Frequently
Asked Questions
and
Informed Consent To Engage in Psychological Services
It is your right
and responsibility to know everything relevant to the psychological services
in which you are engaged. This document is intended to describe some of the
broad directions and limitations of my practice of psychology. I strongly
encourage you to ask for clarification, further description and/or for other
helpful resources at any time.
Please be aware that New Hampshire has recommended a Patient's Bill of Mental
Health Rights.
Learn
more about your rights under this state law here 
Please print
and sign this document and
bring it with you to your first appointment with Dr. Garber
Index this document
1. What is a psychologist?
A
psychologist is a mental health professional trained to apply an understanding
of human behavior, emotion, growth and relationships to create change. As
a psychologist Dr. Garber is not a physician, does not prescribe medication
and will not examine your body.
A
psychiatrist, by contrast, is a physician who is prepared to recommend
how certain medications and medical procedures might influence behavior,
emotion and relationships. Mental health services may also be available from
clergy, school counselors, Employee Assistance Providers at
work and master's level clinicians, including MSW (social work) graduates.
The quality of mental health care you receive can not be differentiated based
on the provider's education or the letters after his or her name.
In seeking mental health services,
request referrals from people you trust in order to find professionals who
are trusted.
Take the time to interview
a prospective provider
and be certain that you feel safe and comfortable at all times.
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2. What is the nature of the service?
Dr.
Garber is available to provide several distinct psychological services.
It will be important to clarify which of these you are seeking from the time
of your first call:
a) Psychotherapy. Psychotherapy (also referred
to as “therapy” or “counseling”) is a goal-driven relationship focused on
growth and change. Dr. Garber is available to conduct psychotherapy with
individual children, teenagers and adults, as well as with couples, families,
sibling groups and in group psychotherapy meetings. Each of these interventions
will require the time to collect an initial history and background regarding
each participant (“patient”), negotiation of mutually acceptable and reasonable
goals and discussion of the best means and approximate time for accomplishing
these goals.
Dr. Garber will direct the course of the psychotherapy within the limits
of his training, expertise and resources. Dr. Garber must reserve the right
to advise you at any time that other resources may better suit your
needs in addition to or instead of the services he offers.
Dr. Garber responsibility to this therapy will be to be available for all
scheduled appointments barring illness and emergency. The patient's responsibility
in psychotherapy will be to attend all meetings as scheduled (barring illness
and emergency), to be as open and honest as possible, and to reasonably follow
through with any outside task or assignment which has been agreed upon.
See
also the related page on Psychotherapy
b) Assessment.
We may mutually contract to complete a period of evaluation
called an assessment. Assessment seeks to apply psychological principles
to understanding one or more specific question about an individual or group’s
behavior, thoughts or emotions. Unless otherwise determined, the assessment
process is complete upon delivery of (written or oral) feedback and recommendations.
When court-involved (“forensic”) assessment is conducted, specific conditions
of payment, confidentiality and procedure are involved. I will alert you
to these conditions at the earliest possible time.
See
also the related page on forensic psychology services
c) Consultation.
These services refer to the effort of an individual, group
of individuals or agency to gain professional and unbiased insight into an
on-going relationship or conflict, process or procedure. Specific conditions
of payment, confidentiality and procedure must be agreed upon from the start
of these services.
See
also the related page on Dr. Garber's consultative services
d) Mediation,
negotiation and arbitration. In specific instances, disputing
parties can mutually elect or be court-ordered to engage with a third
party for the purpose of resolving specific issues in the least contentious
way possible. Dr. Garber often serves in this capacity in child-centered
matters (e.g., custody or visitation) under specific terms and conditions.
See
also the related page on forensic psychology services
e)
Forensic (court-related) services are explained here
3. When and how can Dr. Garber be reached?
It
is Dr. Garber's responsibility to respond to your clinical needs twenty-four
hours a day, seven days a week for the duration of the contracted service.
Dr. Garber relies upon an answering service and/or an answering machine and/or
a pager to assure that he can be reached at all times. When he is unavailable,
he will arrange for a colleague to be available to respond to emergency calls.
Any time health and safety are at risk,
you are strongly advised to contact the
police and/or seek hospital emergency room care first
before contacting this office.
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Dr. Garber welcomes your routine contact via voice mail, fax and e-mail
and can typically respond within one business
day. When leaving a message, please indicate whether and how you would like
a response to each message.
4. What is the typical duration of services?
In most instances,
Dr. Garber will recommend a specific time course or duration of services
based on negotiated goals, resources and limitations. The recommended time
course is most often in terms of a number of meetings. Upon completion of
the estimated number of meetings, Dr. Garber will recommend a review of status
and progress in order to evaluate (a) the need for further services, (b)
revision of goals and/or the methods of approaching these goals, (c) inclusion
of new ancilliary resources to facilitate progress (e.g., referral for medication
consultation, occupational therapy or a support group) or (d) that
services be discontinued in favor of discontinuing therapy altogether or
transferring therapy to a different provider.
