Couples Therapy Blunders: Common Mistakes When Billing, Documenting, and Handling Ethical Dilemmas

2.5 CE credit Live Interactive Webinar Saturday, October 21, 2023
9:30 am – 12:10 pm Pacific Time/12:30 – 3:10 PM Eastern Time
Presenter: Barbara Griswold, LMFT
Fee: $60

For those who register but are unable to attend, CE credits (though not Live) will be available by viewing the recording and completing the post-test and evaluation. Distance Learning Board Approvals

This webinar satisfies requirements for live interactive CE credits for all professions.

Fulfills Requirement: Professional Ethics for all professions. Check with your state board if you have questions.

DESCRIPTION

Working with couples is not only clinically challenging, but it can be difficult to navigate the added complexities in the areas of billing, documentation, and ethical practice. When can you ethically bill insurance?  Who really is your client? Do you need two charts and treatment plans? What does insurance expect? When one member of the couple comes in alone, how do you handle confidentiality?

This 2.5 hour presentation will cover practical issues you deal with daily when working with couples, challenge myths you may have, clarify areas of confusion, and invite you to think more carefully about your current policies.

Best of all, you’ll get a chance to view a brief couples session note that would satisfy insurance, legal, and ethical expectations.

The webinar is applicable nationwide, for anyone who bills for — or works with — couples.

TOPICS INCLUDE:  

• When you can (and can’t) ethically bill insurance for couples therapy

• Common mistakes in billing for couples

• New advice about billing for longer couples sessions

• Common billing/diagnosis practices that are actually fraud

• Must I choose an identified patient? If so, how?

• Confidentiality and “no-secrets” policies

• Do you need separate treatment plans and charts?

• Seeing a member of the couple individually

• Changing roles (ex. from individual to couples therapist)

• What should be in your progress notes and treatment agreement with couples

• Some telehealth issues with couples, including when interstate therapy is legal with couples in different states

• Appropriate couples therapy treatment goals

This webinar is applicable nationwide, and aimed at all psychotherapists of any skill level, even those who don’t work directly with insurance.

Target audience: This course is appropriate for mental health professionals

Content level: Introductory/Intermediate