Outpatient Behavioral Health Services are limited to certified providers who offer core behavioral health services for the treatment of behavioral disorders. All performing providers, provider groups, and business entities participating in the Medicaid Outpatient Behavioral Health Services (OBHS) Program must be certified by the Division Provider Services and Quality Assurance.

An Outpatient Behavioral Health Services provider must establish a site-specific emergency response plan that complies with the DPSQA Certification Rules for Providers of Outpatient Behavioral Health Services. Each agency site must have 24-hour emergency response capability to meet the emergency treatment needs of the Behavioral Health Services beneficiaries served by the site. The provider must implement and maintain a written policy reflecting the specific coverage plan to meet this requirement. A machine-recorded voice mail message to call 911 or report to the nearest emergency room in and of itself is not sufficient to meet the requirement.

Licensed performing providers certified by DPSQA must also maintain an Emergency Service Plan that complies with the DPSQA Certification Rules for Providers of Outpatient Behavioral Health Services manual.

All Outpatient Behavioral Health Services providers must demonstrate the capacity to provide effective, equitable, understandable, and respectful quality care and services that are responsive to diverse cultural health beliefs and practices, preferred languages, health literacy and other communication needs.

Services Offered

Initial Diagnostic Evaluation(Mental Health Diagnosis): To provide a comprehensive evaluation in order to obtain essential information for the formulation of an individualized treatment plan. Life Within Counseling Group, LLC will assess the client’s admitting condition, form a rapport, determine the extent to which the client’s symptoms negatively impact the client’s functioning, and make appropriate referrals for medication management when appropriate.

Treatment planning: In coordination with the client (and/or guardian), Life Within Counseling Group, LLC will assist in developing individualized, objective, and measurable goals and objectives designed to alleviate and/or eliminate problematic symptoms. The treatment plan will be reviewed periodically, in order to assess the client’s progress in treatment.

Individual sessions: During one on one sessions with the therapist, clients will explore their inner beliefs, thoughts, feelings, memories, and behaviors in order to better understand themselves. Clients will then work towards established personal goals and positive changes all in a safe, supportive, and confidential environment.

Family sessions: In line with the view of “person-in-environment,” regular meetings with family members are essential to a client's progress. As such, family members are strongly encouraged to play an important role in the entire therapeutic process. In regular family sessions, Life Within Counseling Group, LLC will address dynamics, strengthen boundaries, and facilitate healthy family communication, etc.

Group sessions: As medically appropriate, clients may also participate in sessions with other clients having similar problems and who are of a similar age/developmental stage. These groups are designed to enhance the therapeutic process through the sharing of emotions, problems solving techniques, and coping skills in a confidential and therapeutic environment.

Psychological Assessment: We offer psychological testing for various disorders including but not limited to ADHD - (Attention-Deficient / Hyperactivity Disorder), Autism Spectrum Disorder, Intellectual or learning disorders, Stress or Anxiety related disorders, Mood related disorders/ Bipolar disorder, Personality Disorder, and Behavioral disorders/ ODD (Oppositional Defiance)

All Outpatient Behavioral Health Services must be tailored to the individual client's needs, no entries made should contain materially identical information.

Offer to provide copies of Independently Licensed Practitioner and Outpatient Behavioral Health Services rules;

SMI/SED Criteria

Adults with a serious mental illness are persons age 18 and over:

Who currently or at any time during the past year have had a diagnosable mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder of sufficient duration to meet diagnostic criteria specified within DSM V, OTHER THAN “V” codes, substance use disorders or developmental disorders (including mental retardation and pervasive developmental disorders) which are excluded unless they co-occur with another diagnosable serious mental illness.

AND this disorder has resulted in functional impairment which meets one of the criteria below for substantially interfering with or limiting one or more major life areas (Persons who would have met functional impairment criteria during the past year without the benefit of treatment or other support services are considered to meet the functional impairment criterion for serious mental illness). OR Children with a serious emotional disturbance are persons:

Who currently or at any time during the past year have had a diagnosable mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder of sufficient duration to meet diagnostic criteria specified within the DSM V, OTHER THAN “V” codes, substance use disorders or developmental disorders (including mental retardation) which are excluded unless they co-occur with another diagnosable serious emotional disturbance.

AND this disorder resulted in functional impairment, which substantially interferes with or limits the child’s role or functioning in family, school, or community activities. The functional impairment must result primarily from the diagnosed mental, behavioral or emotional disorder, rather than being primarily the result of a substance abuse/dependence disorder, developmental disorder (including mental retardation) or medical disorder.

Independent Licensed Practitioner

Independent Licensed Practitioners provide Counseling Level Services by qualified licensed practitioners in an outpatient based setting for the purpose of assessing and treating behavioral health conditions. Counseling Level Services outpatient based setting shall mean services rendered in a behavioral health clinic/ office, healthcare center, physician office, home, shelter, group home, and/or school. The performing provider must provide services only within the scope of their individual licensure. Services available to be provided by Counseling Level Services providers are listed in Section 252.111 through 255.001 of the Outpatient Behavioral Health Services manual.

