COCID-19 Policy

COVID-19 policy

Mental health services are an essential service and, as such, can be provided both in-person and via telehealth. If telehealth is an amenable mode of delivery, it is preferred during the Governor’s Stay-At-Home executive order, for the health safety of the child, family, and provider. It is understood that certain critical situation cannot be delayed, such as suicidal thoughts, homicidal thoughts, decompensation that might result in psychiatric hospitalization, among other situations. There are also certain methodologies that are difficulty to conduct online, such as play therapy.

If telehealth appointments are not amenable and in-person appointments are scheduled with your mental health provider during the Stay-At-Home order, here are some things to expect.

• Your mental health provider will be wearing a cloth mask or face shield. While children may be familiar now with seeing people with masks, it makes it difficult to interpret facial expressions and emotions which can inhibit learning about emotions. Likewise, a mask muffles what is said and verbal communication can be more difficult and less clear. Also note that the face coverings only reduce the chances of virus spread and is not 100% protection for your child or family from contracting the virus. 
• While your provider has always maintains hygienic practices for the playroom, additional cleaning are being instituted. Clients will be asked to use sanitizer on their hands when entering the playroom. All toys used will be placed into a bucket and disinfected before returning to the trays for the next client. At times, toys will be unavailable to your young client if there was not sufficient time to disinfect before their session which could create play therapy disruption. Certain toys have been removed from the playroom. High touch services will be disinfected between sessions. Although we are taking precautions, we cannot guarantee that the playroom is completely virus-free. If you are uncomfortable with bringing your child to play therapy, discuss with your provider and consider a telehealth appointment. 
• Social distancing will be encouraged if talk therapy is the primary treatment methodology. There is no way to have social distancing when entering the therapy room. Provider will attempt to give room for client to enter and ask that the client close the door. When leaving if the client leave first, the therapist will attempt to also give space. The waiting room also does not afford social distancing. If you arrive for your appointment and the previous client’s family is in the waiting room, please wait outside until they leave. 
• Scheduling. To avoid waiting room crowding, provider is asking for two considerations. Session length for children is 45 minutes. Sometimes, it goes to 50 minutes. These 15 minutes between sessions will be critical for the provider to tend to disinfecting needs, on top of the usual items of taking care of personal needs, charting, and returning of phone calls. The second may be that, if necessary, sessions may need to be staggered with additional 15 minute intervals. This means that your appt may be at 2:15 rather than on the hour, or at 3:30 (which would end at 4:15). Please assist provider in being able to keep to this altered schedule, if needed, by being on time for appointments and returning to waiting room (at the end of session) on time.

If provider is ill

In the case that the provider becomes ill, it may be necessary to cancel appts with less than 24 hours notice. Notification will be via text and/or email. The provider will be unavailable for the length of time determined by the treating physician. The provider may also need to cancel, if needing to self-quarantine due to a family member getting sick.

If client or client’s family is ill

In the case that any of the household members of a client’s home becomes ill with COVID-19, please cancel your appointment and do not bring them into the office. Stay in touch with provider and a specific plan will be discussed for continued treatment.

COVID-19 contact notification

If it becomes known that someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 has entered the office space, provider will notify clients who have been in the office, per CDC recommendations. 

Thank you for your patience and consideration during this time.

This policy was updated 5/18/2020. As of 8/13/2020, services remain virtual.