First, complete the Intake form; this will ensure that we’re all on the same page and will improve therapeutic outcomes.  Once one of our clinicians has reviewed this document, we will send you an email confirming that we can move forward and you can fill out your information all securely online! We’ll then give you a call to schedule the first appointment. To reserve your preferred appointment time, we’ll ask you to cover half of the initial appointment fee at that time.

We’re lucky to have lots of psychiatrists spread out throughout the Metroplex and Central Texas to better meet the needs of you and your family.  Our psychiatrists split time between the private practice office setting and many of the major hospital, community health, and education systems; we believe in helping the greatest number we can.  This means that schedules and locations can change; to best know which location and which physician, our Intake Coordinator assists all new patients while our OnPatient reminder system reminds all current patients of where and who.  For further clarification, you can always reach us via email: hello@findmindful.com

The short answer is “No”. The long answer is one that we’re passionate about. At Mindful, we pride ourselves on providing great individualized mental healthcare that is transparent and collaborative. Health insurance prevents us from doing that. Health insurance companies exist for one reason only: to make a profit.  To meet that goal, they place restrictions on time, diagnoses, documentation, frequency, and content of appointments in order to keep costs down and keep more of the money you pay them in premiums.

Mindful enjoys spending the needed time and attention with their patients, free of any restrictions.  We recognize that many of our patients have insurance (as it is now required by the ACA) so we are mindful of financial constraints.  Thus we work diligently to be good stewards of your time, money, and resources and have built processes (like e-mail and online scheduling) to make your life easier.  We provide complete receipts for submission to your insurance company if you have out of network benefits.

We encourage everyone to submit the receipt we give you (called a Superbill) to your insurance.  More companies are providing reimbursement and/or counting it towards your healthcare deductible.

What do appointments cost?

We believe that up-front knowledge helps establish the expectation of what’s to come and promotes honest and open conversation about the provider-patient relationship.  Investing in your family’s mental health will pay dividends for years to come.

We hope to keep Mindful lean and mean and we do this by keeping overhead low while actively involving our patients throughout the process. We will provide you with a billing receipt that contains billing codes and time spent so that you can submit a claim to your insurance company for reimbursement. See the question below to find out how to do that.

Out of Network? How Do I Submit a Claim with my Insurance Company?

While we are not contracted with any insurance companies, we recommend submitting a claim to your insurance company. Many of our patients get full or partial reimbursements or have the costs counted towards their deductibles.

First, start by going to your insurance company’s website. Find the form associated with Out-of-Network claims and fill it out. Next, take the Superbill (a receipt with the information necessary to submit a claim) that we provide at your appointment and combine it with your form. Follow the instructions on how to send these documents to your insurance company.

Do you take HSA and Flex Cards?

Yes! While we are not directly contracted with insurance (see above), all of our services are considered appropriate medical expenses and can be paid for using your Health Savings Account (HSA) or you Flexible Benefits (Flex). This means you get to use pre-taxed dollars to obtain the best mental health services in the Metroplex.

Make sure to keep all receipts. You can submit them to your insurance company for reimbursement or to be counted towards your deductible for the year.

How long are appointments?

It all depends on what you’re being treated for and the type of treatment course your clinician wishes to use. Clinicians that can write for medications typically have 30 minute follow-up appointments after an initial appointment of 60 to 90 minutes. Make sure to inquire about typical times for your provider so that you go into the treatment knowing the expectations. There are some agreements between patients and mental health providers that span years while others are just a few months; it all depends on when you’re beginning to feel better and what your treatment goals are.

What is your Cancellation and No-Show Policy?

We ask that all appointments are cancelled or rescheduled at least 48 hours in advance of the scheduled appointment to avoid cancellation fees. There will be a late cancellation fee of half the cost of the visit if cancelled less than 48 hours before the appointment. If a patient does not show up for an appointment without any notice, they will incur a fee equal to the full cost of the appointment. We will cancel appointments, without penalty, when Fort Worth ISD (for appointments at our Fort Worth –  Leuda office) or Carroll ISD (for appointments at our Southlake office) issues a closure or delay due to adverse weather. Additionally, if there are extenuating circumstances we are happy to work with each patient on a case-by-case basis. Please see the full Cancellation and No-Show Policy for further details.

How do you manage FMLA requests?

As an outpatient practice, our patients often return for follow up visits every 1 to 3+ months. Those appointments are typically scheduled around work commitments. If you (or your child) require more frequent visits, your Mindful provider may refer you to a higher level of care, including IOP, PHP, or inpatient. Since those higher levels of care will often interfere with work commitments, asking for FMLA accommodations may be appropriate. This should be initiated with your therapist in that particular program.

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) paperwork in the mental health outpatient setting is uncommon because outpatient appointments don’t often conflict with work requirements. In fact, many of our treatment plans encourage continued work as it provides structure, organization, and a sense of accomplishment. We encourage you to discuss your concerns directly with your provider before requesting these forms. Mindful providers have individual discretion over completion of any forms and may decline at any time. Completion of these forms will incur an additional fee (see current fee schedule.)

How involved can I be when my child turns 18? How do privacy laws work?

Yup, it’s frustrating. And confusing.

Let’s simplify as best we can down to 3 central tenets.

A. Adult guardians have the right to privacy

B. Adulthood in Texas starts at 18

C. There is a process to override privacy/confidentiality rules but it’s complicated.

As mental health providers, we are trusted with thoughts and sensitive personal information that we use to help our patients feel better. To that end, privacy and confidentiality laws are pretty strong when it comes to sharing mental health information.

A. An adult guardian is any person who is above 18 and has the capacity to make their own medical decisions. This right includes keeping thoughts and feelings private, even from family members and healthcare providers. There are three instances where healthcare providers can release information about an adult guardian:

1. There is expressed written permission (e.g. Release of Information form)
2. Court Order/subpoena
3. The adult guardian is a danger to themselves or others and information is needed to ensure their safety

B. Different states have different definitions of when adulthood starts. In Texas, it’s when people turn 18, regardless of if they’re still in high school or not. This can be a tough transition for some parents as oftentimes, 18 year olds are still living home and completing the last year of school. It’s a shock to the family system to go from parental guidance to self guidance literally overnight; we’re here to ease that transition for our patients. While 18 year olds have the exclusive right to privacy, we highly encourage them to share their medical decisions with their support system

C. Healthcare providers and families can “override” the privacy and confidentiality system if there’s a question of safety. Safety concerns include thoughts of hurting oneself or others or suffering symptoms that could endanger self or others (e.g. psychosis, severe acute intoxications, etc.)
Healthcare providers generally start this process in the office, hospital, emergency room, or urgent treatment center. For concerned families, we recommend that they start the process by getting their family member to a healthcare provider as soon as possible.

This FAQ is not exhaustive and does not substitute for consultation with your personal healthcare or legal professional.  We welcome your questions on an individual basis as part of building a complete treatment plan with Mindful.