General Information

The counseling relationship is unique in that it is a highly personal and at the same time, a contractual agreement. This document outlines the policy and procedure that governs the relationship you have with Rally Point, and provides a clear framework for clinical/therapeutic work together.

The Therapeutic Process

Pursuing therapy is a very positive step for most people - and the outcome of treatment depends largely on a client’s willingness to engage in this process, which may, at times, result in discomfort. Remembering unpleasant events and becoming aware of feelings attached to those events can bring on strong feelings of anger, depression, anxiety, etc. There are no miracle cures. Rally Point cannot promise that behavior or circumstances will change. There is no guarantee that psychotherapy will yield positive or intended results. Although every effort will be made to provide a positive and healing experience, every therapeutic experience is unique and varies from person to person. Results achieved in a therapeutic relationship with one person are not a guarantee of similar results with all clients. Rally Point Counselors agree to support clients and do their best to understand situations, repeating patterns, and also help clarify what it is that objectives clients want to pursue in therapy.

You are entitled to receive information from your therapist about the methods of therapy, the techniques used, the duration of your therapy (if known), and the fee structure. You also have the right to seek a second opinion from another therapist or terminate therapy at any time. Please see the respective sections below for more details about this information.

Limits of Counseling Relationship

In order to protect the unique nature of the relationship between you and your counselor, it is important to limit your interactions outside of the counseling setting. There may be times when there is crossover outside of the counseling setting (in public, via social media, business, or community relationships), and in these instances your counselor will keep the nature of your relationship with Rally Point private. 

In a professional relationship, such as psychotherapy, sexual intimacy is never appropriate and should be reported to the board that licenses, registers, or certifies the licensee, registrant or certificate holder.

Emergencies

Rally Point Counselors provide support and assistance during difficult moments and seasons, but do not specialize in emergency or crisis situations. Rally Point Counselors are not on call, and will not respond to emails, calls, or electronic communication immediately.

If you or someone you love is experiencing an emergency, please call 911, or go to the nearest emergency room immediately.

If you struggle with suicidal ideation or are in the midst of other non-life-threatening situations, you can call 1-800-273-8255 (National Suicide Prevention Lifeline) at any time to talk to a skilled, trained counselor at a crisis center in your area, or text HOME to 741741 for free, 24/7 crisis counseling (Crisis Text Line). If you are located outside the United States, call your local emergency line immediately.

Non-Discrimination

Rally Point follows the NASW Code of Ethics, state, and federal law, and believes in providing equitable health care without discrimination or harassment for any reason. This includes; race, ethnicity, national origin, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, political belief, religion, immigration status, mental or physical ability or other non-medically relevant factor or any other characteristic protected by federal or state law.

Confidentiality

Protecting your confidentiality is important at Rally Point - and it is protected by federal HIPAA and Illinois Mental Health Law. This means that your information and the things you discuss with your counselor are completely private, and will not be shared with anyone else without your prior written consent, except where permitted by law. As a part of your intake paperwork, you will be given a copy of Rally Point’s Notice of Privacy Practice for Counseling Services and this document contains full details about how your privacy is managed and exceptions to confidentiality in your relationship with Rally Point.

Below is a summary of some of these exceptions or limitations to confidentiality that you should be aware of. 

• Situations where you pose a threat of serious harm to yourself or someone else

• Suspected abuse or neglect of a minor, elder, or vulnerable adult

• Court-ordered situations

In order to provide the best treatment for you, occasionally counselors may choose  to consult with other professionals, including (but not limited to) other Rally Point counselors. In these contexts, every effort will be made to protect your confidentiality. 

If you are attending therapy sessions with someone else or a group of people (including minors), all attending members will be asked to agree to a high level of confidentiality in sessions, however this confidentiality cannot be guaranteed. The things you share with our counselor are completely private and governed by state and federal law - but other attending members are not governed by the same agreements and may still share information without your consent. By accepting the terms of this document, you understand and agree to this risk.

Minors

If you are a minor, you should know that your parents or legal guardians always have access to some information related to your counseling. This information includes your current physical and mental condition, diagnosis, treatment needs, services provided, and services needed.

Depending on age and other factors, state law sometimes provides parents or legal guardians the right to see extended treatment records. If you are between 12 and 17 and your parents request to examine your records, your counselor will consider the request and also give you a chance to object if possible.

For parents who are divorced or who share legal guardianship, Rally Point requires consent from both parents in order to engage in counseling services. If custody is shared, court documentation showing custody status is required on file. Parents or legal guardians are responsible for informing Rally Point about custody situations, and providing legal documentation necessary to ensure compliance with court decisions. Should custodial issues change while a minor is in treatment, parents or legal guardians are required to inform Rally Point of changes within 7 days of the change, and provide copies of updated records.

For parents or guardians attending sessions with a minor under the age of legal consent, including infants, you acknowledge and agree that your consent to the policies contained in this document, as well as any consent given to policies provided by Rally Point, also extends to the minor accompanying you. By giving your consent, you are explicitly providing consent on behalf of the minor for all terms and conditions set forth by Rally Point.

