Policies
Fees for a 50-minute psychotherapy hour is based on the customary rates for highly experienced and intensively trained marriage and family therapists in this area. Please contact me regarding my current fee.
DBT Skills Group Fees are based on a 90 minute group session and are quite competitive for the Bay Area. Please contact me regarding current group fees for the following modules:
Mindfulness: 6 weeks
Distress Tolerance: 6 weeks
Interpersonal Effectiveness: 6 weeks
Emotion Regulation: 8 weeks
Couples DBT Skills Class: 8 weeks
Payment forms accepted are Health Spending Cards, Visa, MasterCard, American Express, checks and cash. Payment is usually made at the beginning of each therapy session and receipts are provided. Please note that a $20 fee will be charged for any check returned as insufficient funds.
Cancellation
If you need to reschedule or cancel an appointment, please do so as soon as possible. You may be billed for missed appointments that are not cancelled at least 48 hours prior to the scheduled time. If you need to cancel or change an appointment, you may email me at melinda@southbaydbt.com or leave a message on my confidential 24-hour voicemail at 408-893-4032. Frequent cancellations create numerous problems both with my schedule and with effectiveness of treatment. If you are concerned that your personal travel or work schedule might interfere with regular attendance at sessions it is recommended that you discuss this with me prior to treatment or as soon as possible.
Insurance
I am currently not on any insurance panels, therefore, my services are not considered “in-network”. However, I can provide monthly statements of the services you received (“superbills”). My staff works closely with you to ensure your timely receipt of this information allowing you to get reimbursed more promptly.
There are many risks and benefits associated with using your insurance coverage. If you are interested in receiving reimbursement for therapy, as the client, it is your responsibility to be informed about your insurance coverage. If you plan to use your insurance, please contact your insurance carrier prior to your first session to ask about your benefits for psychotherapy. The following are some issues you may want to address:
- Psychotherapy coverage
- Number of visits covered per calendar year
- Amount of your deductible and the deductible period
- Coverage for an out-of-network provider
- Whether a mental health diagnosis is required for reimbursement
- What (if any) diagnoses are not covered
- How long it will take to get reimbursed
- Address to mail claims for reimbursement
- Questions regarding the insurance company’s required disclosures (which may compromise the confidentiality of your treatment)
- Amount of your deductible and the deductible period
- Coverage for an out-of-network provider
- Whether a mental health diagnosis is required for reimbursement
- What (if any) diagnoses are not covered
- How long it will take to get reimbursed
- Address to mail claims for reimbursement
- Questions regarding the insurance company’s required disclosures (which may compromise the confidentiality of your treatment)
Confidentiality
Your discussions with me are confidential and are protected by law. Other than basic, non-identifying information shared with my consultation team, I may not disclose confidential information about you without your consent. However, there are a few specific situations in which I am legally required to break confidentiality. These include the following circumstances:
- If you are a danger to yourself or another person
- If you are unable to provide basic care for yourself
- Current or past instances of abuse or neglect (of any kind) of a child, older adult (age 65 or older), or a dependent adult
- Certain instances of court-orders where release of information is mandated as part of a legal proceeding