For clinical
purposes, the patient is the individual seeking growth and change. Legally,
however, the “patient” may have a different meaning:
a)
Children. When a child is the clinical patient, Dr. Garber's clinical
responsibility is to the child and the child's best interests. However, Dr.
Garber's legal responsibility is to the legal guardian(s), usually the parent(s)
b) Separated and
Divorced Parents or Guardians. When a child is the clinical patient
and his or her legal guardians are separated but share legal custody, Dr.
Garber's legal responsibility is split between the two caregivers, although
the clinical responsibility and primary focus remains on the child.
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Please be advised that when
legal guardians disagree
about the value of psychological
services,
New Hampshire law allows that
the dissenting guardian
has the right to halt services
pending legal decisions to
the contrary.
Dr. Garber reserves the right to refuse services to
a child when his or her legal custodians fail to agree on the need for such
services.
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c) Teenagers.
The law guarantees teenagers certain adult-like protections
in matters of reproductive health, substance use and physical illness (e.g.,
AIDS). In every instance possible, Dr. Garber's interest is in respecting
a teenager's maturity and independent functioning.
d) Court Ordered
Services. If you have been ordered to participate in psychological
services by a court, the court itself is the legal “patient.” This means
that the court can determine the goals, frequency and duration of services,
subject to my recommendations. Learn more about psychological services in
the context of divorce
6. Confidentiality.
Dr.
Garber will do everything possible within the law to respect the confidentiality
of the psychotherapy relationship. There are, however, certain situations
which legally mandate the release of what might otherwise be construed as
confidential information. These include, but may not be limited to:
a) Written
Release. In most instances, the patient or the patient's legal
guardian(s) can authorize release of confidential records to specific
individuals and/or to obtain information from specific individuals in writing.
b) Threats to Health
and Safety. The law requires that any health service provider
act to assure safety first and foremost. This means that any time that
Dr. Garber suspects that an individual poses a threat to their own health
and well-being or to others safety personnel including the police and/or
child protective services must bne notified.
If you are concerned about the safety of a child
in the state of New Hampshire,
contact the
Division for Children, Youth and Families at
1-800-894-3533
immediately.
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c) Property Damage.
New Hampshire may require notification of appropriate authorities
should a threat of serious damage to property be present.
d) Court Order.
Judges, juries and courts can subpoena psychotherapy records.
Although there are instances in which a subpoena can be resisted, it is generally
the case that a court can compel the release any of such records.
e) Insurance
Carriers. Your contract with your health, life and/or disability
insurance providers may well authorize these parties to receive copies of
any or all of your confidential records. Although Dr. Garber does not participate
with any managed care or insurance companies and will not bill any third
party insurance entity for services in your name, your effort to seek reimbursement may be sufficient to alert
the company to seek release of confidential psychological records which may
impact your qualifications for future claims, policy renewals and/or payments.
In this regard, please see Dr. Garber's position regarding health insurance
claims
7. Why should you consult with a physician?
Your thinking, emotions and your physical health influence
one another very closely, each affecting the other minute to minute.
Assuring that your body is as healthy as possible and remains healthy throughout
the course of psychotherapy is critically important.
New Hampshire law requires that Dr. Garber strongly encourage you to complete
a thorough physical examination within at least six months of commencing psychological
services and that you remain in consultation with a medical provider throughout
the course of services.
8. What is supervision, consultation
and coverage?
In concert
with legal and ethical guidelines, it is Dr. Garber's practice to engage
in confidential peer consultation on a regular basis. Such consultation helps
to assure the quality of services available. Consultation is conducted in
a confidential setting with qualified, experienced and trusted mental health
professionals. Case discussion occurs anonymously unless specific release
has been obtained from the legal patient.
Dr. Garber
often relies on these same colleagues for emergency “coverage” during
any absence or vacation. Whenever possible, Dr. Garber will provide the name
of any such emergency coverage in advance of a planned absence. By agreeing
to participate in psychological services, you are accepting that Dr. Garber
may engage certain colleagues for purposes of supervision, consultation and/or
coverage.
9. Does Dr. Garber keep records?
It is
Dr. Garber's practice and consistent with state and federal laws to keep
secure written and/or electronic records of all services provided.
Records of your services are accumulated in a paper and/or electronic file.
Copies
of these records are available for an administrative fee at the written request
of the legal patient.
10. Confidentiality
and Security of Electronic Records
Beginning
in 2003, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
of 1996 will impose very specific and strict protections on patient health
care information.
For
more information, search HIPAA on the web or click here
By signing below, you are indicating that you
have read,
understand and accept the conditions described
above.
_________________________________________
Please Print Your Name and Today’s Date
_________________________________________
Please Sign Your Name
_________________________________________
Please Print the Patient’s Name (if different)
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facsimile 603.879.9070 