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Bright Skies Therapy & Consulting

Terms and Conditions

(last updated September 2022)

 

Terms and Conditions are implemented to set out the expectations for the child/client, parent/caregiver, and the therapist. They govern the contract between us and guarantee that both parties are protected in the unlikely event that a disagreement shall arise. Please take the time to read through our terms and conditions and contact us if you have any questions. Services aren’t provided until this document has been signed.

 

Our Process: The Initial Appointment

  1. You will receive an email or text confirming the details of your child’s first appointment (e.g. date, time, requested service, fee, etc.).

  2. If your child has been assessed by a qualified therapist within six months of your initial appointment with Bright Skies Therapy & Consulting, and if you can share a written report or list of current targets, a re-assessment by one of our therapists will not, in most cases, be required. However, our therapists are happy to complete a second opinion assessment at the parent/caregiver’s request.

  3. An initial assessment generally consists of the following:

  • a detailed discussion with the parents/caregivers of the child/client as they share their concerns/reason for services and any relevant background information (e.g. medical history, family history, social history, therapy history, etc.).

  • an evaluation of the child/client’s needs via standardized assessment and/or objective examination/observation carried out by a Bright Skies Therapy & Consulting practitioner. This will involve following our reasonable instructions; and

  • Developing a treatment plan/program that will include therapeutic recommendations to address the child/client’s needs.

  1. At the end of the initial appointment, a discussion about the therapist’s findings will occur and a treatment plan will be discussed, if necessary. Written documents will also be provided, depending on the provided service.

  2. Bright Skies therapists believe in their skills and expertise, however, if we feel we are unable to meet your child’s needs, we will let you know and alternate recommendations (e.g. therapist and/or other professional) will be provided, if necessary.

  3. Outcomes of therapy are dependent upon various factors (e.g. condition/diagnosis, parent/caregiver involvement/carryover, frequency of intervention). Unfortunately, it isn’t possible for a specific result/outcome to be guaranteed as a result of a Bright Skies therapist providing services. We do aim to provide services using skill and expertise, all while being practical and routinely updating a child/client’s treatment plan (reassessment). No outcome can be guaranteed and parents/caregivers have sole responsibility for carrying out any recommendations or advice we may give.

 

Our Process: Follow Up Appointments

  1. Generally, therapy sessions last 45-60 minutes, unless an alternate plan is discussed and agreed upon in advance. During the follow-up sessions, at least two of the following will occur: direct work with your child, discussion of progress, demonstration/explanation of follow-up activities with parents/caregiver and/or educational staff, and writing up of notes.

  2. No fee will be charged for time spent planning outside the therapy sessions unless discussed and agreed in advance per requested service.

  3. Any therapy session involving more than one child/client will be discussed and approved in advance. Therapy sessions involving three or more children/clients will be offered at a lower rate. 

 

Our Process: Discharge/Final Appointment

  1. Once a treatment plan and/or goals and targets are met and no other skilled intervention is required, a discharge/final session will be held to review the course of treatment, progress, and recommendations to be continued. This session typically lasts approximately 30 minutes. A summary will be provided.

 

Fees

  1. Our fees can be found on our website at brightskiestherapy.com or via one of our therapists. All prices and fees will be discussed and agreed upon before services are provided. There will be no tax or VAT fees charged. We believe our fees are fair as they consider the degree of responsibility and the level of skill of the treating therapist. We do, however, reserve the right to make modifications to the fees, but you will be notified in advance of any such change.

  2. Client/child/family/caregiver are personally liable to pay all indicated/agreed fees and any surcharges incurred, such as any cancellation fees.

  3. Invoices and statements are sent electronically at the end of the month. We do kindly ask that payment be made within 7 days of receipt of your invoice. An itemized receipt upon receiving payment will be provided.

 

Payment for Services

  1. As stated above, we ask that payment be made within 7 days of receiving your service invoice/statement. 

  2. Payment can be made by bank/electronic transfer or via an electronic payment system. Please note that credit card payments and payments made via the electronic payment system may accrue an additional fee. Cash payment is not accepted at this time.

  3. All Bright Skies Therapy & Consulting invoices are shared via email. In submitting online invoices, we do ensure that information is transmitted to maintain patient confidentiality.

  4. Automated payment reminders are sent by email to clients/parents/caregivers 7 days after date-of-service if payment was not received on the day of service.

  5. If an account remains unpaid for 14 days after this automated reminder, a fine of $20/£30 is added to your account. Bright Skies Therapy & Consulting reserves the right to suspend further treatment until payment is received.

  6. Recourse to small claims court will be made for accounts that remain unpaid for 3 months after the initial automated payment reminder.

 

Response Times 

  1. Bright Skies Therapy & Consulting is committed to our clients and their families and we will put forth great effort to respond to your written communications/requests/calls within 2 working days.

 

Cancellations and Non-Attendance/No Call-No Show

  1. If a therapist needs to make a cancellation, the client will be notified as soon as possible, and an alternative appointment date and time will be provided per the child’s/family’s availability.