Outpatient Behavioral Health Services care must be medically necessary.

Third party (e.g., Medicaid or insurance) Outpatient Behavioral Health Service payments may be denied based on the third party payer’s policies or rules

Additional Services

Any services to be offered or provided in addition to those offered by the Independently Licensed Practitioner, will be disclosed at the tiFme of offering as well as if there will be a charge for such services.

Discontinuing Services

Services may be discontinued by the client at any time. Services may be discontinued by Life Within after 30 days of not being seen by the therapist.

The Outpatient Behavioral Health Services manual may be obtained at https://medicaid.mmis.arkansas.gov/Download/provider/provdocs/.../OBHS_II.doc

The Independently Licensed Practitioner certification manual may be obtained from your counselor by request.

Pharmacologic Management

Life Within Counseling Group, LLC currently utilizes agreements with Clarity Health and Wellness in Searcy for Medication Management.

Appropriate Referral

Occasionally your provider may lack the capacity to provide medically necessary Outpatient Behavioral Health Services. When this occurs, Clients will be referred to other providers at Life Within or to other clinics with the capacity to serve the client.

Care and Services for Medicaid Recipients

Comply with all state and federal laws, rules, and regulations applicable to the furnishing of health care funded in whole or in part by federal funds; to all state laws and policies applicable to Arkansas Medicaid generally, and to Outpatient Behavioral Health Services specifically, and to all applicable Department of Human Services (“DHS”) policies including, without limitation, DHS Participant Exclusion Policy § 1088.0.0. The Participant Exclusion Policy is available online at https://dhsshare.arkansas.gov/DHS%20Policies/Forms/By%20Policy.aspx
Conform to professionally recognized behavioral health rehabilitative treatment models.
Be established by contemporaneous documentation that is accurate and demonstrates compliance. Documentation will be deemed to be contemporaneous if recorded by the end of the performing provider’s first work period following the provision of the care or services to be documented, or as provided in the Outpatient Behavioral Health Services manual, whichever is longer.

Compliance

Clinicians are expected to adhere to specific compliance requirements as laid out in the ILP Manual, available by request.

Compliance is also accomplished by:

• Adherence to legal, ethical, code of conduct and best-practice standards for treatment, billing, and documentation

• Participation Life Within Counseling Group, LLC in proactive training and quality improvement processes.

• Ensuring Life Within Counseling Group, LLC works within their professional scope of practice.

• Ensuring the accuracy of progress note documentation by Life Within Counseling Group, LLC who will select correct procedure codes and services location to support the documentation of services provided.

• Ensuring the program does not exclude children or adolescents from services solely on the basis of their juvenile justice status.

Cultural Competence

Life Within Counseling Group, LLC will continue to obtain education about and seek to understand the nature of social diversity and oppression with respect to race, ethnicity, national origin, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, political belief, religion, immigration status, and mental or physical disability and how all these factors impact the clients that I serve. Life Within Counseling Group, LLC provides outpatient care to clients with emotional and behavioral problems without regard to age, race, color, gender, handicap, or national origin.

Taken from the 2014 ACA Code of Ethics:

“A.2.c. Developmental and Cultural Sensitivity Counselors communicate information in ways that are both developmentally and culturally appropriate. Counselors use clear and understandable language when discussing issues related to informed consent. When clients have difficulty understanding the language that counselors use, counselors provide necessary services (e.g., arranging for a qualified interpreter or translator) to ensure comprehension by clients. In collaboration with clients, counselors consider cultural implications of informed consent procedures and, where possible, counselors adjust their practices accordingly.”

Cultural Competence, Diversity, and Inclusion Plan

Provision of Services

Clients may include children, adolescents, adults, senior citizens, and families. The patient will exhibit symptoms that negatively impact some aspect of their daily functioning and/or relationships, otherwise meeting clinical criteria for treatment. The patient will be determined to have the ability to benefit from the services provided. Life Within Counseling Group, LLC reserves the right to refuse treatment to individuals who do not meet clinical criteria, who make threatening or aggressive gestures, or pose a threat to other clients or to Independent Contractors or Employees of Life Within Counseling Group, LLC.

Potential clients of Life Within Counseling Group, LLC are referred from a variety of sources including: Primary care physicians, Schools, other mental health professionals, clergy, family members, probation officers, courts, social service agencies, media, website inquiries, and self-referral. If during the intake process, Life Within Counseling Group, LLC finds that the potential client does not meet eligibility requirements for treatment, due to their presenting problem or financial limitations, referrals will be made to appropriate service providers. Clients that are indigent and/or have no source of 3rd party payment will be accepted on a sliding scale basis or Pro Bono.

