Welcome to NCC

NCCWelcome to NCC

WELCOME TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD COUNSELING CENTER

Introduction

Welcome to the Neighborhood Counseling Center, a NYS licensed outpatient mental health agency. The Center serves all age groups and is staffed by a multi-disciplinary team of mental health professionals. We seek to provide a supportive atmosphere that will help you feel comfortable with openly expressing your concerns.
Among our services are individual and group psychotherapy; medication management; family therapy, couples counseling and case management.
These services can be helpful with some common problems such as:
• Management of depression, anxiety and other emotional difficulties.
• Stress management.
• Coping skills.
• Relationship problems.
• Behavioral problems such as anger management.
• Self expression and communication.
• Problem solving.
• Self esteem and self confidence.
• Decision making.
• Parenting issues.
• Problems at home, work or school.

Some Important Guidelines About These Services

Attendance – Keeping appointments and being on time are very important.
► Commitment – Mental health treatment must be taken seriously.
► Priority – In order to get results you must give your treatment high priority.
► Effort – An active and consistent effort must be made to help yourself.
► Patience – Progress takes time; there are no instant results.
► Change – A process that does not happen overnight.
► Goals-Formulating meaningful treatment goals is essential to the success of treatment.
► Physical Health-Taking care of physical health needs is of major importance to feeling good emotionally.

POLICY ON CRISIS INTERVENTION

Crisis Intervention/Non-Business Hours Assistance Plan

It is the policy of the Neighborhood Counseling Center to maintain a well defined plan for the availability of crisis intervention services 24 hours a day/7 days a week. The agency’s crisis response plan is to be issued to every agency consumer and must be given to all applicants during the intake process. A copy of the crisis response plan must also be posted in a visible area at the agency for all consumers to view. All agency consumers have the option to request after hours assistance and the opportunity to speak with a clinician 7 days a week, 24 hours a day.

During the agency’s hours of operation should an agency consumer report or exhibit any indication of any urgent need involving a psychiatric, behavioral or medical crisis, a member of the licensed professional clinical staff will respond immediately to facilitate a rapid response.

The initial response will involve a rapid assessment of the situation to determine the type of assistance that is necessary. This will include as necessary, consultation with a psychiatrist, supervisory staff and/or other members of the clinical team who are available. Should the situation appear to present a high level or urgency, a call to 911 will be made immediately to access local emergency services. The consumer’s family and/or collateral contacts will be notified as deemed appropriate based on the circumstances and in keeping with the preferences of the consumer.

Should an individual who is not an agency consumer, appear at or call the agency and present a crisis situation, this will be immediately referred to a member of the licensed professional clinical staff and/or a supervisor. A rapid assessment will be made to determine the response that is necessary and the individual will be linked to those services in the community that are appropriate to their current needs. This may involve a call to 911 for emergency assistance if necessary.

After Hours
The agency maintains a contract with a local answering service that provides continuous telephone coverage to all incoming calls during all periods when the agency is closed. The answering service has a current listing of all licensed professional clinical and management staff and their contact information. The answering service is required to ask all callers if there is any urgency pertaining to their call and must also offer the consumer the option of speaking directly with a licensed clinician.

If the caller indicates that: 1) the nature of the call is urgent 2) the caller appears to be in significant distress or 3) the caller requests to speak with a clinician, then the answering service is required to immediately contact the agency staff member that the caller is seeking. If that person cannot be reached, the answering service is required to contact management staff immediately. The Clinic Director, Associate Executive Director and CEO are available at all times to respond to any urgent situation and any request for assistance/consultation.

The answering service is aware that if an incoming call is urgent in nature, direct contact must be made with agency staff in order to facilitate a rapid response to the caller. Leaving a message on a person’s voice mail is not acceptable when dealing with an urgent situation.

The caller will then be promptly contacted by licensed professional clinician and their situation will be rapidy assessed to determine the type of assistance that is necessary. Brief counseling will be provided if this appears adequate and/or contact with 911 to access local emergency services will be made if such intervention seems warranted. A follow up plan to assist the caller will be developed as deemed necessary. A follow up plan must include input from the consumer and is to contain the following areas as necessary: 1) formulation of coping strategies 2) review of supportive persons and resources available to the consumer 3) plan to obtain additional assistance if needed.

Communication with Primary Clinician

Subsequent to providing a response to a crisis situation, information about the situation must be communicated to the consumer’s primary clinician and/or that person’s clinical supervisor at the agency no later than the next business day following the crisis. It is expected that all members of the agency clinical team that are providing services to the consumer will be also informed as soon as possible (e.g. psychiatrist). This information must include the nature of the crisis and the measures that were taken to address the situation.

Documentation

The nature of the crisis, the response provided by agency staff and the outcome of the situation must be documented in the consumer’s treatment record by the end of the next business day.

Confidentiality

During the management of an emergency situation, the agency’s HIP AA policy is to be followed during all communications. Attempts to obtain consumer consent to release information will be made as much as possible when necessary and as deemed feasible based on the circumstances. If consumer consent cannot be obtained, then the clinical judgement of the licensed professional who is involved in the assessment and response to the situation will determine how to proceed during such communications. If the licensed professional assesses that the situation is potentially life threatening, then it is their clinical discretion to waive confidentiality during communications with emergency personnel, health care providers and family members of the consumer. The release of any protected health information in such circumstances must comply with the ‘minimum necessary’ standard.