Adults who are dropping off a minor for a session with a counselor acknowledge that Rally Point is not responsible for the supervision or care of a minor following the scheduled session time. Parents/guardians are responsible for arranging transportation for minor clients immediately following the end of session time.

Fees

Rally Point charges fees for counseling based on the type of session provided. What you pay for counseling services varies based on factors like insurance coverage, income, and location. Fees are subject to change in relation to our ongoing contracts with insurance providers and market changes.

If you have insurance, the main factors that determine what you pay for sessions are whether or not your insurance is in-network, your co-pay (if you have one), and whether or not you have met your deductible.

If you are paying out of pocket for therapy, our practice functions on a sliding scale for all clients - with rates that are customized based on an estimate of your annual household income and location. If an estimate of your household income is not provided, fees for sessions will default to our general practice rate.

In addition to those options, some employers, churches, or social services may have a program that will cover a portion of your fees. If that’s the case, we’re happy to work with you to figure out the specifics of your situation.

Rally Point’s general practice rates/fees for sessions are $205 per intake session and $190 per standard session.These rates are general - and our team looks at every client’s situation individually to determine the best billing setup. All discounted fees must be arranged with our team prior to the session for which services are billed.

Rates are based on 45-55 minute sessions, as therapists include legally required notes and assessments in their scheduled time.

Fees for late cancellations or no-shows may be charged at our general practice rate and are not subject to insurance agreements. Telehealth and phone sessions are billed at the standard rate you pay for sessions.

Fees for sessions are due at the time of service, and Rally Point reserves the right to charge for completed sessions and other fees using the payment information you have provided.

Billing

All billing and documentation details can be found within our secure online client portal, accessible using your unique login information. Inside the portal, clients can manage statements, add billing details, and see documentation related to their experience.

Rally Point accepts cash, check, or credit card, and payment is expected at the time of appointment. Rally Point reserves the right to charge for completed sessions and fees using the payment information you have provided.

If you are uninsured, are not planning to submit session costs to your insurance network, or opt to “self-pay” for sessions, you will receive a “Good Faith Estimate” prior to your first session and before ongoing sessions begin. This document is designed to give you an estimate of how much you will be charged for counseling services you will receive. You may also request a Good Faith Estimate at any time.

For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises or call (800) 368-1019.

Insurance

Rally Point and most Rally Point Counselors are in-network with BCBS PPO and Aetna PPO plans. We are not in-network with Aetna BetterHealth.

If your plan is in-network, our team will work with your insurance company to verify your benefits and submit claims for counseling sessions. You are responsible for your portion of session fees at the time of service.

Our team checks insurance benefits as a courtesy to you, in order to give you an estimate of what you can expect to pay - but benefits change based on your relationship with your insurance company and sometimes benefits can be misquoted. 

Our team will work with you and your insurance company to get the best result on your behalf, but you are ultimately responsible for all fees associated with your sessions. You can contact your insurance company to check benefits yourself by calling the number on the back of your insurance card. 

Rally Point does not bill dual insurance. If you have multiple insurance plans, most insurance networks require you to submit a coordination of benefits plan before payments for sessions can be made. 

If further documentation is requested from insurance or claims are rejected, you will be billed for the full cost of sessions until an insurance claim is accepted and a payment is made. If a claim payment is returned resulting in a balance on your account, our team will reach out to you regarding a refund or application of balance to future therapy sessions. 

If you have insurance that is out-of-network, our team can work with you to determine a self-pay rate on our sliding scale. We can provide you with a receipt (commonly called a superbill) that you can submit to your insurance for reimbursement. The amount you can be reimbursed is specific to your insurance network and we highly recommend speaking with them directly to determine the details of your plan in advance.

Rally Point carefully considers which insurance networks to partner with and may update our provider status with insurance networks based on specific contract agreements without notice.

Late Cancellations and No-Shows

Time for Therapists at Rally Point is in high demand - and often schedules are arranged to maximize availability and reduce waitlist times. You are financially responsible for the time you have reserved with a counselor. This is necessary because a time commitment is made to you and is held exclusively for you.

If you need to cancel a session, you must do so at least 24 hours in advance of the session start time, or you will be charged a late cancellation fee.

Fees for late cancellations and no-shows may be billed at our general practice rate, are not billable to insurance, and must be resolved before normal sessions resume.

Should you arrive late to a session, you may lose some of your scheduled session time. If you are more than 10 minutes late, your session fees cannot be submitted to insurance, and you will be charged an out-of-pocket rate for your session. 

Record Keeping

Rally Point records regarding the treatment of adults will be kept for 7 years after treatment ends or following our last session, but may not be retained after 7 years. Rally Point records for treatment of minors will be kept for 7 years, beginning on the last date of treatment or for 7 years beginning on the date when the minor turns 18 years of age, whichever is later. In no event is Rally Point required to keep these records longer than 12 years.

Electronic Communication

Rally Point Counselors and administrative staff use email communication and text messaging (electronic communication) only with your permission and only for administrative purposes unless they have made another agreement with you. That means that email exchanges and text messages with your counselor should be limited to things like setting and changing appointments, billing matters and other related issues. Please do not email your counselor or Rally Point staff about clinical matters because email is not a secure communication method. By signing below you indicate your understanding of the risks associated with electronic communication and agree to allow Rally Point counselors and staff to contact you for administrative purposes via these channels. Additionally, you understand that Rally Point Counselors are not on call, and do not respond to electronic communication immediately.

