Client Handbook

What to Expect

First Appointment

Your first visit will usually last 60-90 minutes. It is helpful if you arrive 15-20 minutes early. You should bring the following items with you:

• Your insurance or medical card.
  • If you do not have insurance, you will need to bring proof of income, such as several of your most recent paycheck stubs for all family members or a copy of last year’s IRS tax return.
• The containers of all medicines you are taking.
• List of any prior mental health, alcohol/drug abuse or dependency, and developmental disability services you have received at SCS or elsewhere.
• The name, address, and phone number of someone you would want us to contact in case of emergency.
• Proof of guardianship if you are with an underage child who will be receiving treatment.

If you are under 16:

• A parent or guardian must accompany you for your first appointment.
• A parent or guardian must accompany you to all psychiatric medical provider appointments.
• A parent or guardian must provide consent for treatment.

Involvement in Developing and Updating Your Treatment Plan

You will work with a multidisciplinary team of professionals from SCS to develop an individualized treatment plan after a thorough assessment. At the time of your initial Treatment Plan and ongoing through all updates, we will ask you to sign a copy of it, and the copy is yours to keep as your anchor to your treatment.

Appointment & Attendance Responsibilities

It’s important to keep your appointments and be on time. Sometimes things come up, so here are some simple guidelines to help us work together.

• Cancelling an Appointment:
  • If you cannot make your appointment, call the office to cancel or reschedule as soon as possible.
  • It is best to call at least 24 hours before your appointment, but we understand that it is not always possible.
• Being On Time:
  • Try to arrive a little early or right on time.
  • If your appointment is 45 minutes or less or is a group appointment, we will hold your spot for 10 minutes.
  • If your appointment is more than 45 minutes, we will hold it for 15 minutes.
  • If you are late, your appointment might be cancelled. If that happens, here are your options:
    • See the same provider later that day if available.
    • See a different provider that day if available.
    • Try a walk-in appointment if there is an opening.
    • Reschedule for another day.
• Missing Several Appointments:
  • If you miss or cancel three appointments in a row, or do not come as often as your provider suggests, your services might stop.
  • We will contact you to reschedule before that happens.
• If Seven Counties Services Cancels:
  • If your SCS provider has to cancel, we will let you know as soon as possible. Your options may include:
    • Seeing a different provider the same day.
    • Having a virtual (online) appointment.
    • Waiting for the next available appointment (with a waitlist option).
    • Getting help with a medication refill before your next appointment
• Bad Weather or Other Event Closures:
  • If the clinic closes due to bad weather, we will contact you.
  • If possible, we will offer a same-day online visit if it is safe and appropriate. Otherwise, we will help you reschedule.
  • Announcements of office closings, particularly due to weather, are frequently aired on local radio and television stations.

Your Safety

We care about you. Your life matters. We want to keep you safe.

We are committed to providing care that not only changes people’s lives, but that saves lives. We are dedicated to best practices in suicide prevention and care.

What Does This Mean For You?

• We will help you with any struggles with suicide or self-harm thoughts or plans by asking you questions about past and current risk behaviors as part of your assessment when you enter services and at various times throughout treatment.
• We will be proactive about your care and safety. Throughout treatment, when we meet with you, we will ask if you have had thoughts of wishing you were dead or actual thoughts of killing yourself. Asking about current suicidal thoughts at every visit is similar to when you go to your primary care doctor, and they check your blood pressure at every visit, regardless of the reason for the visit.
• If you are going through a particularly tough time and we are concerned about you being at high risk for suicide, we will intentionally support you with additional services on a Suicide Prevention Pathway model during that time period, including:
  • Safety Planning
  • Updating information about people who are supportive to you as your emergency contacts
  • Making a plan for a higher frequency of services and/or check-in calls
  • Reaching out to you if you miss an appointment
  • Staying in close communication as a Treatment Team about how you are doing
• We don’t want you to go through this alone. We want important people in your life involved in your treatment. Your family and friends are often the first ones to notice when you are improving or if you are struggling.

Crisis Services

A mental health or substance use crisis differs from person to person. SCS offers a full array of 24/7 crisis services available in keeping with your needs & preferences, including the family members, caregivers, or other natural supports whom you want involved. SCS can help you if you have thoughts of suicide, mental health or substance use crises, emotional distress, or other difficult situations requiring immediate attention.

Our commitment extends beyond immediate crisis intervention. We offer a coordination of care designed to support you no matter where you are on your journey towards mental health and wellness. Our services are tailored to meet your unique needs, ensuring you receive the right support at the right time. Continue on for our ways to get help:

Someone to Talk To

• Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: 988
  • If you or someone you love is feeling overwhelmed, thinking about suicide, or experiencing a mental health crisis, call or text 988. You’ll be connected with a trained crisis counselor who will listen with care and without judgment. As part of this network, Seven Counties Services operates a local 988 team with trained Crisis Intervention Counselors available to the community.
  • Call at whatever time, whatever the reason. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is here for you.
• SCS Crisis & Information Center: (502) 589-4313
  • • If you or someone you know is in crisis and needs urgent help, our Crisis Line is here for you 24/7, every day of the year. Whether you’re feeling overwhelmed, struggling with addiction, or facing a mental health crisis, you are not alone.
    • Our trained crisis team is ready to listen without judgment, provide immediate support, and help you find the next steps toward feeling safe and supported. No matter what you’re going through, we will connect you to the right care and resources.

Someone to Respond

• Mobile Crisis Services: Call 988 or (502) 589-4313 and request a mobile crisis response.
  • At SCS, we offer a 24-Hour Mobile Crisis Team to bring help and hope wherever it’s needed, whether that is at home or any other community setting. Our compassionate team responds in person to provide immediate support, help calm the situation, and ensure well-being. We’ll also connect you to ongoing care and resources that fit your needs and preferences, so you’re never alone on the path forward.
  • If you or a loved one with a developmental disability is in an unsafe situation and needs help determining what to do, we have options available. When you call, you’ll speak with a qualified, trained crisis team member who will assess the situation and determine the level of risk.
    • If no immediate danger is present, your information will be shared with a crisis case manager who will follow up within 24–48 hours to guide you to the right support and services.
    • If immediate danger is determined, our mobile response team will be engaged right away to further assess the situation and may respond in person.
      • Immediate danger means that a person with a disability is currently unsafe in their environment, whether at home or in the community. This can include concerns related to mental health, self-harm, or aggression toward others.

A Safe Place to Go

• If you need help right away, you can walk into any of our clinic locations during business hours – no appointment required.
• To find the closest location to you, operating hours for walk-in services, and for assistance after hours, call our Crisis & Information Center: (502) 589-4313 or visit sevencounties.org.
  • Once you arrive, our team will listen, assess your needs, and provide immediate support to help you feel safe and calm. From there, we’ll connect you to care that’s right for you, ranging from outpatient therapy to another level of support. Our goal is to make sure you have the care, comfort, and guidance you need to continue your journey toward healing and recovery.