Counselors A. Newly ordered file cabinets for Counselors will have locks. No Counselors shall be held accountable, unless through their own negligence, for the loss of school records unless there is a secure place for storage.
B. Counselors, although generally working the same overall hours as teachers, shall be allowed to use flexible hours if it improves their service to pupils.
C. The duty of maintaining school attendance records and of coordinating school transportation services shall not be assigned to Counselors.
D. Counselors shall not be required, except in an emergency, to handle homeroom assignments, schedule or score large-scale tests, prepare school master schedules, complete entries and withdrawals and schedule conferences between classroom teachers and parents.
E. Every effort will be made, in accordance with the BCPSS Master Plan adopted and updated by the Board, to provide school counselors with access to computers, telephones, private consultation space and clerical services.
F. The Board will make every effort to reduce the case-load of Counselors. In furtherance of this objective, a committee shall be established consisting of three (3) members selected by the Union and three (3) members selected by the Board to review the current status of the effort.
G. The Board and the Union will form a committee with three (3) members appointed by each to review the utilization and effectiveness of school counseling services and make recommendations to improve services to students. One additional task of the committee shall be to develop a counselor evaluation instrument.
H. Substitutes shall be hired for counselors out for long-term illness.
I. Counselors shall have access to clerical services.
J. Formal observation of counselors shall only be done by the Office of guidance Services personnel, holding National Counselor Certification (NCC) credential and/or a Maryland Professional Counselor’s License.
Counseling Services SUD therapy/counseling is a relationship between people that works in part because of clearly defined rights and responsibilities held by each person. As a client in the SUD counseling process, you have certain rights and responsibilities that are important for you to understand. There are also legal limitations to those rights that you should be aware of. I, as your SUD counselor, have corresponding responsibilities to you. These rights and responsibilities are described in the following sections. SUD therapy/counseling has both benefits and risks. Risks may include experiencing uncomfortable feelings, such as sadness, guilt, anxiety, anger, frustration, loneliness and helplessness, because the process of therapy often requires discussing the unpleasant aspects of your life. However, therapy has been shown to have benefits for individuals who undertake it. Therapy often leads to a significant reduction in feelings of distress, increased satisfaction in interpersonal relationships, greater personal awareness and insight, increased skills for managing stress and resolutions to specific problems. But, there are no guarantees about what will happen. Therapy requires a very active effort on your part. In order to be most successful, you will want to put into practice things we discuss outside of sessions. The first 2-3 sessions will involve a comprehensive evaluation of your needs. By the end of the evaluation, I will be able to offer you some initial impressions of what our work might include. At that point, we will discuss your treatment goals and create an initial treatment plan. You should evaluate this information and make your own assessment about whether you feel comfortable working with me. If you have questions about my procedures, we should discuss them whenever they arise. If your doubts persist, I will be happy to help you set up a meeting with another SUD professional for a second opinion. PROFESSIONAL FEES The standard fee for a 50-minute individual session is $125.00 and the standard fee for a 90 minute couples session is $175.00 You are responsible for paying the full amount at the time of your session, unless prior arrangements have been made. Payment must be made by cash, or credit card. If you refuse to pay your debt, I reserve the right to use an attorney or collection agency to secure payment. APPOINTMENTS Appointments will ordinarily be 45-60 minutes in duration, once per week at a time we agree on, although some sessions may be more, or less frequent as needed. The time scheduled for your appointment is assigned to you and you alone. If you need to cancel or reschedule a session, I ask that you provide me with 24-hours notice. If you miss a session without canceling, or cancel with less than 24-hour notice, my policy is to collect the full session fee of $125.00/individual or $175.00/couples. It is important to note that insurance companies do not provide reimbursement for cancelled sessions; thus, you will be responsible for 100% of the full rate. If it is possible, I will try to find another time to reschedule the appointment. In addition, you are responsible for coming to your session on time; if you are late, your appointment will still need to end at the scheduled time. Finally, I have the right to terminate treatment after 2 missed appointments or habitual tardiness. Thank you for understanding. To schedule, cancel or change and appointment you may call, text or email me. You can expect a response before the end of the business day. INSURANCE I am not a participating provider for any insurance plan. If you would like, I will supply you with a receipt of payment for services, which you can submit to your insurance company for reimbursement. Please note that not all insurance companies reimburse for out-of-network providers. PROFESSIONAL RECORDS I am required to keep appropriate records of the SUD therapy/counseling services that I provide. Your records are maintained in a secured, encrypted, HIPAA compliant web-based system. I keep brief records noting that you were here, your reasons for seeking SUD therapy/counseling, the goals and progress we set for treatment, your diagnosis, topics we discussed, your medical, social, and treatment history, records I receive from other providers, copies of records I send to others, and your billing records. Except in unusual circumstances that involve danger to yourself, you have the right to a copy of your file. Because these are professional records, they may be misinterpreted and / or upsetting to untrained readers. For this reason, I recommend that you initially review them with me, or have them forwarded to another mental health professional to discuss the contents. You also have the right to request that a copy of your file be made available to any other health care provider at your written request.
PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES Psychotherapy is not easily described in general statements. It varies depending on the personalities of the psychologist and patient, and the particular problems you hope to address. There are many different methods I may use to deal with those problems. Psychotherapy is not like a medical doctor visit. Instead, it calls for a very active effort on your part. In order for the therapy to be most successful, you will have to work on things we talk about both during our sessions and at home. Psychotherapy can have benefits and risks. Because therapy often involves discussing unpleasant aspects of your life, you may experience uncomfortable feelings like sadness, guilt, anger, frustration, loneliness, and helplessness. When treating insomnia specifically, therapy might cause you to experience increased sleepiness and fatigue, especially in the early phases of treatment. On the other hand, psychotherapy has also been shown to have benefits for people who go through it. Therapy often leads to better relationships, solutions to specific problems, significant reductions in feelings of distress, improved sleep, and less fatigue. But there are no guarantees as to what you will experience. Our first session will involve an evaluation of your needs. By the end of the evaluation, I will be able to offer you some first impressions of what our work will include and a treatment plan to follow, if you decide to continue with me for therapy. You should evaluate this information along with your own opinions about whether you feel comfortable working with me. At the end of the evaluation, I will notify you if I believe that I am not the right therapist for you and if so, I will give you referrals to other practitioners who I believe are better suited to help you. Therapy involves a large commitment of time, money, and energy, so you should be very careful about the therapist you select. If you have questions about my procedures, we should discuss them whenever they arise. If your doubts persist, I will be happy to help you set up a meeting with another mental health professional for a second opinion. Please note that the psychological services I provide are not for emergency situations. For emergencies, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. My fee is $395 for an initial evaluation lasting 90 minutes, and $250 for each subsequent psychotherapy session (either in-person or over the telephone) lasting 45 minutes. I charge this same $250 per 45-minutes rate for other professional services you may need, though I will prorate the cost if I work for periods of less than 45 minutes in increments of 15 minutes, rounded to the nearest 15-minute increment (e.g., 22 minutes of service will be charged for 15 minutes whereas 23 minutes of service will be charged for 30 minutes). Other professional services include telephone conversations or email responses lasting longer than 15 minutes, and the time spent performing any other service you may request of me. If you become involved in legal proceedings that require my participation, you will be expected to pay for any professional time I spend on your legal matter, even if the request comes from another party, at the same $250 per 45-minutes rate. I do not charge for time spent writing reports and progress notes as per the standard routine of my care of you. I also do not charge for any time I may spend collaborating with your other providers. From time to time, I may institute fee increases and these will be discussed and agreed upon ahead of time with a new Treatment Contract. If it has been more than one year since our last appointment, then you will re-initiate services at my current standard fee which may be higher than the fee you were previously paying. In addition, if it has been more than one year since our last appointment, you will be scheduled for another initial evaluation (90 minutes) and charged accordingly, with subsequent 45-minute psychotherapy sessions thereafter. You are responsible for paying your full session fee. I am not in-network with any insurance companies. If you decide to submit claims to your insurance company for reimbursement for any out-of-network benefits you might have, you may do so. However, be aware that the services provided will still be charged to you, not your insurance company, and you are responsible for the full payment. I have no role in deciding what your insurance covers. You are responsible for checking your insurance coverage, deductibles, payment rates, pre-authorization procedures, etc. Missed appointments, late cancellations (i.e., cancellations within 24 hours of service), and telephone session are not typically covered by insurance companies and therefore you will likely be responsible for the full session fee in these instances. If your insurance company doesn’t reimburse you, I am not responsible for refunding you any payment you expected to be reimbursed or otherwise. I will provide you a superbill after each session with the following information that you will need to submit to your insurance company for reimbursement for any out-of-network benefits you might have:
Education, Training and Experience Grade 12 and two years' recent related experience or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.
Training and Professional Development 11.1 The Employer will develop and maintain an employee training and development plan and provide such plan to the Union upon request. Staff training is intended to provide an opportunity for classified staff employees for training sponsored by the University Training and Development and the UW Medical Centers Organizational Development and Training. Education/Professional Leave is intended to facilitate employee access to continuing education opportunities. Training and educational/professional leave may be used for the purpose of improving job performance, maintaining and increasing proficiency, preparing staff for greater responsibility, or increasing promotional opportunities within the framework of staff positions available at the University.
11.2 Any release time for training for employees accepted for such classes shall be in accordance with the Executive Order (currently No. 52) governing this matter. In the event that two or more employees request the same training period and supervision must limit the number of persons who may participate at one time due to work requirements, the selection will be made on a mutually agreeable basis within the department.
11.3 The training program is a proper subject for discussion by either departmental or University-wide Joint Union/Management Committees.
11.4 If the Employer requires an employee to receive training, reimbursement will be provided in accordance with the University travel rules. Employee attendance at Employer required training, either during or outside working hours, will be considered time worked and compensated in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.
11.5 Employee attendance at training not required by the Employer and not covered by Executive Order 52, either on approved leave from or outside of working hours, will be voluntary and not considered time worked.
Professional Development and Training The Company shall pay for or reimburse the Executive for any reasonable professional development or training.
Procurement Related Complaints and Administrative Review 49.1 The procedures for making a Procurement-related Complaint are as specified in the TDS.
49.2 A request for administrative review shall be made in the form provided under contract forms.
Private Duty Nursing Services This plan covers private duty nursing services, received in your home when ordered by a physician, and performed by a certified home healthcare agency. This plan covers these services when the patient requires continuous skilled nursing observation and intervention.
Hospice Services Services are available for a Member whose Attending Physician has determined the Member's illness will result in a remaining life span of six months or less.
Investor Relations Firm Promptly after the execution of a definitive agreement for a Business Combination, the Company shall retain an investor relations firm with the expertise necessary to assist the Company both before and after the consummation of the Business Combination for a term to be agreed upon by the Company and the Representative.
