Appendix C: Limits on Confidentiality
1. Sharing information with Early Autism Services, LLC Staff
Early Autism Services, LLC or EAS is a group practice with multiple therapists and
administrative staff. Protected information will be shared with these individuals for
clinical and administrative purposes, such as scheduling, billing, consultation,
vacation/illness coverage and quality assurance. All of the mental health
professionals are bound by the same rules of confidentiality. All administrative staff
members have been given training about protecting your privacy and have agreed
not to release any information outside of the practice without the permission of a
professional staff member. EAS staff routinely consults with one another about our
work in order to improve the quality of our clinical services. We also share clinical
information for coverage during illnesses and vacations. The only times we will not
share information with a specific EAS therapist is when you specifically request
this and this request is granted. Requests will be granted when you know an EAS
therapist outside of the work setting, an EAS therapist is treating a spouse or family
member and clinical practice dictates that the sharing of information might be
problematic, or other specific circumstances agreed to by you and your therapist.
For any such agreement to be valid the agreement must be noted in your clinical
record.
2. Legal Mandates for Breaking Confidentiality
• There are some situations in which therapists are legally obligated to take
actions, which they believe are necessary to attempt to protect others from
harm even though such actions may reveal some information about a
patient's treatment. These situations include:
• If therapist has reasonable cause to believe that a child under 18 known to
therapist’s professional capacity may be an abused child or a neglected
child, the law requires that therapist file a report with the local office of the
Department of Children and Family Services. Once such a report is filed,
therapist may be required to provide additional information.
• If therapist has reason to believe that an adult over the age of 60 living in a
domestic situation has been abused or neglected in the preceding 12
months, the law requires that therapist file a report with the agency
designated to receive such reports by the Department of Aging. Once such
a report is filed, therapist may be required to provide additional information.
• If your Child has made a specific threat or violence against another or if
therapist believe that your Child presents a clear, imminent risk of serious
physical harm to another, therapist may be required disclose information in
order to take protective actions. These actions may include notifying the
potential victim, contacting the police, or seeking your Child’s
hospitalization.
• If therapist believes that your Child present a clear, imminent risk of
serious physical or mental injury or death to himself/herself, therapist may
be required to disclose information in order to take protective actions.
These actions may include seeking your Child’s hospitalization or
contacting family members or others who can assist in protecting your
Child.
PARENT CONSENT AGREEMENT
This Parent Consent Agreement hereinafter referred to as “Agreement” is entered into
between Early Autism Services, LLC (“EAS”) and Payor Full Name
(“Parent”) [Parent Name Provided Below] dated the [Date Provided Below].
Client Full Name [Client/Child Name Provided Below] (“Child”) has been authorized to
receive intensive behavior modification services (“Services”) from EAS. In order to
assure that your child and family receive prompt, professional and competent Services
from EAS the following guidelines have been developed.
1. During the first week of providing Services, we request that you become
available to “shadow” Consultant and/or Therapist until they become familiar
with your child and his/her schedules as well as get an intimate knowledge on
the nature of his/her behaviors.
2. Please monitor your Child’s Services for the first couple of weeks and inform EAS
immediately should there be a mismatch between your child and the Consultant
and/or Therapist assigned to work with him/her.
3. Data will be collected throughout the entirety of the session and the last 15 to
20 minutes of your Services will be dedicated to filling out the daily notes in the
Program Book. The collection of data is mandatory for the provision of Services.
The Program Book shall be provided by EAS. Additionally, the fit between a
child’s therapeutic needs and the program’s services is determined on an
individual case basis by both the parent/guardian and the consultant. EAS
provides services exclusively to children and adolescents under the age of 18
and their families.
4. Please allow an area where we can keep the Program Book in your We require
the Program Book for the collection of our data. Only the Consultant, Therapist,
any other designated agent of EAS, and/or parent will have access to the
Program Book.
5. The Parent has the responsibility to inform the Consultant and/or Therapist of
his/ her child’s relevant medical conditions; infectious diseases; allergies to
medications and other substances; and any other relevant information in order
to assist in developing a treatment plan.
6. The Parent agrees to engage and participate in a family education program for
the Child’s care, treatment, and needs.
7. The Consultant or Therapist shall only provide Services to the Child designated
in this agreement.
8. The Child’s parent or an appointed guardian shall be present at all times Services
are provided to the Child by EAS.
9. If the parent will be away for any reason for any length of time and the Parent
has designated a guardian; another family member and/or authorized agent
(“Responsible Party”) to be present during the time when the Child is receiving
Services by EAS, EAS requests that you advise the Consultant or Therapist at
least one week in advance, so the Consultant or Therapist can make the
necessary arrangements.
10.Video or audio recording of therapy sessions, team meetings, or in any other
instance that involves personnel associated with EAS without the written
consent of EAS and the representative of EAS being recorded is prohibited. Any
recording must be done with the written consent of the individual therapist being
recorded.
Additionally, an authorized representative of EAS must also give written consent
of any recording that takes place.
