Darby Creek Counseling may be referred to in this and other documents as The Practice. The Provider Service Plan shall be available for review by persons served, their family, significant others and the public.
Mission/Vision/Goal
Provide outpatient counseling and psychotherapy to help clients effectively address personal life challenges and work with each individual with compassion and understanding to help them build on their strengths and attain the personal growth they are committed to accomplishing.
Populations Served
Darby Creek Counseling provides services for children, adolescents, adults, and couples. We work with a wide range of emotional and behavioral issues providing services that span from intensive therapy to education and problem solving, including but not limited to traditional therapy as well as natural alternatives. In a comfortable and supportive atmosphere, we offer a highly personalized approach tailored to each of the client’s individual needs.
No persons shall be discriminated against in the delivery of health care services based on race, ethnicity, genetic information, national origin, religion, sex, age, veteran status, mental or physical disability or medical condition, sexual orientation, claims experiences, medical history, or evidence of insurability (including conditions arising out of acts of domestic violence, disability, or source of payment).
Services
Darby Creek Counseling provides the following counseling services. Services provided, with the exception of the Diagnostic Assessment and Crisis Intervention, are to be based on a written treatment plan and documented by a progress note for each session. Services provided by a dependently licensed provider shall be conducted under the supervision of an independently licensed supervisor with experience in their scope of practice that match the services provided to a particular client. Documentation completed by a dependently licensed provider requires supervisor review and signature, and will include the Diagnostic Assessment, Treatment Plan, Psychosocial Updates, and any other document which includes a diagnosis and/or treatment recommendations.
- Diagnostic Assessment
Diagnostic Assessment is a service in which a licensed mental health professional meets with a client in order to evaluate the current and past mental and physical health status of the individual, as well as determine future needs in the counseling relationship. The goal of Diagnostic Assessment is to gather relevant clinical information in order to develop a clinical picture of the client’s needs and inform the counseling process. The service is the first step for individuals seeking routine outpatient mental health services and is provided to a population of individuals aged 2 through the lifespan for persons with adequate cognitive functioning and emotional stability who may benefit from weekly outpatient counseling sessions.
Diagnostic Assessment is provided 5-7 days a week at at least one of The Practice’s offices. Hours of availability vary based on provider schedules, however this service is typically offered from approximately 9 am to 7 pm on most days, excluding holidays. The assessment consists of a single initial assessment followed by a comprehensive assessment which may be completed over the course of four sessions or 30 days, whichever occurs first. An initial Diagnostic Assessment shall be completed prior to any other services being provided.
Upon completion of a comprehensive assessment, a treatment plan shall be created. An assessment update and review of the treatment plan shall be completed at a minimum of every 90 days and/or upon any significant change in clinical presentation and treatment needs. If a minor is involved and there is a question about custody or who may seek services, relevant court documents will be obtained and reviewed before any services are provided to the minor.
- Individual Counseling
Individual counseling is a service in which a licensed mental health professional provides one-on-one services intended to identify strengths, areas of growth, and provide clinically appropriate support to help individuals reach their mental health goals. The goal of individual counseling is to improve the overall quality of mental health as reported by the client. This service provides routine outpatient mental health services to a population of individuals aged 2 through the lifespan for persons who have adequate cognitive functioning and emotional stability who may benefit from this level of care.
Individual counseling is provided 6-7 days a week at at least one of The Practice’s offices. Hours of availability vary based on provider schedules, however this service is typically offered from approximately 9 am to 7 pm. Individual counseling is typically scheduled as one session per week, reducing to biweekly or monthly as the client’s condition improves. In individual counseling, the individual will typically be provided with a diagnosis of a mental or emotional disorder.