Social Media

In order to protect your privacy and honor the nature of your relationship, Rally Point Counselors will not intentionally communicate or interact with you on social networking websites. Rally Point Counselors may participate on various social networks, but not in a professional capacity. If you have an online presence, there is a possibility that you may encounter your counselor. If that occurs, please discuss it with them during a session together. Communicating with your counselor online has a high potential to compromise the confidentiality of your relationship, and counselors will not respond to communication in these spaces. Additionally, Rally Point Counselors will not respond to messages on any social networking platform.

Court Related Services

Rally Point and Rally Point Counselors do not participate in lawsuits of any type on a plaintiff’s behalf, unless compelled to do so by subpoena or court order. If you become involved in legal proceedings that require participation, you will be expected to pay for all professional time, including preparation, deposition, telephone time, transportation costs, court appearance, report writing, consultation and supervision, even if a representative from Rally Point is called to testify by another party.

Because of the complexity of legal involvement, any court appearance or telephone contact with the court during a court case regarding you or your family members in a civil or criminal matter will be charged at $4500.00 per day, paid two weeks in advance and non-refundable. Travel time will be billed at an hourly rate of $450.00 per hour, plus mileage portal to portal. Depositions will be charged at $450.00 per hour plus travel time, wait time, and transportation costs. In the events that records or other materials are subpoenaed, a charge of 50 cents per page will be made for copying and file preparation. You will also be charged for any costs incurred by Rally Point responding to attorneys in your case, including but not limited to fees we are charged for legal consultation and representation by Rally Point’s attorneys.

Consent for Telehealth

Rally Point offers virtual counseling sessions (Telehealth) which offer the potential benefits of easier access to care and the convenience of meeting from a location of your choosing. This can be helpful in ensuring continuity of care if you or your counselor moves to a different location, takes an extended vacation, or is otherwise unable to continue to meet in person.

By signing below, you understand there are some differences between in-person counseling and telehealth, as well as some risks. Some examples include;

• Risks to confidentiality (Rally Point conducts telehealth sessions using a secure, HIPAA compliant system, but with any telehealth, there is a chance others can overhear sessions if you are not in a private place.),

• Issues related to technology (connection issues or technical difficulties - in this case, your counselor will first attempt to re-engage in the video session. Should video failure continue after 5 minutes, your counselor will call you at the phone number you have provided.),

• Crisis management and intervention (Rally Point does not engage in telehealth with clients who are currently in a crisis situation requiring high levels of support and intervention and reserves the right to seek appropriate intervention on your behalf if necessary.)

Termination, Transfer Plans, & Availability

Ending relationships can be difficult - therefore, it is important to have a termination process in order to achieve some closure. The appropriate length of the termination depends on the length and intensity of the treatment. Rally Point may terminate treatment after appropriate discussion with you and a termination process if Rally Point determines that the counseling is not being effectively used or if you are in default on payment.

If a Rally Point therapist believes a therapeutic situation to be outside their scope of practice or education requirements, they are legally required to refer, terminate, or consult with other parties who can provide recommendations appropriate for client care.

Rally Point will not terminate the therapeutic relationship without first discussing and exploring the reasons and purpose of terminating. If counseling is terminated for any reason - or you request another counselor, Rally Point will provide you with a list of qualified counselors to treat you on request. You may also choose someone on your own or from another referral source.

Should you fail to schedule an appointment for three consecutive weeks, unless other arrangements have been made in advance, for legal and ethical reasons, Rally Point will consider the professional relationship discontinued.

In the event of incapacitation, death, or termination of a counselor’s practice at Rally Point during your care, your records will remain in our possession and a new counselor will be made available to you. If you desire to transfer care outside of our practice, you may sign a release of records and we will release a standard extract from your file containing the initial intake and most recent progress notes. It is Rally Point’s standard policy to release records directly to another provider. Any variance will be arranged by the designee.

Time slots for therapy are in high demand and availability for a specific therapist or time slot is not guaranteed. Should you cancel sessions for your preferred time slot repeatedly or no-show for a session without communicating, your therapist may offer that time slot to another client seeking therapy. Please notify your therapist in advance to avoid scheduling conflicts and to maintain your therapy schedule.

Acknowledgment

My acknowledgment below affirms that the preceding information has been provided to me in writing by a Rally Point therapist, or if I am unable to read or have no written language, an oral explanation accompanied the written copy.

Additionally, my acknowledgement below affirm that I have read, understand, and agree to the above disclosures and policies and;

• have received and read the Notice of Privacy Practices document, which explains your rights to access your personal health information and how/when/with whom it may be shared;

• have had a chance to ask questions about anything in this document that is unclear;

• give consent to Rally Point counselors to provide assessment, treatment, and/or other services.

Effective Date Of This Document

This document and the terms within went into effect on July 1st, 2024

For Questions Contact:

Rally Point - hello@rallypointcounseling.com