What to expect
Phone Consultation
Prior to scheduling your appointment, you will talk with the therapist to ensure a good fit. The therapist will explain the process, providing details about assessment and ongoing treatment expectations.
Parents/Caregivers typically provide answers to the following questions:
- What is the current concern you are seeking therapy services for?
- How is the child seen at home versus at school?
- Has the child been to therapy before?
At the end of the conversation, the therapist will gather basic contact information, schedule the intake session and send required agency paperwork via email for completion.
Assessment Sessions
The assessment period is broken down in to 3 - 5 different weekly sessions. Typical sessions are held 1 time per week, lasting 50 minutes long. Adjustments can be made to accommodate schedules as needed.
Session 1:
- Parent/Caregiver only session to go over paperwork, answer questions and gather biopsychosocial information about the child.
Session 2:
- Parent/Caregiver and child session. Parent and child will complete Theraplay style activities together. This provides a basic understanding for the therapist about the current relationship between the child and parent(s).
Session 3 and 4:
- Child and therapist session. These sessions focus on building rapport, creating routine and structure within the play session and initial/basic assessment of child social and emotional knowledge.
Session 5:
- Parent/Caregiver feedback session. Parent/Caregiver will meet with therapist to discuss assessment findings and review therapist thoughts on future treatment plan. Parent/Caregiver will provide feedback and therapy goals in collaboration with the therapist.
Treatment Sessions
Once the assessment sessions are complete, the child will begin therapy sessions.
Typically a therapy session will be held 1 time per week, lasting 50 minutes long. However, if it is deemed appropriate and necessary, session length and frequency will be adjusted to fit the need and goal of each child.
These therapy sessions will consist of individual sessions and/or family/parent sessions.
The goals and objectives created during the assessment period will be utilized to drive the process.
Parents/Caregivers are expected to be a part of the therapy process, so every 4 sessions a parent/caregiver only session will be held to maintain collaborative communication.
Once the therapist and parent/caregiver feel enough progress has been made, termination sessions will begin which typically include closure activities and recognizing the accomplishments the child (and parent/caregiver) has made during the process.
Length Of Treatment
KMG Play Therapy believes that therapy is not just to improve mental health, but it is also a relational, strengths-based service that focuses on connections and goal-oriented service. The length of treatment can change depending on the life circumstances, relationships, and specific goals in therapy.
In general, therapy can last as long as you want it to. Life throws many different factors at you, which all can have an effect on how short or long therapy can last. In general, research suggests 15-20 sessions as the minimum to see improvement on specific goals.
Good Faith Estimate
Under Section 2799B-6 of the Public Health Service Act, health care providers and health care facilities are required to inform individuals who are not enrolled in a plan or coverage or a Federal health care program, or not seeking to file a claim with their plan or coverage both orally and in writing of their ability, upon request or at the time of scheduling health care items and services, to receive a “good Faith Estimate” of expected charges.
You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of psychotherapy services. If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill.
Note: The PHSA and the GFE does not apply currently to any clients who are using insurance benefits including Out of Network Benefits (seeking reimbursement from your insurance companies).
*The Good Faith Estimates DO NOT account for no show/late cancelation fees, bank charges, crisis sessions, non-therapeutic charges e.g. documentation fees, banking fees, court/litigation fees, anger management, life skill services, clients requesting additional sessions with signed consent forms of fees, or other financial arrangements based on a case-by-case basis.
The Good Faith Estimate does not include any unknown or unexpected costs that may arise during treatment. You could be charged more if complications or special circumstances occur. If this happens, federal law allows you to dispute (appeal) the bill. If you are billed for more than this Good Faith Estimate, you have the right to dispute the bill. You may contact the health care provider or facility listed to let them know the billed charges are higher than the Good Faith Estimate. You can ask them to update the bill to match the Good Faith Estimate, ask to negotiate the bill, or ask if there is financial assistance available. You may also start a dispute resolution process with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
To learn more and get a form to start the process, go to www.cms.gov/nosurprises or call HHS at (800) 368-1019. For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate or the dispute process, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises or call (800) 368-1019.
Keep a copy of this Good Faith Estimate in a safe place or take pictures of it. You may need it if you are billed a higher amount.