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Terms and Conditions
Code of ethics
Snow Chen is a accredited Mental Health Social worker registered as the full member of AASW. She subscribes to the AASW Mental Health Social Work practice standards and codes of ethics.
Service We Provide
Sunflower Mental Health and Wellbeing provides psychotherapy services for adolescents and adults in Adelaide, South Australia. The outreach service is negotiable and travel feel will be charged.
EMERGENCIES
Sunflower Mental Health and Wellbeing doesn’t provide crisis services. If you need urgent assistance between sessions, please contact your GP or Mental Health triage (ph. 13 14 65) or Lifeline (ph. 13 11 44), or Suicide Call Back Service (1300 659 467) or Kids Helpline (1800 551 800) or access your local Emergency Department . In the case of an emergency, please call 000.
APPOINTMENTS
New clients can book appointments by email admin@sunflowermentalhealth.com.au or call 0426851396. Full reception services are not available, so if your call is missed, it’s probably because Snow is busy with another client. Please leave a message, and your call will be returned as soon as possible. Email or text message is highly recommended as the first contact option. You will receive courtesy SMS appointment reminders, but you are taking full responsibility for remembering your appointments. Please reply to confirm your appointment and attend on time. Given our appointment arrangement, unfortunately, sessions cannot be extended if you are late, and full fees will still apply. Late cancellations and missed appointments are subject to cancellation fees (see the item of Cancellation Policy).
For the ongoing clients, online booking is provided.
FEES
Fees are scheduled below the AASW recommended rate of $270/hr for a standard 50-60 minute session. The additional fee will be charged for weekends and public holidays. Your out-of-pocket expenses will vary depending on your eligibility for any rebates. Any extra service requests such as providing a supporting letter will be charged according to the current AASW Recommended Fees. Please contact us for further clarification.
REBATES AND BENEFITS
Sunflower Mental Health and Wellbeing is a private billing practice. The amount of rebate or benefit you receive will depend on the scheme you qualify for, the type of service/s you require, your private health insurance policy, and any Medicare safety net qualifications. To receive your Medicare rebate, we must receive a compliant referral from your GP, psychiatrist or paediatrician, prior to your first consultation. Your medical professional is responsible for remedying any problems with initial referrals (e.g. if not Medicare compliant). Please note that you may only claim through one scheme for the same consultation.
PAYMENT
Fees are payable in full by cash, credit card or Eftpos at the time of service. For your convenience, we process most government rebates and private health claims on-site at the time of payment. If you are eligible for Medicare rebates, you can claim Medicare rebates automatically using this practice’s online Medicare rebates claiming service. To claim rebates, simply provide your practitioner with your Medicare card details using the Online Claiming and Payments Authority form your practitioner provides) as well as the accounts where you would like Medicare to direct deposit any rebates for you. If you do not wish to provide your bank account details, Medicare can send you a cheque to your registered home address. Third party payees will be invoiced directly.
CANCELLATION POLICY
We are a private billing service so we don’t have any government funding. When you make an appointment, the whole appointment time is reserved for you. Please give us a notice as early as possible. The required notice for cancellation is seven days. With 48 hours' notice, a cancellation fee ($50/per cancellation) will be charged. Appointments that are cancelled with 24 hours’ notice, half fee will be charged . Appointments that are cancelled within 24 hours' or missed without cancellation, full fee will be charged , payable prior to your next appointment. Please note that rebates are not available for cancelled appointments and that if a third party is paying for your service, they will usually require you to be responsible for cancellation fees. Cancellations fees also incur GST. With adequate advanced notice, where possible, you may be offered an alternative appointment.
If for any reason your clinician is unable to attend the appointment, we will notify you by email and your clinician will contact you to reschedule the appointment.
Anti-discrimination policy
We are strongly committed to anti-discrimination. It values difference and diversity and does not discriminate on the grounds of age, gender and gender identity, sexual preference or orientation, marital/partnership status, religion, race, colour, national origin, disability, heritage or political belief. We stand for human rights and equality.
INFORMATION SECURITY AND ACCESS
The privacy of client information is maintained in accordance with Australian Privacy Principles (APPS 2013) and the Practice Standards for Mental Health Social Workers (2014). The provision of effective therapy, assessment and mediation services necessarily requires the collection of personal information. All clinical records are stored electronically in your client file, which you consent to as a client of this practice. You have a general right to access your records (subject to some exceptions which mainly relate to privacy, health or legal considerations) and can request access to your records. Your request must be made in writing, after which your request will be discussed with you.
If we experience any data breaches, we will inform you as soon as possible.
CONFIDENTIALITY
All information or case notes will be kept confidential unless the client requests and consents the clinician to discuss something with a third party. Where appropriate a consent form will be used. The only reasons for breaking confidentiality would be if the clinician considered that your life was at risk, if another person's life was at risk or if the clinician was liable to civil or criminal court proceedings if the information was not disclosed. If at all possible this would be discussed beforehand.
Most session notes and your private information are stored electronically securely when not in use. Data held electronically is on a personal computer and stored locally in a password protected account. Phone contact details are held on a password protected work phone.
CONSENT TO SHARE INFORMATION
Information you provide to Sunflower Mental Health and Wellbeing may only be shared with a third party (e.g. a GP, court, school or agency), with your expressed consent or awareness. In some instances (e.g. Medicare or WorkCover referrals), your clinician will be contractually obligated to share information about your treatment. If you consent to us providing a supporting letter to a third party we will usually be required to include personal information that is relevant to the reporting purpose. Please note that we cannot be responsible for preserving the confidentiality of any report or communication that has been released to an external party.
The client aged below 16 years should have their legal guardian’s consent to access our service.
SAFETY
The safety and welfare of our clients and staff is crucial. Verbal abuse, harassment or physical aggression towards staff or clients will not be tolerated and those who engage in such behaviour may be refused further services. For their own safety, children under 12 years of age cannot be left unsupervised in our waiting room. Please make prior arrangements for their care or supervision during appointments.
Disclaimer
When you access Sunflower Mental Health and Wellbeing, it is entirely at your own risk. Except as expressly provided by law, we will in no event be liable for any claims, losses or damages of any kind (including special, indirect and consequential loss) arising out of or in relation to the use or performance of the Sunflower Mental Health and Wellbeing website. We retain all of our rights at law as to how we may discharge our obligations with regards to any liability that cannot be lawfully excluded under these Terms and Conditions of Use.
Complaints and Feedback Process
In the first instance it is best if you discuss your concerns or feedback with your clinician or
email admin@sunflowermentalhealth.com.au
Sunflower Mental Health and Wellbeing @2022