6 Mental Health Contract Gotchas
- Confidentiality Limits: HIGH Therapists must report imminent harm, child abuse, and court-ordered disclosures. Your privacy has legal exceptions
- 24-48 Hour Cancellation: HIGH Full session fee charged for late cancellations. Some practices charge for missed sessions too
- Insurance vs. Self-Pay: MEDIUM Diagnosis required for insurance billing. Superbills for out-of-network may not guarantee reimbursement
- Between-Session Contact: MEDIUM Emails and texts may be billed or limited. Crisis contact policies vary by practice
- Treatment Duration: MEDIUM No guarantee of treatment length or outcomes. Therapist may terminate if you miss payments
- Record Release: HIGH Notes may be released for legal proceedings. Psychotherapy notes have different protections than medical records