Counselling with Registered Psychotherapists / Social Workers: Inactivation and Administrative Practice Policy
1. INTRODUCTION
The following policy created by Grace Health Centre describes and dictates procedures for client file inactivation, reactivation, and other appropriate administrative practices between Grace Health Centre and the client.
1.1 Grace Health Centre’s Office (“us”, “we”, “our”) represents the Registered Psychotherapists and Social Workers (“therapist”) working underneath our clinic in discussions and disputes related to administrative tasks such as booking sessions or payment.
1.2 Grace Health Centre asks for the individual seeking counselling at Grace Health Centre (“the client”, “they”, “you”, “your”) to read and agree to the policy in order to foster a mutual, well-functioning and beneficial relationship.
2. INACTIVATION
2.1 Inactivation means we will pause contact attempts, limit the client’s access to use the client portal and book counselling sessions until we reactivate their profile.
2.1.1 Our approach to inactivation will differ depending on the client’s initiative. If the clients decide they are no longer interested in counselling and self-initiate inactivation of their file, their file will be inactivated promptly. However, if the inactivation is not client-initiated, Grace Health Centre will follow an inactivation criteria.
2.1.2 The inactivation criteria will consider the client’s progress through Grace Health Centre’s counselling intake; how long there has been no contact between the client and Grace Health Centre, and their assigned therapist’s discretion. Contact is defined as one of the following methods of communication: over the phone or video, through email, or in-person discussion.
2.2 Client-Initiated Inactivation
If the client decides to stop counselling and contacts either their therapist or us about their decision, Grace Health Centre will inactivate their file accordingly.
2.3 Inactivation After Form Intake
2.3.1 The “Form Intake” step is completed after both the “Counselling Request Form” and “Treatment, Confidentiality, and Electronic Communications Consent Form” is submitted.
2.3.2 Grace Health Centre will attempt to contact the client ONCE within two (2) weeks using the phone number provided in the “Counselling Request Form”. The call attempt will be made 24-48 hours after we process the forms and send the “Pre-15-Minute Consultation Email”. The two (2) week period counting towards inactivation will start 24 hours after the phone call. If we are not contacted or do not receive a response from the client via phone/email after a period of two (2) weeks counting from when the Intake step is completed, the client’s file will be considered inactive.
2.4 Inactivation After Initial Consultation
2.4.1 The “Initial Consultation” step is completed after the client is accepted by their assigned therapist and completes the “Consultation Completion Form”. The “Post-15-Minute Consultation Email”, which includes a website link to the “Consultation Completion Form”, will be sent after the consultation.
2.4.2 If the client does not respond to the email OR indicates they are interested in continuing therapy through the “Consultation Completion Form”, Grace Health Centre will attempt to contact the client three (3) times over two (2) weeks via phone/email. The first contact attempt will happen 24-36 hours after the initial consultation, and then two additional attempts will be made at five (5) business days and ten (10) business days post-consultation. Contact attempts by Grace Health Centre will be paused thereafter. Should the client reinitiate contact, we will attempt to schedule an appointment accordingly.
2.4.3 If we do not receive a response from the client for three (3) months counting from after the “Post-15-Minute Consultation Email” is sent, the client’s file will be considered inactive.
2.4.4 If the client indicates they are not interested in continuing therapy through the “Consultation Completion Form’, we will promptly inactivate their file.
2.5 Inactivation After Establishing a Therapeutic Relationship
2.5.1 If the client has attended two (2) or more sessions but does not reach out and books no further sessions for more than 3 months, Section 2.5.2 will apply before the client is inactivated as per Section 2.5.3.
2.5.2 In the case of Section 2.5.1, our office will reach out to formalise a closure of your therapeutic relationship and no longer be responsible for your mental health care.
2.5.3 When our office finds the client is not responding to their contact attempts, this will be taken as a client-initiated closure of the therapeutic relationship and the therapist will notify us to start the inactivation process. Grace Health Centre may attempt to contact the client three (3) times over the course of six (6) months. These attempts will occur during the first (1st), third (3rd) and sixth (6th) months of inactivity. Each contact attempt will be made using the phone number provided in the “Counselling Request Form”
3. REACTIVATION
3.1 Reactivation of an inactive client file allows the client to book counselling sessions. It is important to note that while the reactivation process will always be client-initiated, it will ultimately be at our therapists’ discretion to retake the client’s case.