  2. Cancellations by clients must be made at least 24 hours before the scheduled appointment. If a cancellation is not made 24 hours prior to the scheduled services, the appointment will be considered a "No Call-No Show".

  3. Families/clients are allowed ONE No Call-No Show without incurring a fee.

  4. In the event of a family failing to attend a scheduled session/service beyond the ONE complimentary No-Call/No-Show, 50% of the said session fee will be invoiced and charged.

  5. Non-Attendance, or No Call-No Show, includes not being present during any requested, scheduled session. A 10-minute grace period is allowed.

  6. If a family is late for a session, the session will begin on their arrival and will continue until the scheduled end time. If you wish the session to continue beyond the scheduled time, and the therapist is able to do so, additional discretionary charges may be billed for the extra time spent providing the skilled service.

  7. Last-minute cancellations on the basis of emergencies will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

 

Reports and Programs

  1. Reports and programs are included in the listed service fee/price as stated on the Bright Skies Therapy & Consulting website.

  2. Reports and programs can be shared by you with other people as you choose.

  3. Reports and programs can be shared by Bright Skies Therapy & Consulting at the family’s request once a consent form is signed.

  4. Reports and programs will be confidentially sent to you by email.

  5. Therapy programs are consistently provided as a part of the therapeutic process and are highly encouraged to complete in between sessions. As the client/child’s parent/caregiver, you are not obliged to complete the suggested activities within the therapy program, however, failure to do so can negatively impact therapeutic outcomes (e.g. slow down progress).

 

Communication by e-mail

  1. Bright Skies Therapy & Consulting regularly use E-mail as a means of communicating (e.g. inquiries, session bookings, appointment reminders, invoices, etc.). Because of this, we do advise clients/families to ensure that all e-mail messages be properly addressed and sent. All e-mail messages sent to us will, if properly addressed, arrive on the terminal/platform of the therapist or staff to whom you are addressing. However, we advise that you take note of the following:

    • our computer system may not always be linked to the Internet, so messages, either way, are not always instantaneous;

    • the confidentiality of e-mail sent via the Internet will be sent securely but we can’t always be guaranteed.

  2. For the purposes of exchanging documents via the Internet, our current word-processing system is Microsoft Word. This is very likely to change and/or be varied by the therapist.

 

Data Protection

  1. Bright Skies Therapy & Consulting is registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO of the UK) as a data controller.

  2. All client details, case notes, and correspondence will be stored securely and treated confidentially according to the Health Information Privacy Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR).

  3. Information is stored securely on our HIPAA and GDPR compliant electronic health records system, Cliniko which will be accessed on password-protected laptops and/or desktop computers.

  4. Any paper-based confidential information is stored securely in accordance with the Health Information Privacy Accountability Act (HIPAA), the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR), and specific state law.

  5. In accordance with the GDPR law, all client/child/family records will be kept securely until your child is 25 years old. After this time, all records relating to your child will be destroyed.

  6. In accordance with HIPAA and/or specific United States state’s law, client/child/family records will be kept securely per the required time frame as it relates to medical offices (e.g. 6 years per Kentucky state law and 7 years per Indiana and Texas state law).

  7. If you wish to have a copy of your child’s medical records or desire modifications of any inaccuracies, a formal request must be made in writing to Bright Skies Therapy & Consulting. Such requests will be fulfilled within 30 days.

  8. For further information, please see Bright Skies Therapy & Consulting’s privacy policy.

 

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Teletherapy & Use of Videos

  1. In rare cases, assessment and therapy techniques can involve the use of video to record the child’s performance. The videos are temporarily stored on an encrypted, password-protected computer. Once the video has been used as needed, it will be deleted. No copies will be retained.

  2. Teletherapy utilizes electronic sources/technology to conduct online therapy services. Although unfortunate, there are some instances when connections, Wi-Fi, and/or overall internet service may lag, stall, or simply lose connectivity. Electronic sources also prove to be imperfect. In the case of any technical difficulties, Bright Skies Therapy & Consulting therapists will try their best to make up for lost time, within reason, however, this will not always be possible. There will not be any form of reimbursement or pro-rated fees in the case of technical malfunctions.

  3. To ensure optimal outcomes, safety, and safeguarding of all our clients/children, Bright Skies Therapy & Consulting will not, under any circumstances, conduct online sessions to children:

  • Without an adult/parent/caregiver present.

  • Who are not dressed appropriately (e.g. child should be dressed for the day and/or not in undergarments).

  • In a bedroom/bathroom setting unless parent/caregiver is providing details for treatment (e.g. demo of self-care routine) or hands-on support per a suggested treatment method (e.g. when working on self-care tasks/routines such as organizing room, making the bed, toileting, etc.).

 

Safeguarding

  1. In the event of a safeguarding concern where the client/child or another person is at risk of harm (e.g. abuse, neglect), each therapist has a legal obligation to share that information with relevant professionals/officials in line with the Safeguarding Children’s Act 2004 (UK) or appropriate agencies (e.g. local child protective service or law enforcement) as noted at the state level as stated by the Child Welfare organization in the US.

