Policies

Conduct Policy

A safe therapeutic environment is necessary for optimal success.  If at any time a client presents as threatening to a therapist--physically or verbally, appears to be under the influence of mind altering substances, or the therapeutic process is inhibited by refusal to participate, it may result in the termination of the session.

Cancellations/No-Show Policy
Regular appointments are essential to an effective therapy process. Appointments are scheduled on an ongoing basis with your therapist.  If you need to cancel an appointment then please email your therapist or contact the Center at (219) 923-8110 at least 24 hours in advance. Samaritan Counseling Center will charge a late cancel/no-show at the self-pay rate of $85 -  if an appointment is missed or canceled with less than 24-hours notice.

Providers reserve the right to waive the cancellation fee based on client circumstance. Repeat cancellations/no-shows will be discussed with an individual client and may lead to therapy termination or referral to another provider.

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Payment Policy

Copays and self-pay fees need to be paid the day of the session.  Deductible are to be paid which each billing statement sent via mail. After 3 missed payments the office or your therapist may inform you about discontinuing sessions until payments have been made. However, we do not want anyone to be without services in cases of financial need. If you are in financial need and this is the reason for missed payments, please contact the office and speak to the financial administrator about setting up a payment plan conductive to your financial need. 

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You may contact the financial administrator Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9:00-4:00 or leave a message with the office receptionist at 219-923-8110.

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Emergency Coverage

The Samaritan Center does not provide seven day, 24 hour immediate response for emergencies.  If you are in serious crisis needing immediate attention, please seek an evaluation at the nearest hospital emergency room or local psychiatric unit.  An emergency may include (but is not limited to) suicide, suicidal ideation, self-harm, intoxication or any other health emergency, self-harm or harm to others.

 

If you have an urgent need to reach your therapist and you contact the office after normal business hours (weekends or after 4:00 PM weekdays), when voice mail answers, press #1 and leave your name, phone number and name of your therapist after the beep. The on-call personnel will contact your therapist, to check if she/he is available, to return your call. If your therapist is unavailable, the on-call personnel will call you and advise you that your therapist is not available and will offer assistance in directing to other resources. Calls will be returned as soon as possible. 

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You can also request a call or an additional session by emailing your therapist within their respective business hours. Please allow 24 business hours for your therapist to respond.

 

Phone calls exceeding 10 minutes will result in the charge of not less than $50, not billed to insurance.

 

Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and Short-Term Disability (STD)

Completing FMLA Medical Certification is at the discretion of the mental health provider. For therapy sessions, clients must be an active and consistent client, who has been participating in weekly sessions for at least a month. There is a $50 charge for completion of FMLA documentation. Documentation will be completed on average 30 days after approved by the provider. For clients who were granted FMLA/STD initially by their general practitioner or other outside providers must return to their general practitioner or that provider who originated the forms for completion; Samaritan Counseling providers cannot complete forms started by other providers.

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Administrative and Legal Fee Policy

To ensure transparency and to cover the time and resources required for documentation and legal involvement, the following administrative and legal service fees apply:

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1. Record Request Fee

Clients requesting a summary of their mental health records will be charged as follows:

• $50 flat fee for a two-page summary

• $10 for each additional page beyond the initial two pages
  Please allow up to 10 business days for processing. Requests must be submitted in writing with a signed authorization form.

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2. Letter Completion Fee

For letters requested by clients (e.g., letters for housing, academic accommodations, confirmation of services, or other purposes), a flat fee of $25 will be charged.
Letters must be requested with at least 7 business days’ notice and must include a clear explanation of the purpose and required content.

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3. Court Testimony Fee

If a clinician is required to testify in court or provide legal consultation (including deposition or subpoena-related appearances), the following rates apply:

• $100 per hour, including time spent preparing for court, travel, waiting, and actual testimony
  A retainer may be required in advance depending on the nature of the request.

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Note: These fees are not billable to insurance and are the responsibility of the client or requesting party. All requests are considered on a case-by-case basis, and fulfillment is subject to clinical discretion and legal appropriateness.