedings, you have the right to prevent me from providing any information about your treatment, or in some cases, you may have the option to authorize me to offer a summary of your record. However, in some circumstances such as child custody proceedings and proceedings in which your emotional condition is an important element, a judge may require my testimony if he/she determines that resolution of the issues before him/her demands it. It is important to remember that therapists have knowledge which may be subpoenaed -- not only the patient record. Please assume that any and all information that you share with me can and may be included in any reports or opinions. When your mental health or welfare may become a point of litigation (e.g., custody evaluation), your right to confidentiality is waived and your therapist can be compelled to release the file, give a deposition, or testify in court. Also, if you are seeking an evaluation for legal purposes, please inform me of this specifically at the beginning of our work.
I would like you to also understand that in some cases, I may conduct an anonymous discussion of your case with my professional colleagues in order to benefit from their clinical perspective. In these professional consultations, I make every effort to avoid revealing the identity of my client. The consultant is, of course, also legally bound to keep the information confidential. Unless you object, I will not tell you about these consultations unless I feel that it is important to our work together. Also, if you were referred to my by your physician, I may also communicate to him/her the nature and progress of our work unless you object and let me know.
If, for any reason, you are not satisfied with the services you are receiving from me, please talk it over with me to see if we can resolve the problem. If you believe your rights have been violated, you may contact the Minnesota Board of Psychology, 2829 University Avenue SE, Suite 320, Minneapolis, MN 55414-3237, (612) 617-2230; or the Minnesota Board of Marriage and Family Therapy, 2829 University Avenue SE, Suite 330, Minneapolis, MN 55414-3222 (612) 617-2220. You also have the right to file complaints related to privacy regulations with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).
PROFESSIONAL FEES
My hourly clinical fee for the initial “intake” session is $190.00; thereafter, individual or couple therapy is $175 per 50-minute session (“hour”). The intake may also include an additional $125.00 for a series of surveys and questionnaires. These fees include the 2 % Health Providers Tax in Minnesota.
Depending upon your clinical circumstances, I may recommend to you that we conduct formal psychological testing (such as the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory, or couple assessments such as the Marital Satisfaction Inventory or the Styles of Conflict Inventory). Such standardized computerized tests may cost between $35 and $100 each, and may or may not be covered by insurance.
In addition to regular appointments, it is my practice to charge at the clinical rate on a prorated basis for other professional services you may require --> such as telephone conversations which last longer than 10 minutes, attendance at meetings or consultations with other mental health professionals which you have authorized, preparation of records or treatment summaries, or the time required to perform any other service which you may request of me – services which insurance may not cover.
When you request and authorize it, copying your records for release to another professional is also charged to you at $1.15 per page, and $15.05 per clerical services.
In unusual circumstances, you may become involved in litigation which may require my participation. You will be expected to pay for the professional time required even if I am compelled to testify by another party. I charge $190 per hour for legal report writing, consultation, preparations and attendance at any legal proceeding (as well as reimbursement for any related expenses such as parking and meals.).
You will be expected to pay for each session at the time it is held, unless you have insurance coverage with a company for which I am a direct provider (in which case please pay any deductible and co-pay at each session). Please make checks out to “Michael E. Metz, Ph.D.,” and Visa / MasterCard is accepted. Payment schedules for other professional services will be agreed to at the time these services are requested. In circumstances of unusual financial hardship, I may be willing to negotiate a fee adjustment or installment payment plan. The service I use is PARAGON BILLING, INC. at (952) 835-3938; fax: (612) 835-5690.
If your account is more than 60 days in arrears and suitable arrangements for payment have not been agreed to, I have the option of using legal means to secure payment including collection agencies or small claims court. If such legal action is necessary, the costs of bringing that proceeding will be included in the claim. In such cases, the only information which I would release about a client's treatment would be the clients name, the nature of the services provided, and the amount due.
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In order for us to set realistic treatment goals and priorities, it is important to evaluate what resources are available to pay for your treatment. If you have a health benefits policy, it will usually provide some coverage for mental health treatment. Please remember that my services are provided for and charged to you, not to your insurance company, unless you have coverage with an insurance company with whom I am a contracted provider (see below). I will provide you with whatever assistance I can in facilitating your receipt of the benefits to which you are entitled including filling out forms as appropriate. However you, and not your insurance company, are responsible for full payment of the fee.
Carefully read the section in your insurance coverage booklet which describes mental health services. Depending on the type of coverage you may have, I may be eligible to bill these insurance companies directly.
America’s PPO (ARAZ)
Blue Cross / Blue Shield of Minnesota
Choice Plus
Health Partners (some policies, with referral)
Managed Health Network, Inc.
Medical Assistance ("Medicaid”)
Medicare
Preferred Mental Health Management, Inc.
Preferred One
Provider Network of America (PRO-NET)
Wisconsin Education Association (WEA) Insurance
821 Raymond Ave Suite 440
Saint Paul, MN 55114
Ph: (651) 642-9317 x107
Fax: (651)642-1908