If a client is rejected for lack of a third-party payment source or client is discharged for non-payment of care, Client will be notified of our decision to close their file and appropriate notification may be sent to their PCP or referring source.

Telehealth Services

Telehealth Services:

Each client signs a Consent for Services which authorizes telehealth services, should the client choose to utilize services in this manner.
Telehealth services may only be provided by clinicians who are licensed to provide counseling in the state the clinician and the client resides in.
Neither the client nor provider may utilize telehealth service to audio record, video record or photograph the client, without express written consent via the Consent to Record form.
The decision for services to be provided via telehealth may be made at the time of Request for Services. However, it may also be made throughout treatment. If the client requests services via telehealth but then has technical difficulties or for any reason determines that in-person services are preferred, the counselor will make every effort to provide services in-person or make a referral to someone who can. In addition, if at any time the counselor does not feel that telehealth services are working, he/she may request that the client come in-person for services or make a referral to someone who can provide in-person services.
The counselor is responsible for making sure that Google Meet is working effectively in each session. Verification should occur at the start of the session, throughout the session and in both locations (counselor and client). Should there be trouble connecting the counselor may send a separate Google Meet Link directly to the client. Clients are encouraged to download the Google Meet app to promote greater reliability.
The counselor should verify the following at the onset of each telehealth session:

The identity of the client.
The identity of the provider.
The physical location of the client.

If the client is not at an allowed location at the time of the session, it must be canceled. Allowed locations vary by payer and service type.
The counselor is responsible for ensuring privacy during the session. If the client is not able to find a private area for the session, the session should be canceled until a private place can be obtained.
Should the session be disrupted during the session, the client may call the office and ask

for assistance. The counselor or Client Representative can assist with either reconnecting the counselor or rescheduling the session.

Sliding Fee Schedule

When finances create a barrier to a person receiving services at Life Within, a sliding fee schedule is offered to them. The sliding fee schedule is based on the 2020 Federal Poverty Guidelines (FPG) for the 48 contiguous states and the District of Columbia. Please apply at the application below:

Sliding Fee Application

Federal Poverty Guidelines Based Sliding Fee Schedule

Coordinated Referral Plan

Occasionally Life Within may lack the capacity to provide medically necessary Outpatient Behavioral Health Services. When this occurs, Life Within will do the following in a timely manner:

Identify in the client record the medically necessary Outpatient Behavioral Health Services that the provider cannot or will not furnish;
State the reason(s) in the client record that the provider cannot or will not furnish the care;
Notify the Director of Life Within to assure appropriate care was taken, the client was discharged appropriately, and adequate transition plans were made.

Requirements to Maintain Certification

Independently Licensed Practitioner may not furnish Outpatient Behavioral Health Services during any time the professional’s license is subject to adverse license action or the following apply:

Is excluded from Medicare, Medicaid, or both;
Is debarred under Ark. Code Ann. § 19-11-245
Is excluded under DHS Policy 1088
Was subject to a final determination that the provider failed to comply with professionally recognized standards of care, conduct, or both. For purposes of this subsection, “final determination” means a final court or administrative adjudication, or the result of an alternative dispute resolution process such as arbitration or mediation.

Family Involvement Policy

See Appendix A

Emergency Response Plan

See appendix B

Care Planning and Delivery

Treatment services provided by Life Within Counseling Group, LLC will take place on-site at the designated office location. Therapy services may also take place at another healthcare center (hospital), physician’s office, or school as outlined in the Outpatient Behavioral Services Manual. Providers will be sure to make timely clinical disposition decisions per certification requirements

Services Provided by Clinician’s

Group sessions: As medically appropriate, clients may also participate in sessions with other clients having similar problems and who are of a similar age/developmental stage. These groups are designed to enhance the therapeutic process through the sharing of emotions, problem-solving techniques, and coping skills in a confidential and therapeutic environment.

All Outpatient Behavioral Health Services must be tailored to the individual client's need, no entries made should contain materially identical information.

Discharge and Transition Procedures

When it is determined that a client does not fit the scope of our services, a referral is made to the appropriate referral source. When making referrals, the person making the referral will consider:

Client’s payer source
Severity of symptoms

An updated list of Outpatient and Inpatient providers will be kept in the internal digital library.

When a client is not able to be treated by Life Within prior to intake, the Client Care Coordinator will provide the client multiple referral locations and the client will be responsible for engaging in the options provided. The Client Care Coordinator will document the referral in the Completed Tab of the Intake Sheet. The client will be instructed to follow up with the Client Care Coordinator if they are unable to enroll in another program of care.

When a client who is currently being treated by Life Within needs a higher level of care, the clinician will work to identify a referral source with the capacity to treat the client. The Clinician will provide the client and/or Parent/Guardian with all necessary information for the client to be placed in the higher level of care. The treating clinician will document the referral/transition in a Transition Consultation note in Therapy Notes or in a Progress Note if the referral is made during a session. The client will be instructed to follow up with the referring clinician if they are unable to enroll in another program of care.