- Couples counseling
Couples counseling is defined as “therapy in which both partners in a committed relationship are treated at the same time by the same therapist or therapists…Couples therapy is concerned with problems within and between the individuals that affect the relationship.Individual sessions may be provided separately to each partner, particularly at the beginning of therapy; most of the course of therapy, however, is provided to both partners together”. – APA Dictionary of Psychology Couples counseling will be provided as a conjoint session with an identified client being the only one provided mental health services, when improving the relationship is likely to help alleviate or manage symptoms of the identified client. Since there is only one identified client in a session, the other person will be informed they have no rights to the documents from that particular session.The person not identified as a client will be advised they have no right to the client records and the client will be asked to sign a Third Party Entering a Session form.
Hours of availability vary based on provider schedules whose scope of practice includes this service. Couples counseling is typically scheduled weekly, reducing to biweekly or monthly as the relationship improves. Couples counseling is not typically provided by a client’s primary individual counselor and usually requires a referral from the primary provider.
- Family counseling
Family counseling is defined as “a form of psychotherapy that focuses on the improvement of interfamilial relationships and behavioral patterns of the family unit as a whole, as well as among individual members and groupings, or subsystems, within the family”. – APA Dictionary of Psychology Family counseling may be provided as a conjoint session with an identified client, when improving the family dynamics is likely to help alleviate or manage symptoms of the identified client. Since there is only one identified client in a session, the other person(s) will be informed they have no rights to the documents from that particular session.The person(s) not identified as a client will be advised they have no right to the client records and the client will be asked to sign a Third Party Entering a Session form.
Hours of availability vary based on provider schedules whose scope of practice includes this service. Family counseling sessions are typically scheduled weekly, reducing to biweekly or monthly as the family relationships improve. Family counseling is not typically provided by a client’s primary individual counselor and usually requires a referral from the primary provider.
- Group Counseling
Group counseling is defined as “treatment of psychological problems in which two or more participants interact with each other on both an emotional and a cognitive level in the presence of one or more psychotherapists who serve as catalysts, facilitators, or interpreters. The approaches vary, but in general they aim to provide an environment in which problems and concerns can be shared in an atmosphere of mutual respect and understanding. Group therapy seeks to enhance self-respect, deepen self-understanding, and improve interpersonal relationships”. – APA Dictionary of Psychology
Group counseling may be offered based on client population need/interest and provider availability. Clients will be notified when group counseling becomes available. Participation in group counseling shall require a referral from a primary counseling provider within The Practice.
- Psychological testing
Limited psychological testing specific to ADHD/ADD assessment may be provided as part of the comprehensive assessment, or upon referral by a client’s primary counselor within the practice. This service is designed to meet the needs of clients who present with attention challenges and are in need of a differential diagnosis. This service is limited to clients who can meet the standardization requirements of the instruments used.
Psychological testing is typically available within normal business hours, dependent upon the availability of providers whose scope of practice includes this service.
- Crisis Intervention
Crisis Intervention is defined as a “psychological intervention provided on a short-term, emergency basis for individuals experiencing mental health crises, such as an acute psychotic episode or attempted suicide.” – APA Dictionary of Psychology
Crisis Intervention is intended to stabilize the client’s condition or situation and to evaluate if the potential for risk of harm to self, others, or property is present. It may be provided at the start of treatment or as a part of ongoing counseling as indicated. Crisis Intervention is intended for short-term, acute needs and may result in a referral to a higher level of care if needed.
Crisis Intervention will be provided by a client’s primary therapist during regular office hours whenever possible. The Practice maintains after hours crisis services via the emergency option on our main phone menu which will connect them to an on-call therapist.
The Practice does not provide walk-in or on-call emergency services for the general public. Individuals who are in need of immediate emergency services will be directed to the most appropriate emergency care facility or will be told to call 911 or 988.
*Please note The Practice does not provide or otherwise handle medications of any kind.
Hours of Service
Reception and Waiting Area Hours vary by location. In general, the Practice has at least one office open to clients 6-7 days a week including weekend and evening hours in order to accommodate the needs of persons served. Availability will vary based on the schedule of individual counselors.
Formal review and adoption of this policy by Daniel Maust, MEd/LPCC-S, Owner