11.Representatives of EAS are prohibited from taking pictures, video, or audio
recordings of a child or any other family. Additionally, EAS representatives are
prohibited from posting any information to the Internet that pertains to a child’s
ABA program. If you have a concern about the actions of any individual affiliated
with EAS that pertain to this policy, please contact EAS immediately.
12.The parties understand that the Child's treatment and Services may change due
to the Child's development and response to EAS shall discuss any additional
treatment requirements and/or next level of Services with Parent prior to
transitioning such treatment and Services to the Child.
13.Community outings will be limited to settings that do not require money (i.e. park,
shopping mall, library, bookstore). When EAS takes the Child on a community
outing as defined herein, the Parent and/or Responsible Party (as defined in Paragraph 9) shall be present. During the community outings, the Parent and/or
Responsible Party are in charge and responsible for the Child’s well-being, care
and are and to monitor the Child accordingly. Parent and/or Responsible Party
hereby waives, releases, and discharges EAS, its owners, employees, and/or
authorized agents from any and all liability, loss, cost, claim, damage, injury
and/or cause of action of any kind arising out of the Child’s participation in a
community outing. In addition, Parent and/or Responsible Party shall indemnify
and hold harmless EAS, its owners, employees, and/ or authorized agents from
any and all such liabilities or claims made as a result of the Child’s participation
in the community outings.
14.Physical intervention by a therapist in the presence of aggressive behavior may
be necessary at some point during a child’s program. The use of physical
intervention is only considered when all other strategies have been exhausted.
Furthermore, physical intervention or restraint will only be used if there is concern
for the immediate safety of the child or the therapist. Please call your consultant,
Mareiko Au, or Vincent Scarlata with any questions or concerns about EAS’s
policy on physical intervention.
15.The Services not included in this Agreement are as follows:
• The Consultant and/or Therapist shall not, under any circumstances, drive
the Child in his/her private vehicles;
• The Consultant and/or Therapist shall not administer medications to the
Child.
• The Consultant and/or Therapist shall not, under any circumstances,
accompany the family and the Child on vacations;
• The Consultant and/or Therapist is only responsible for the Child assigned
to him/ her and may not be given other siblings and /or family members to
supervise;
• No money shall exchange between the Consultant and/or Therapist and
the Parent; and
• The Consultant and/or Therapist shall not act as a babysitter for your Child.
16.Under no circumstances will EAS support parents or the Consultant and/ or
Therapist engaging in dual relationships that compromise the guidelines and
integrity of EAS (i.e. parents will not promote and/or engage the Consultant
and/or Therapist in personal relationships and/or professional opportunities
outside of EAS services). Furthermore, at all times the parent(s) must respect boundaries of the Consultant and/ or
17.The Consultant arranges all schedules in coordination with parental input. At the
onset of services should you require changes in the schedule, please notify the
Consultant. The Therapist is not authorized to make any schedule changes.
18.EAS's owner is Benjamin Wessels. If you have any questions or concerns about the
quality of services, personnel (including Consultants or Therapists), the program, or
of the agency in general during the time of your services, please contact either
Mareiko Au or Vincent Scarlata at info@earlyautismservices.com.
19.Upon termination of this Agreement, EAS shall advise Parent of the Child's prognosis
and information concerning the Child's continuing care and EAS will make available
all necessary documentation and treatment records for continuity and coordination of
care with subsequent providers. At the request of a parent/ guardian, EAS will contact
subsequent providers with relevant information to ensure continuity of care.
Treatment Contract
I/we agree not to solicit or employ any employee or independent contractor of EAS,
including Consultants or Therapists, in any manner including, but not limited to:
• as an employee, consultant, or through a third party, other than general
advertisement, without prior written approval by EAS during the term of this
agreement and for at least two (2) years after the expiration, termination or
conclusion of this agreement.
• Unless otherwise agreed to by the Parties, in the event that I/we violate this
section, I/we agree to pay EAS a fee of fifty percent (50%) of the gross annual
salary paid by EAS to such employee or individual contractor, including
Consultants or Therapist. Such fee shall be paid by me/us upon hiring of such
employee or independent contractor, including Consultants or Therapists
Equal Employment Opportunities
It is the policy of Early Autism Services to afford Equal Employment Opportunities
regardless of race, color, national origin, gender, age, marital status, religion, disability,
sexual orientation, pregnancy, genetic conditions or predispositions, or certain military
and veteran status. Further, all applicable laws relating to disability discrimination will be strictly followed. This policy of Equal Employment applies to all aspects of the
employment relationship.
I/we have read ad understood the materials included in the Consent Agreement as it
relates to the provision of EAS's Services as authorized for my child. I/we agree to
maintain confidentiality for all business policies, procedures, techniques, trade secrets,
other knowledge or processes developed by EAS. I/we understand that all program
materials are prepared solely for my/our use and cannot be copied, disseminated,
published or shared with a third party without the approval of EAS. I/we understand that
all program materials must be returned to EAS upon termination of this agreement.