There are many benefits to using the private pay program option. Like many behavior modification programs and mental health services; the participant needs to have an active mental health diagnosis or open case with a state agency, such as Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ). Even though we do provide service to these clients, we also know that there are families and parents who do not wish to have any contact with state agencies, if it can be avoided. Parents want their child(ren) to receive help before a case with DJJ begins. 



Some other benefits to using our Self-Pay Therapeutic Programs are:

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1. You have the power to make choices for you and your family.  Managed care companies generally have a list of preferred providers that consumers choose from. By paying out-of-pocket you have a much larger selection and are able to find the best therapist for you and your family. 



2. Receive appropriate treatment: Research indicates that the longer a person is in therapy the more benefits are received. Research studies show that it takes typically six months or more to achieve the goals and change the client is working towards. When using managed-care services or state funds, the benefit time frame is determined by them and can end regardless of the clients need for additional service time, you are restricted to the time limit they enforce and have no authority over your care.



3.Avoid being labeled but still get the needed treatment: Before service can begin for many clients and/or families the client has to be diagnosed with a mental illness in order to determine medical necessity. Although receiving a diagnosis when appropriate can be extremely beneficial to the client, it does have some consequences.  A diagnosis can compromise  your ability to obtain employment, life, health, disability, or long-term care insurance. Once you have received a diagnosis it, and the stigma associated with it, follows you the rest of your life.  The advantage of self-pay therapy is that your information is not released to the Medical Information Bureau, so even if you do receive a diagnosis it is kept confidential between you and your therapist and shared only with who you chose it to be shared with, within the laws of confidentiality and mandating reporting (minors). 



4. Minimize your Protected Health Information (PHI) exposure. In order for your insurance company to pay for services your therapist has to disclose, with your consent, your personal information in order to verify your eligibility, pre-authorize services, and process claims to obtain payment. So the therapist informs your insurance company of such things as the nature of your issues for counseling, psychiatric diagnosis, your treatment plan, and how long you will have the problem. With a self pay therapist there is no requirement to release this information and it can be kept confidential.



The value of private-pay services over managed-care services are that they are more personalized, remove the stigma of the medical model and clinic setting, offer true privacy and are more effective. However, it is always a personal choice whether or not to use your health insurance to pay for therapy.