Client’s should be considered for discharge if one of the follow conditions are met:

Not seen in 60 days
Goals Met
Moved out of area
Client refused services
A termination note should be completed in the clients chart and a letter may be mailed to the client indicating the reason their chart has been closed.

Mobile Care

Clinicians will be expected to present themselves in a professional manner when providing clinical care outside the office. Two settings currently supported to provide services at Life Within are at the client’s school and at the client’s home

School-Based

Life Within shall provide all documentation of licenses, background checks, and related information required by the District for all school-based mental health therapists employed by Life Within.
Services rendered may include group counseling, individual counseling, family counseling, therapeutic interventions, collateral, crisis, and stabilization interventions for SBMH students. Family intervention may include a variety of services such as family home visits, parent training groups, and crisis interventions.
Life Within and its employees and agents shall meet the standards of District for suitability for work as therapists. District shall have the right to refuse to permit any therapist to work in District, if District determines the same is not in the best interest of District or its students or families in its absolute discretion.
Life Within will work collaboratively with school staff and when necessary 504, Special Education, and/or other meetings related to student accommodations. Assist in assuring continuation of quality mental health services to students as they transition to their next grade level and/or their feeder schools or transfer to another school in the district.
Life Within shall assess students in crisis, provide crisis interventions and stabilizations as needed until a mobile assessor arrives and/or appropriate referrals are made for the indicated level of care. Should acute hospitalization be required, Life Within will follow customary industry standards and ethical practices. All families involving students that require acute hospitalization will be given a choice as to which hospital they prefer. Life Within accepts responsibility for working with the school toward safety planning and monitoring any student that has been identified as in crisis, is labeled as a potential danger to self or others, has been referred for acute or residential treatment and is returning to District.
Life Within employees and agents are mandated reporters by law and as such shall report all suspected forms of child maltreatment.
Life Within shall not interfere with any use by the District of its facilities nor shall Life Within take any steps whatsoever to influence students or school district personnel to become a part of or adopt any philosophy, creed, or beliefs of Life Within.

Life Within agrees to abide by the District's policies as well as all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations governing the use of school district property. Life Within understands that the use or possession of alcoholic beverages, controlled substances, tobacco, firearms or weapons on school district property is strictly prohibited and punishable by law. Prescription medication shall be administered or stored upon the premises only as permitted by and in compliance with all applicable laws, rules, and regulations

Home Based

Home-based services are provided at the clinician’s discretion to ensure safety and appropriateness.

Clients will never be seen behind closed doors at a residence.
Clinician must always wear a name tag that has their credentials on it

Inpatient Care

Clinicians will provide appropriate assessment of client’s functioning when the client presents signs of being a danger to themselves or others. If a clinician is not available to assess the client in person, the client will be given the numbers of mobile assessors to The Bridgeway, whom we have a Crisis Agreement with.

The Bridgeway, 1-800-245-0011

Quality Improvement Program

Clinicians will participate in various quality improvement programs which include:

Monthly whole group meetings to review cases and quality assurance issues
Individual meetings with Director to review specific issues
Requirements for informing all clients and clients’ responsible parties of the client’s rights while accessing services.

Life Within will conduct ongoing personnel, customer, and client/consumer feedback surveys. The feedback obtained from these surveys will be used to determine the expectations of persons served, determine areas of service delivery that need improvement and modify and/or establish improved methods of service delivery to meet or exceed the expectations of persons served. This program will use various means of data collection to accomplish this task

Maintenance of Client Records

It is the policy of Life Within Counseling Group, LLC that all client clinical information received by the office shall be kept in the client’s clinical record which is stored digitally in TherapyNotes. Any paper files are scanned and uploaded and stored in a secured/locked filing cabinet located in a secure/locked room when not in use. Records of discharged clients will be kept locked and secured at the clinic site for a period of at least seven years at which time they will be permanently destroyed.

Privacy Rights

Professional ethics and legal standards require that our conversations and our records (even the fact that you are a client) be kept confidential. However, under the following circumstances, we are legally and ethically obligated to breach confidentiality: (a) If you present a serious imminent danger to yourself or others (b) in cases of apparent abuse or neglect of a child, an elderly person, or a disabled person (c) in the event of my death or incapacitation a designated individual will be responsible for my records and/or contact as necessary.

Our records are stored electronically on an encrypted, password-protected laptop. Texts, emails, and voicemails may be stored on a password-protected smart phone. In the event that this laptop or phone is lost or stolen, we will take measures to wipe out the data. We also have an encrypted external backup system. At such time that the laptop or phone is no longer in use, it will be wiped/sanitized.