 

Publicity

  1. With parental/caregiver consent, we may from time to time use and include details of clients and the matters we have handled for them in our publicity and/or marketing material. No details of your identity will be revealed without your prior consent.

 

Collaboration/Liaison with Other Professionals

  1. To offer the best service to the client/child/family, it is important for us to liaise with other professionals involved in the child’s care. This may include other therapists, school staff, family doctors/pediatricians/general practitioners, or other medical/educational professionals. This is a separate service and is available upon parent/caregiver request for a fee, per the listed price list.

 

Individualized Education Plans (IEP)/Education Healthcare Plans (EHCP)

  1. Bright Skies Therapy & Consulting therapists do not write separate reports as part of a child’s EHCP or IEP process. Where applicable, information gathered from a Bright Skies assessment or therapy session can be fed into the EHCP/IEP upon completion of a collaborative consultation with school/support/SEND staff. Parents/caregivers are always encouraged to provide Bright Skies Therapy & Consulting support documents at their discretion.

 

Working Hours and Availability

  1. Bright Skies Therapy & Consulting operates at varied hours due to the span of service coverage. With this, we strive to be available by email as much as humanly possible.

  2. Bright Skies Therapy & Consulting’s therapists mainly work on a part-time basis, meaning that their availability and response times might be more limited. Again, we strive to be available and accommodating as much as humanly possible.

 

Liability, Exclusions & Indemnity

  1. Bright Skies Therapy & Consulting has no liability for any loss incurred by you, whether financial or otherwise, following our provision of the services, nor for any perceived failure by you, whether justified or otherwise, to achieve your desired outcomes or goals.

  2. Bright Skies Therapy & Consulting’s liability to compensate you for any loss or damage is limited to a reasonable amount (and not exceeding the amount you pay in total for the services), having regard to such factors as whether the damage was due to a negligent act or omission by us.

  3. Bright Skies Therapy & Consulting shall not be liable to you, whether in contract, tort (including negligence), breach of statutory duty, or otherwise, for any loss of profit, or for any indirect or consequential loss arising under or in connection with the services. Except as set out in these conditions, all warranties, conditions, and other terms implied by statute or common law are, to the fullest extent permitted by law, excluded from the contract. This clause will survive the termination of the contract.

  4. You agree that you will indemnify us against any and all loss or damage suffered, including any legal fees or costs, as a result of any breach of this agreement by you.

 

Variation

  1. Bright Skies Therapy & Consulting may change any of these terms or conditions, including our fees. Proper notice will be provided accordingly.

  2. In exceptional circumstances, such as illness or other commitments, inappropriate behavior by you, refusal to be treated in a reasonable way, actual or potential conflict of interest, or other reasons, we may decide to terminate the services early and or refuse or be unable to provide further sessions to you. In such circumstances, we shall give you reasonable notice of termination where practicable and will refund to you any advance payment made for sessions not yet provided.

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Severance and Events Out of Our Control

  1. If a court or any other competent authority finds that any provision of this contract (or any part of any provision) is invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, that provision or part-provision shall, to the extent required, be deemed deleted and the validity and enforceability of the other provisions of the contract will not be affected.

  2. We will not be liable to you as a result of any delay or failure to perform our obligations under this contract as a result of any event beyond our control including but not limited to, strikes, lock-outs or other industrial disputes, failure of a utility service or transport network, an act of God, fire, flood or storm or breakdown of machinery.

 

Complaints & Questions

If you wish to discuss the above terms and conditions, or if at any point you feel dissatisfied about any aspect of our service, please contact Quiana Long at info@brightskiestherapy.com. We kindly ask that you put your comments/complaints/questions in writing and the matter will be addressed accordingly.

 

Declaration

By accepting the above terms and conditions, the client/child/parent/caregiver is agreeing with the following:

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  • I agree that I understand the nature, purpose, risk, and benefit of the therapy.

  • I agree that I understand that I will be involved in the planning and delivery of my / my child’s therapy and we will work together to achieve the agreed goals.

  • I agree that I understand that I can withdraw consent at any time.

  • I agree that I understand that Bright Skies Therapy & Consulting therapists liaise and collaborate with other professionals to support my/my child’s needs and that I consent to this and the use of electronic health records when absolutely necessary.

  • I agree that Bright Skies Therapy & Consulting’s therapists can liaise with other professionals when it is in my child’s best interests.

  • I agree with Bright Skies Therapy & Consulting’s therapists using video as necessary in my/my child’s therapy sessions, as described above and that I give permission for myself / my child to be filmed/photographed as part of my / their assessment or therapy when necessary.

  • I understand that Bright Skies Therapy & Consulting’s therapists will be storing and processing my child’s personal information, as described above.

  • I agree with Bright Skies Therapy & Consulting’s therapists using email as a form of communication with me and other professionals, as described above.

  • I agree to all other details as set out by Bright Skies Therapy & Consulting terms and conditions, as indicated above, to include providing skilled, professional services per my request and consent.

 

 

Signature: _______________________________________________________________

 

 

 

Print Name: ______________________________________________________________

 

 

 

Date: ___________________________________________________________________

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