3.1.1 If the client’s previously assigned therapist does not wish to reform a therapeutic relationship with the client, Grace Health Centre will attempt to match the client with a different therapist, based on the client’s informed consent.
3.2 If a client decides to reactivate their file within six (6) months of inactivation, and a therapist agrees to counsel them, they will not have to refill the “Counselling Request Form”. However, if the client’s previously signed “Treatment, Confidentiality, and Electronic Communications Consent Form” is more than one (1) year old, they will be required to resign the form.
3.2.1 Clients are responsible to update information, like address or phone number, through their Owl client portal.
4. RECORD-KEEPING
4.1 Grace Health Centre will store client records in accordance with the standards and regulations dictated by the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO). Please refer to CRPO’s website if you are seeking in-depth information regarding record-keeping.
4.2 Clinical records refer to the combination of a client’s profile and their therapist’s notes. Therapy notes can contain a written record of the therapist’s interactions with the client, observations, care objectives and plans, records of therapeutic assessment and any records of conclusion or termination. Grace Health Centre will keep a client’s clinical records for ten (10) years, starting from the client’s and therapist’s last point of contact.
4.2.1 If the client is younger than eighteen (18) years old at the time of the client’s and therapist’s last interaction, the records will be kept for ten (10) years from the client’s 18th birthday.
4.3 Appointment records refer to the documentation of a client’s appointment history and attendance. Information of the date, time, and duration of each appointment and whether the client cancelled, attended, or rescheduled the appointment will be kept in the records. The Appointment records will be kept for five (5) years, starting from the client’s and therapist’s last point of contact.
4.4 Financial records refer to the documentation of all fees charged for therapeutic services, including if the fee was waived or reduced. The record will contain information of which services were charged, who paid for the services and if there were any outstanding fees remaining. Financial records will be kept for five (5) years, starting from the client’s and therapist’s last point of contact.
4.4.1 If the client is younger than eighteen (18) years at the time of the client’s and therapist’s last interaction, the records will be kept for five (5) years from the client’s 18th birthday.
4.5 The “Treatment, Confidentiality, and Electronic Communications Consent Form” will have a validity period of one (1) year from the time it is signed.
4.5.1 Active clients will not have to annually reagree to said form in Section 4.5. Instead, only clients seeking reactivation will have to resign the form if their old form is more than a year old.
5. PAYMENT
5.1 Payment Before the First Session
5.1.1 Clients are asked to enter valid payment information in “GHC Owl Practice” to start booking counselling sessions after their 15-minute consultation. They will not be able to book sessions until a payment method is given.
5.1.2 If the client opts to inform us that they do not wish to proceed, we will inactivate them accordingly. On the other hand, if the client does not inform us of their payment decision prior to their first session, we will start the process described in Section 2.4.
5.1.3 In the event your first session is booked before payment information is entered, it will be at your therapist’s discretion to let you attend the first session. Any sessions after the first session cannot be booked if payment information is not entered.
5.2 Payment After Establishing a Therapeutic Relationship
5.2.1 If the client has attended two (2) or more sessions, but has two (2) or more outstanding payments, they will not be able to book sessions until they are paid for. Any exceptions will be made at the therapist’s discretion and on a case-by-case basis.
5.3 Payment Methods
5.3.1 As per “GHC Owl Practice’s” payment options, credit card and debit card are acceptable forms of payments for in-person and virtual sessions. E-transfer or cash are acceptable forms of payment for in-person sessions only.
6. OUT OF PROVINCE SESSIONS
6.1 If the client is not physically present in Ontario during their counselling session, it is required for the client to inform their assigned therapist.
6.1.1 Physical presence in Ontario is required for legislative reasons extending beyond our clinic. Per the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO), our therapists may not have the authority to practice beyond Ontario. Please confirm with your therapist whether you can attend a session if you are in a different province or territory.
6.2 The client’s assigned therapist, not Grace Health Centre, will determine whether or not the counselling session will proceed if the client is physically outside of Ontario. If the therapist decides not to proceed, the session may be rescheduled for when the client is physically present in Ontario once again.