Client Grievance Policy

It is the policy of the Neighborhood Counseling Center to provide opportunities for agency consumers to express any concerns or complaints they may have regarding their experiences at the agency. The agency maintains a steadfast commitment to provide high quality clinical services and as part of this perspective seeks to involve consumers in an ongoing dialogue concerning their reactions to the services they receive at the agency.

The agency maintains a process for the review and resolution of any complaint that a consumer wishes to submit pertaining to their experience at the agency. If a consumer is dissatisfied with any agency service that they have received or are receiving or has a complaint about any aspect of their experience at the agency, the following process outlines the steps provided by the agency to submit any concern.

Step 1) Submit the grievance verbally to the clinic director or to their designee. The clinic director will then be expected to review the matter and respond within 10 days in an effort to address and resolve the concern(s). If the grievance appears to be of a serious nature, it will be immediately forwarded to Step 2 in this process.

Step 2) If resolution is not achieved in the first step, the consumer will then be asked to submit a written description of the grievance and this will be submitted to the Executive Director for review. A response to the grievance will be provided within 10 days to address the matter. The process often includes a meeting directly with the consumer to further review and assess the concern(s).

Step 3) If a resolution is not achieved in the second step then the grievance will be forwarded to the agency’s senior management team which consists of the President/CEO, Executive Director and Director of Administrative Services. A response will then be provided to the grievance within 10 days. Every reasonable effort will be made to achieve a satisfactory resolution to the concern(s) raised.

A consumer has the right to at any time report any concerns directly to the New York State Office of Mental Health Customer Relations at 1-800-622-1220 or the New York State Justice Center Advocacy Services at 1-800-624-4143.

NOTICE OF PATIENTS’ RIGHTS

Patients admitted to an Outpatient Program certified by the New York State Office of Mental Health are entitled to the following rights as defined in Section 587. 7 of the regulations pertaining to the Operation of Outpatient Programs.

  1. Patients have the rights to an individualized plan of treatment services and to participate to the fullest extent consistent with the patient’s capacity in the establishment and revision of that plan.
  2. Patients have the right to a full explanation of the services provided in accordance with their treatment plan.
  3. Participation in treatment in an outpatient program is voluntary and patients are presumed to have the capacity to consent to such treatment. The right to participate voluntarily in and to consent to treatment shall be limited only to the extent that:
    a) Section 330.20 of the Criminal Procedure Law and Part 541 of this Title provide for court ordered receipt of outpatient services;
    b) Articles 77 and 78 of the Mental Hygiene Law provide for the surrogate consent of a court appointment conservator or committee;
    c) Section 33.21 of the Mental Hygiene Law provides for the surrogate consent of a parent or guardian of a minor; or
    d) A patient engages in conduct, which poses a risk of physical harm to himself /herself or others.
  4. While a patient’s full participation in treatment is a central goal, a patient’s objection to his or her treatment plan, or disagreement with any portion thereof,
    shall not, in and of itself, result in the patient’s termination from the program unless such objection renders the patient’s continued participation in the program clinically inappropriate or would endanger the safety of the patient or others.
  5. The confidentiality of the patients’ clinical records shall be maintained in accordance with Section 33.13 of the Mental Hygiene Law.
  6. Patients shall be assured access to their clinical records consistent with Section 33.16 of the Mental Hygiene Law.
  7. Patients have the right to receive clinically appropriate care and treatment that is suited to their needs and skillfully, safely and humanely administered with full respect for their dignity and personal integrity.
  8. Patients have the right to receive services in such a manner as to assure nondiscrimination.
  9. Patients have the right to be treated in a way that acknowledges and respects their cultural environment.
  10. Patients have the right to a maximum amount of privacy consistent with the effective delivery of services
  11. Patients have the right to freedom from abuse and mistreatment by employees.
  12. Patients have the right to be informed of the provider’s patient grievance policies and procedures, and to initiate any question, complaint or objection accordingly.

For additional information, please contact:
OMH Customer Relations
(800) 597-8481

NYS Commission on the Quality of Care for the Persons with Disabilities
401 State Street
Schenectedy, NY 12305-2397
(800) 624-4143

MFY Legal Services
(718) 417-3800
New York State Office of Mental Health

NYC Field Office
330 Fifth Avenue, 9th Floor
New York, NY 10001-3101
(212) 330-1650

New York City Regional Office:
New York Lawyers for the Public Interest, Inc.
151 West 30 Street, 11th Floor
New York, NY 10001
(212) 244-4664

NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES

THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.
The law requires that we protect the privacy of health information that may reveal your identity. The law requires that you are provided with a copy of this notice which describes the health information privacy practices of our agency and the affiliated health care providers that jointly prov.ide health care services in collaboration with NCC staff. The law also requires that you must be notified if any breach should occur regarding your health information. A copy of our Notice of Privacy Practices is posted in the waiting room area. You or your personal representative may also obtain a copy of this notice by requesting a copy from agency staff and/or from the NCC HIPAA Privacy Officer. If you haver any questions about this notice, please contact the HIPAA Privacy Officer at 718-232-1351 and ask for Dennis Scimone.

