Santa Fe Psychotherapy & Consulting, LLC

It is your right to:

• Receive quality and adequate care. Regardless of your race, sex, sexual orientation, religion, ethnic background, education, social class, physical or mental disability, or economic status.
• Be treated in a considerate, respectful and non-discriminatory way. Clients presenting with Substance Abuse and Mental Health issues are welcome.
• Receive services that are sensitive and appropriate to your cultural and ethnic background.
• Be informed of the nature of the care, procedures and treatment models, services, length and duration of treatment. Be given informed consent and full discussion of the risks, benefits and alternatives, prior to any medication, any hospitalization, except in an emergency. 
• Ask questions and have them answered promptly and clearly.
• Read your complete records. Only you with the appropriate staff may read them.
• Seek a second opinion from another therapist or terminate therapy at any time.
• Know that in a professional relationship (such as ours), sexual intimacy between a therapist and a client is never appropriate.  If sexual intimacy occurs, it should be reported to the State Grievance Board.
• Know that information from your records may not be given out to any person or agency without your permission.  You will be told about each request of information; it will be explained and will not be released without your written permission except in a situation where this office believes that a life-threatening situation may exist, and/or by court decree. There are exceptions to the general rule of confidentiality.  If we are directed by a Judge in a Court of Law to reveal information, then we will.  If you provide information about child abuse we must report that information. If you tell us that you intend to harm someone else or yourself, we are required by law to report that information to the authorities and to the individual who may be harmed. Should you refuse to pay your bill and decline to make arrangements to pay off an outstanding balance, then we will reveal the fact that you received professional services from us, the dates those services were provided and the amount owed. This information will be revealed to either a collection agency or the courts.
• Be informed of the present and future use and disposition of products or special observation and audiovisual techniques such as one-way vision mirrors, tape recorders, television, movies or photographs.
• Help determine the direction of your therapy and the discharge plan.
• Be involved in deciding how your fees will be paid. 
• Refuse treatment and know the consequences, including refusal of studies, surveys, etc. conducted by the agency. Refuse examination, procedures, or interventions to the extent permitted by law, and to be informed of the health and legal consequences of your refusal.
• Make complaints about poor or inadequate treatment and expect action to be taken on such complaints. If you have a complaint or grievance, submit it in writing.
• Be seen at your scheduled appointment time. In order for that to happen it is important that you be on time. If you cannot come to a scheduled appointment call and cancel.

You have the following responsibilities.

• To provide, to the extent possible, all information that we may need in order to care for you, including all the information you have about prior illnesses, treatment episodes, medications and allergies.
• To participate in understanding your behavioral health problems, and in developing your treatment plan.
• To follow the plan and instructions for care agreed upon.
• To ask for help if you don’t fully understand how to do any assignments you agreed to, or if you do not understand any other information, instructions, or any forms you have been asked to sign.
• To know your limitations when asked to perform physical exercises related to your treatment.  
• To inform our office, with adequate notice if you need to cancel, change, or be late to any appointment.
• To show consideration and respect to all our staff, other patients and visitors.
• To control and protect your children and family from harm, and protect our facilities and equipment from damage.