In addition, when clients enter couples counseling, their rights to confidentiality within the therapy are waived. It is not therapeutically advisable for the therapist and one partner to hold confidential information from the other partner. This doesn’t mean that things are automatically shared but clients will be strongly encouraged to share pertinent information. A culture of secrecy disrupts the effectiveness of couples therapy. Thus, if you participate in couples therapy, you will be voluntarily waiving the right to confidentiality with your partner who is also participating in therapy. Do not tell anything you wish to keep a secret from them as we reserve the right at our discretion to share information I deem helpful to therapy.

Finally, if we want to consult with someone about the specifics of your case in order to better coordinate services (i.e. a doctor), we will request that you sign a release of information. Please understand that in couples therapy records can only be released when privilege has been waived by both people. Please review the Notice of Privacy Practices for Protected Health Information (https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-individuals/guidance-materials-for-consumers/index.html) for a more extensive explanation of your privacy rights.

In compliance with the state and federal requirements of HIPAA I have been provided with a copy or access to the Clinic’s policy and procedures regarding the protection, security, and release of my Protected Health Information.

Consumer Complaint Policy

LWCG will uphold the rights of persons receiving services and a grievance procedure for those persons according to relevant federal, state, and local statutes as well as accrediting bodies.

Life Within Counseling Group (LWCG) shall address any and all complaints in an appropriate, respectful, and systematic manner. Any individual filing a complaint shall not be threatened or penalized in any way for filing such complaint.

GRIEVANCES:

A formal complaint may be filed any time a client’s rights may have been violated. To file a complaint, go to the Complaint Form
The Client Care Coordinator shall be available to assist the griever in the process of filing a grievance, investigating on behalf of the griever, and representing the griever at the agency hearing if desired by the griever. In the event the Client Care Coordinator is the subject of the grievance, an alternative Client Care Coordinator will be the Executive Director.
Grievances are to be filed with the Client Care Coordinator who is located as described above.
All grievances will be heard by an impartial clinician having no involvement with the client or situation that is the subject of the grievance. The procedure for hearing grievances shall include in-person and/or telephone contact with the griever (and/or a representative as appropriate), and as appropriate, contact with others who are the subject of the grievance (including agency staff) and review of records.
Timeline for the resolution of grievances shall not exceed ten working days from the filing of the grievance. Written notification of the resolution of the grievance shall be provided to the client or the griever if other than the client (with the client's permission). Written resolution of the grievance shall be sent by certified mail to the client or griever's last known mailing address.
There is no specified time limit for the filing of a grievance.
Should the griever feel that the person hearing the grievance does not adequately resolve the grievance, an appeal may be filed with the Executive Director. The Executive Director shall have ten days from the filing of the appeal to further investigate the grievance and shall provide a written resolution to the griever by certified mail.
All written resolutions shall be in a language that is understandable to the client/griever.
The griever may file a complaint with any or all of the several outside entities, specifically the Arkansas Psychology Board, Arkansas Advisory Committee to the United States Commission on Civil Rights the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and appropriate professional licensing or regulatory agencies.
Copies of the grievance procedure will be provided to each client upon admission and to an applicant upon request. Agency staff shall explain the grievance procedure at any time upon request and in language that is understandable to the client.
Client grievances and appeals will be reviewed monthly at LWCG's Quality Improvement Committee. Annually, efforts will be made to determine trends in complaints and to identify areas for performance improvement.

Accessibility Plan

Life Within's Accessibility Plan will ensure that all services are available, accessible, appropriate, and acceptable for clients. Input will be collected from persons served and actions will be taken to remove any barriers that are identified promptly. LWCG's organizational leadership will review the Accessibility Plan on an annual basis and make adjustments as necessary. Client’s should be aware that each physical location may have risks inherent to older buildings. Please obey signs wherever posted and be safe.

PROCEDURE:

Each site in which services are provided will be handicap accessible or appropriate accommodations will be made as necessary on an individual basis so as there are no architectural or environmental barriers. Individual requests for separate reasonable accommodations are identified and reviewed and a decision will be made by the Executive Director. Documentation of the accommodations will be documented in the client's chart by the rendering clinician.
Routine services are typically provided Monday-Friday, 8:30 am-5:00 pm, however, appointments after hours are available upon request.
If a client requests technology-assisted appointments (telehealth) this accommodation is provided if deemed appropriate by the rendering clinician.
Life Within Counseling Group operates as a paperless office, however, if a client is having difficulty utilizing technology, paper copies of all documents are available for distribution.
No otherwise qualified individual with a disability shall, solely by reason of his/her disability, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity of LWCG.

Complaint Form

When warranted by the client's financial circumstances, the client's eligibility for a sliding fee scale payment schedule will be assessed upon the provision of required financial documentation.
Minimum criteria for acceptability of services shall include, but not be limited to: (1) Provision of services shall be culturally sensitive with responsive treatment planning and service delivery. (2) This includes displaying sensitivity to ethnic and cultural differences among people. (3) Freedom of choice among therapeutic alternatives for the person receiving services shall be promoted and no person served shall be denied access to any service based on their refusal to accept other services recommended by LWCG.