WHO WILL FOLLOW THIS NOTICE?

NCC provides health care services to individu.als and their family members that participate in agency services and collaborates with other health care professionals and organizations.

The privacy practices described in this notice will be followed by:

  1. Any health care professional or other health care services provider that provides you with treatment at NCC.
  2. All NCC employees, health care professionals, trainees, students or volunteers.
  3. Any business associate of NCC (described further below).

PERMISSIONS DESCRIBED IN THIS NOTICE

This notice will explain the different types of permission we will obtain from you before we use or disclose your health information for a variety of purposes.

The three types of permissions addressed in this notice are:

  1. A ‘general written consent,’ which we must obtain from you in order to use and disclose your health information for the purpose of providing you with care and treatment, to obtain payment for that care or treatment, and to conduct our business operations. We must obtain this general written consent the first time we provide you with care and treatment. This general written consent is a broad permission that does not have to be repeated each time we provide you with care and treatment.
  2. An ‘opportunity to object,’ which we must provide to you before we may use or disclose your health information for certain purposes. In these situations, you will have an opportunity to object to the use and disclosure of your health information in person, over the phone, or in writing.
  3. A ‘written authorization,’ which will provide you with detailed information about the person(s) who may receive your health information and the specific purposes for which your health information may be used or disclosed. We are only permitted to use and disclose your health information described on the written authorization in ways that are explained on the authorization form that you have signed. A written authorization must have an expiration date.

REQUIREMENT FOR WRITTEN AUTHORIZATION

Generally·we will obtain your written authorization before using your health information or sharing it with others outside the agency, including any use and disclosure with certain exceptions. Except as described in this notice, uses and disclosures will be made with your  written authorization. You may also initiate the transfer of your records to another person by completing a written authorization form. If you provide us with written authorization, you may revoke that written authorization at any time, except to the extent that we have already executed the authorization. To revoke an authorization please call or write to the NCC HIPAA Privacy Officer.

Exceptions to the Written Authorization Requirement

There are some situations when the law does not require that you provide written authorization before your health information is used or disclosed.

They are:

  1. Exception for Treatment, Payment and Business Operations. We will only obtain your general written consent one time to use and disclose your health information in order to care and treat your condition, collect payment for that care and treatment, or conduct our business operations. In some cases, we may disclose your health information to another health care provider or payor for its payment activities and certain of its business operations.
  2. Disclosure to family and Friends Involved in Your Care. We will ask you if you have any objection to sharing information about your health with your friends .and family involved in your care. If you have allowed a family member or friend to be present at NCC for the purpose of participating in a communications during the course of receiving care and  treatment at the agency, it is not always necessary to sign a written authorization.
  3. Exception In Emergencies Or Public Need. We may use or disclose your health information in an emergency or for urgent public needs. For example, we may share your information with authorized public health officials of the New York State or city health departments who are designated to investigate and control the spread of
    diseases.
  4. Exception If Information Is Completely De-Identified. We may use or disclose your health information if we have removed any information that might identify you so that the health information is ‘completely de-identified.

How to Access Your health Information. You have the right to request to review and/or receive a copy of your health information. The agency has 10 business days to review and respond to your request.

How to Correct Your·Health Information. You have the right to request that we amend your health information if you believe it is inaccurate or incomplete. A request must be submitted in writing to the HIPPAA Privacy officer and must clearly describe the information that you believe is inaccurate or incomplete. The agency has 10 business days to review and respond to your request.
How to Identify Others Who Have Received Your health Information. You have the right to request an ‘accounting of disclosures’ which identifies certain persons or organizations to whom”we have disclosed your health information in accordance with practices described in the
Notice of Privacy Practices. Many routine disclosures that we make will not be included in this accounting, but the accounting will identify many non-routine disclosures of your information.
How to Request Additional Privacy Restrictions. You have the right to request further restrictions on the way we use your health. information or share it with others. We are generally not required to agree to the restrictions that you request, but if we do agree, we will be bound by our agreement.
How to Request More Confidential Communications. You have the right to request that we contact you in a way that is more confidential to you. We will try to accommodate all reasonable requests.
How Someone May Act on Your behalf. You have the right to name a personal representative who may act on your behalf to control the privacy of your health information.
How to Obtain a Copy of this Notice. You have a right to request and receive a copy of this notice at any time.
How to Obtain a Copy of a Revised Notice. We have the right to revise this notice from time to time. If we do, we will revise this notice so you will have an accurate summary of our privacy practices. The revised notice will be posted in the waiting room.
How to File a Complaint. Please contact the NCC HIPAA Privacy Officer at 7701-13 th Avenue, Brooklyn, N.V. 11228; 718-232-1351.
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with us or with the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), at 200 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20201, or at 1-877-696-6775. In addition, the Federal Relay Service can be contacted at 1-800-877-8339.