Welcome to Oakridge Counselling – an independently owned company founded in 2004 to provide effective, high quality and easily accessible counselling. In order to get the most from your experience at Oakridge Counselling it is important that the relationship between you and your counsellor begin with an understanding of how you will work together, your rights and responsibilities, the policies and general practice principles of Oakridge Counselling and what you can expect from your counsellor.

Collection and Storage of Information

Oakridge Counselling collects demographic, contact, personal, billing and clinical information from all clients during the initial intake session. Hard copies of that information are stored in a private locked filing cabinet. Information is also stored electronically on a password protected computer database system. Information in client files is kept for seven years (following the guidelines set out by the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers) and then destroyed. Clients may access the hard copy of their file by submitting a signed and dated “Request to Obtain File Information” form available at Oakridge Counselling. Client information may be shared within the office with clinical staff and supervisors for the purposes of record keeping, supervision and clinical education. From time to time it is necessary for other professionals (doctors, lawyers etc) to view client file information. In this case, clients must sign a “Consent to Disclose Information” form before Oakridge Counselling will disclose the information.

Confidentiality

Confidentiality is a high priority at Oakridge Counselling. What this means to you as a client is that your counsellor will not disclose anything that is discussed within a session with anyone other than his/her clinical supervisor or clinical team. There are some limitations to confidentiality that may require a release of information without consent. These are, if there is a risk of child abuse, if there is a risk of suicide and if there is a risk of homicide. In the case of couples counselling when individuals are seen separately, it is not always possible to maintain confidentiality with respect to the individual session(s) when couples sessions resume.

Email and Voice Mail

Email communication from clients may be printed and stored within the hard copy of the client file and may or may not be stored electronically. Email contact will be treated with the same level of privacy as the hard copy of the client’s file. Feel free to communicate with Oakridge Counselling via email at elizabeth@oakridgecounselling.com. Messages left on voice mail for Oakridge Counselling may be retrieved by office staff other than the intended recipient but will be held in confidence and delivered to the intended recipient in a timely fashion. All office staff (receptionist, computer technician, counsellors etc.) sign a “Confidentiality Agreement.”

Accountability

All counsellors at Oakridge Counselling are registered with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW) and carry the designation “RSW”. What this means to you as a client is that your therapist is accountable to a regulatory body that is administered by the Provincial Government to regulate the practice of Social Work in Ontario and to ensure that all registered members are competent and that they abide by a code of ethics and standards of practice set out by the regulatory body. A copy of the Code of Ethics is displayed on the wall at Oakridge Counselling and there are copies of the Standards of Practice manual available for client perusal upon request at Oakridge Counselling. For more information about the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW) visit their website at www.ocswssw.org or contact them at 1-877-828-9380.

Cancellation Policy

At Oakridge Counselling we understand that with today’s busy lifestyle you may periodically need to reschedule your session(s). In order to ensure that Oakridge Counselling makes the best use of its time and provides service to as many people as possible, it is imperative should you need to reschedule a session you call within twenty four hours of your scheduled session time to do so. If you do not call within twenty-four hours of your scheduled session time to reschedule, or if you do not show up for your scheduled session, you will be charged the full session fee. Payment, which can be made by cash, cheque, Visa and MasterCard is due at the beginning of each session. A $35.00 fee will be charged on all dishonoured cheques.

Client(s) Rights Agreement

I have read and understood the conditions outlined in the Oakridge Counselling Service Agreement and consent to Counselling within the outlined conditions. Clicking the submit button represents the same level of agreement as does a written signature on a printed copy. By hitting the “Submit” button I agree that I have read, understood and will abide by the items contained in this agreement.