Minimum criteria for appropriateness of services shall include, but not be limited to: (1) Delivery of service in the natural environment (school, community) of the person receiving services as appropriate. (2) The provision of services will respect and attempt to maintain continuity of therapeutic relationships. (3) The provision of services will take the perceived needs of the person receiving services as well as their cultural assessment into consideration.
LWCG will be committed to reducing the stigma of people with disabilities. An accessibility plan will be updated annually by LWCG's organizational leadership team with the purpose of identifying barriers in providing services to clients or potential clients.
A question on the client satisfaction survey will inquire if the person served felt as though there were specific barriers to receiving services at LWCG. Barriers can include: (l) Architectural, (2)Environmental, (3) Attitudinal, (4) Financial, (5) Employment, (6) Communication, (7) Transportation, and/or (8) Any other barrier identified by the Persons served, personnel, or other stakeholders.
When barriers are reported by persons served, personnel, or other stakeholders, LWCG's organizational leadership will investigate within 14 business days. If a barrier is determined to exist, LWCG will be committed to removing this barrier, or make appropriate and acceptable accommodations for the individual, within 60 days of the report. Written documentation of the reports, investigations, and corrective action shall be maintained.

An accessibility plan will be updated annually about the identified barriers that will include: (1) timelines for the removal of barriers, (b) Progress made in the removal of barriers, and (3) Areas needing improvement.
If barriers cannot be removed, or appropriate accommodations cannot be made, the individual will be referred to another provider with resources that are accessible for the person.

Accessibility Plan

Prohibited Items

No tobacco, alcohol, drugs (legal, & illegal), smoking, or weapons will be allowed on the premises. Prescription drugs are allowed on the premises but must remain on the person prescribed at all times.

Closures

In the event of the planned or unplanned permanent closure of the office, active clients will be notified as soon as possible through a meeting and/or phone call from Life Within Counseling Group, LLC. Active clients will also receive notification of the closing through certified mail. Every effort to assist the client with follow-up or transfer of care will be made through referrals to another mental health service provider of the client’s choice.

Planned Closings:

Upon deciding to close a site either temporarily or permanently, Life Within will immediately provide written notice to clients and to the Department of Human Services, Division of Behavioral Health Services, and to clients.
Notice of site closure will state the site closure date
If site closure is permanent, the site certification will expire at 12:00 a.m. the day following the closure date stated in the notice

Unplanned Closings:

If Life Within must involuntarily close a site due to, for example, fire, natural disaster, or adverse governmental action, Life Within will immediately notify clients and families, DHS, the Division of Medical Services, the Medicaid fiscal agent, and the accrediting organization(DPSQA) of the closure and the reason(s) for the closure.

All Closings:

Life Within will assure and document continuity of care for all clients who receive Outpatient Behavioral Health Services at the site;
Notice of Closure and Continuing Care Options:

Life Within will assure and document that clients and families receive actual notice of the closure, the closure date, and any information and instructions necessary for the client to obtain transition services. Before closing, Life Within will post a public notice at the site entry.

Transition Plan:

Provide clients/families with the referral information and have them sign a transfer of records form/release of information to enable records to be transferred to the provider of their choice. OR
Transfer records to a designated provider.

Unsafe Behavior Modification

It is the policy of Life Within that when a person demonstrates unsafe behaviors, staff will utilize behavioral interventions that will bring about positive behavioral change in our patients. Life Within will use behavioral interventions that have a direct correlation with the targeted behavior of the patient. They should be individualized and should take into consideration the patient’s chronological and developmental age, size, gender, physical, medical, and psychiatric condition, and personal history (including any history of physical or sexual abuse.)

PROCEDURE:

Nonrestrictive interventions are preferred by Life Within and are intended to help the patient replace target behaviors that have created conflict for him/her and others in the past with replacement behaviors that do not create such conflict. Aversive procedures, fear-eliciting procedures, denial of basic needs, corporal punishment, and mechanical restraint are not used as behavioral management methodologies at Life Within. Behavior management is never implemented by another patient. Patients/families shall be informed of the Life Within philosophy as a part of the intake process.

A Crisis Intervention approach will be enlisted to avoid the use of restraint or seclusion when possible, according to the following guidelines.

Listen to the client and define the problem.
Ensure client safety: assess for lethality.
Provide support: communicate to the client by words, body language, and tone.
Act to help intervene with the client in a collaborative, nondirective, nonjudgmental manner according to assessed needs and environmental supports.
Assist the client in developing a realistic short-term plan with defined action steps.
Obtain commitment from the client to own action steps.
If the crisis intervention approach does not prevent immediate danger to the client or others, implement brief restraint or seclusion for the safety of all, and call 911 if the crisis escalates.

Life Within clinicians will limit the use of seclusion and restraint to brief interventions, the least restrictive possible, in which no other intervention will ensure the safety of the client and/or others in the vicinity.

Restraint will be limited to the minimal intervention required (for example holding the hand or arm) to keep the client out of danger (i.e. traffic). Similarly, minimal, temporary seclusion is necessary to ensure safety if the client becomes a danger to others (i.e. if the client becomes aggressive or destructive, to leave the room and instruct any others to leave, until the client becomes calm and safe or other intervention occurs).

Client Rights and Responsibilities

Life Within Counseling Group adheres to the following Client Rights

Seeking and selecting a counselor can be an intimidating process. As a client, you have the right to:

Select a professional counselor who meets your needs.
Receive specific information about your counselor’s qualifications, including education, experience, national counseling certifications, and state licensure.
Obtain a copy of the code(s) of ethics your counselor must follow.
Receive a written explanation of services offered, time commitments, fee scales, and billing policies prior to receipt of services.
Understand your counselor’s areas of expertise and scope of practice (e.g., career development, adolescents, couples, etc.)
Ask questions about confidentiality and its limits as specified in state laws and professional ethical codes.
Receive information about emergency procedures (e.g., how to contact your counselor in the event of a crisis).
Ask questions about counseling techniques and strategies, including potential risks and benefits.
Establish goals and evaluate progress with your counselor.
Request additional opinions from other mental health assessment professionals.
Understand the implications of diagnosis and the intended use of psychological reports.
Obtain copies of records and reports.
Terminate the counseling relationship at any time.
Share any concerns or complaints you may have regarding a professional counselor’s conduct with the appropriate professional counseling organization or licensure board.
Freedom from: Abuse, retaliation, humiliation, neglect, financial or other exploitation

Client’s of Life Within Counseling Group adhere to the following expectations(2.B.8.g)

Adhere to established schedules. If you must miss an appointment, contact your counselor as soon as possible.
Pay your bill in accordance with the billing agreements.
Follow agreed-upon goals and strategies established in sessions.
Inform your professional counselor of your progress and challenges in meeting your goals.
Participate fully in each session to help maximize a positive outcome.
Inform your counselor if you are receiving mental health services from another professional.
Consider appropriate referrals from your counselor.
Avoid placing your counselor in ethical dilemmas, such as requesting to become involved in social interactions or to barter for services.

Any person demonstrating unsafe behaviors or threatening attitudes toward any Life Within Employee may risk discontinuation or denial of future services. Client’s will be advised to seek services elsewhere for at least 6 months prior to requesting services at Life Within again.

Appendix A: Family Involvement Policy

The family is a foundational institution across all cultures. Parents/guardians are entrusted with the responsibility for taking care of their children. Because parents/guardians are essential to the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual development of their children, it is vital that parents are also involved in their child’s mental health. Parents/guardians involvement positively influences the outcome of treatment and empowers them to continue to nurture their child’s development.

Parents/guardians will be incorporated into treatment with their child who is under 18 at a minimum within every 90 days.

If a Parent/guardian is not available at the information provided for them, we will utilize contacts that we have appropriate releases to obtain better contact information.

Appendix B Emergency Response Plan

The following Emergency Response plan is in coordination with an agreement with The Bridgeway Hospital and should be discussed with clients and available for Review

The BridgeWay
21 Bridgeway Rd,
North Little Rock, AR 72113

1-800-245-0011*

*This 24 hour emergency number will be posted on the public entries to each site and listed on their voicemail.

Emergency Services Training

Client will call the office phone number during business hours:

501-232-2600

After Hours, clients will call The Bridgeway if they are having a mental health emergency:

1-800-245-0011

For any other Emergencies please Call 911.

Local Law Enforcement Agencies
within 50 miles include:
Beebe Police Department
201 W Illinois St, Beebe, AR 72012
(501) 882-3365

Cabot Police Department
101 N 2nd St, Cabot, AR 72023
(501) 843-6526

White County Sheriff's Department
Address: 1600 E Booth Rd, Searcy, AR 72143
Phone: (501) 279-6279

Medical Facilities:
Unity Health Hospital Emergency Room
Address: 3214 E Race Ave, Searcy, AR 72143
Phone: (501) 268-6121

Cabot Emergency Hospital
212 Willie Ray Dr, Cabot, AR 72023
(501) 333-9110

Response Strategies

The goal Crisis intervention is to provide counseling, screening, and referrals to any individuals

potentially affected by a traumatic event. Rather than assume that individuals in need seek

services independently, crisis intervention appropriately takes services to victims. Crisis intervention seeks to mitigate the social and psychological effects of the stressful event. The primary therapeutic goal of crisis intervention is to restore a sense of equilibrium, characterized by the ability to creatively

problem-solve and feel efficacious, as when coping resources are not taxed. Crisis intervention

may include activities not usually associated with traditional mental health care, such as

providing assistance with physical needs, shelter, financial matters, and reunification with family

members.

In Coordination with our After-Hours agreement with The Bridgeway Hospital, direct access to a mental health professional will be provided within fifteen (15) minutes of an emergency/crisis call and face-to-face crisis assessment within two (2) hours;

Strategies will be based upon

Time and place of occurrence
Individuals status(client/non client)
Contact source(family, doctor, law enforcement, school, etc)

Also in collaboration with The Bridgeway, face to face intervention must occur within 24 hours when received from a hospital or law enforcement agency with current clients.

Emergency responses will not vary based on the client’s funding source. If a client is eligible for inpatient behavioral health care funded through the community mental health centers and the provider is not a community mental health center with access to these funds, the Life Within must:

Determine whether the safest, least restrictive alternative is psychiatric hospitalization; and
Contact the appropriate community mental health center (CMHC) for consult and to request the CMHC to access local acute care funds for those over 21.
Current closest CMHC is Professional Counseling Associates 501-221-1843.

The above crisis response requirements can be addressed through an agreement with another provider at Life Within Counseling Group. Crisis response plans will be discussed with clients and must be available for review.

Collaboration

Clinicians will collaborate with parents, guardians, and legal custodians as well as school staff to ensure systemic functions will help increase protective factors towards client’s health.

Crisis Calls

Calls taken during business hours will be routed from the Client Care Specialist to the assigned therapist. If they are not a current client, the call will be routed to the director. Therapist will collaborate with parents, guardians, and school staff when responding to a child in crisis.

Outcomes

The outcome of a Crisis intervention will depend on the clinicians assessment of client safety and ability to regulate him or herself. Client will either:

Be released back to home with a safety plan
Referred to Behavioral health hospital,
Sent to the local Emergency Room.

Critical Care Incidents

Clinicians shall report all critical incidents to the director within 24 hours of an incident. Critical Incidents include but are not limited to:

Client Suicide
Attempted Client suicide
Client Death
Non-Natural Death
Allegation of client abuse or neglect
Alleged homicide by or to a client
Police Intervention

Following a critical incident and any appropriate intervention, a Critical Incident Report will be completed by the attending clinician.

Clinical Review Process

A Crisis or Critical Care Incident(Crisis calls, responses, collaborations, and outcomes) should be documented and the following steps will be done within 24 hours:

Report reviewed by Director
Any concerns will be communicated to clinician through secure email or face to face communication
Follow-up and corrective plans will be made to ensure client care and safety.

Appendix C: Emergency Escape Plans

106 N Pecan, Beebe, AR

505 S Elm St, Searcy, AR

204 N. First St., Ste. 3 , Cabot, AR

204 N. First St., Ste. 4 , Cabot, AR

Appendix D: Client Instructions for Telehealth Sessions

Telehealth Session Instructions

You should speak with your clinician at the onset and throughout your services if you are wishing to utilize Telehealth services.

How to Join a Google Meet Session

1. Get the Link: Obtain the Google Meet link from your therapist via email or calendar

Invite.

You will get an email like this:

The link for the Google Meet is in the invite. When you select the link, you will need to make sure to give permission for the computer to use Camera and Microphone.

You must click “Ask to Join” to start the meeting.

You should get a reminder 10 minutes prior to the event. The reminder email should have a link to the session.

If you are using a phone or tablet, you may need to download the Google Meet app at which point you would need to have a Gmail account to log in. If you use a browser on a laptop or chromebook, no gmail account is necessary.

Send your clinician a text or email if you are having trouble getting connected.

Tips for a Successful Session

Test Your Equipment: Check your microphone, camera, and internet connection before

joining. Make sure your device is positioned so your face is in the middle of the screen

and the camera is at eye level. Test your speakers or earphones and adjust the volume.

You can also close other programs on your device to improve your internet connection

and reduce distractions.

Choose a Quiet Environment: Find a quiet place to minimize background noise. If you

live with others, you can ask them not to disturb you or use the Wi-Fi during your

appointment. You can also try using a white noise machine or fan to keep others from

overhearing your conversation. Using headphones can help reduce echo and improve

sound quality.

Be On Time: Join a few minutes early to address any technical issues.

Stay Engaged: Try to give your appointment your full attention. Mute your phone and

other devices to limit distractions. Set aside enough time to finish the entire session.

In the Event of an Emergency:

Contact your clinician directly when safe to do so. Contact the office at 501-232-2600 ext 2 if you are unable to reach your clinician.
Call 911 in dangerous and life threatening situations.
Notify local authorities at the location of either the client or clinician as appropriate to do so. Ensure both client and clinician are aware of who the local authorities would be at each location.

By following these steps, you’ll ensure a smooth and productive Google Meet session with your therapist!