Consent Policy
This policy outlines the procedures for obtaining and documenting consent for psychological services. Please note that the official Consent Policy will be delivered upon client registration. It is a form for the parent/guardian to complete before receiving treatment.
Consent and Assent
In providing psychological services to children, it is essential to obtain both consent from parents or guardians and assent from the child:
Parental/Guardian Consent: Informed consent from a parent or legal guardian is required before beginning any assessment or counselling sessions. This ensures you understand the nature, purpose, and potential outcomes of the services provided and your rights and responsibilities.
Child Assent: I also seek your child's assent. This involves explaining the process in an age-appropriate manner and ensuring your child agrees to participate in the sessions. Your child's willingness to engage is vital for successful therapeutic outcomes.
The Ongoing Right to Refuse Consent: Parents or guardians have the ongoing right to refuse testing or withdraw consent at any time during the assessment or counselling process. If you decide to withdraw your consent, you can contact me at any time to request that the assessment process be stopped.
By securing consent and assent, we create a cooperative and respectful environment where the child's and family's needs and perspectives are valued and addressed, with flexibility to adjust as needed.
Confidentiality
Information shared with me by other individuals regarding your child will be treated with confidentiality and will only be disclosed to you or other parties under the following circumstances:
a) with their explicit written consent, or
b) if a judge, court, or legal requirement mandates disclosure.
Information your child shares during individual sessions will be confidential to foster a trusting therapeutic relationship. I will not disclose this information to you unless there is a breach of the limits to confidentiality, as outlined in the "Limits to Confidentiality" section of this document (e.g., risk of harm to self or others, child abuse).
Limits to Confidentiality
The law requires psychologists to report certain matters even without my written permission. Specifically, psychologists are required to:
a) Report cases of known or suspected child abuse
b) Report if a child needs protection, or is likely to be physically harmed, sexually abused, or sexually exploited
c) Report if a person is presenting imminent harm to another person
d) Report if a person is presenting probable harm to themselves
Assessment Process
For psycho-educational or Adult ADHD assessments, a referral is not required. The assessment will be tailored to address specific concerns and may involve:
Observation: Evaluating relevant behaviours in settings such as school or home.
Document Review: Examining educational records and other pertinent documentation.
Professional Consultation: If applicable, consult with educators or other professionals involved with your care.
Testing: Administering tests, checklists, and measures appropriate to the assessment type.
Recommendations: Developing personalized goals and strategies based on assessment findings.
Confidentiality and Report Delivery
All documents from the assessment process are kept confidential and are owned by the client or guardian. Information is not shared without explicit, written consent. You will receive a copy of the assessment report during the debriefing session.
Information Gathering and Diagnosis
Throughout the assessment, I gather information from various sources—including parents, teachers, or directly from the client—using techniques such as direct assessments, observations, and questionnaires. This data, together with my clinical expertise, informs my clinical decisions. Please be aware that an assessment may or may not lead to a diagnosis, which will be discussed during the initial interview. Diagnoses can influence access to resources or funding, and the decision to diagnose is made at my discretion. You will receive a copy of the final report after the debriefing meeting.
Fees and Payment Information
My standard hourly rate is $235/hr, which aligns with the recommendations of the College of Health and Professionals of BC. This rate applies to all services, including a 50-minute counselling session, psychoeducational assessments and adult ADHD assessments.
Psychoeducational Assessment Fees
The total cost for a psychoeducational assessment is $3,800. This comprehensive fee covers interviews with the family, child, and/or teacher, direct testing with your child, test scoring and interpretation, completion of questionnaires by the family, child, and/or teacher, file review, report writing, and a debriefing session. You will receive a copy of the report at the debriefing meeting. Should the assessment process be incomplete for any reason, you will be billed only for the work carried out up to that point at the hourly rate.
Cost Breakdown for Psychoeducational Assessment:
Intake Session: $235 (due after the intake session)
Testing: $1,665 (due on the day of testing)
Report Preparation: $1,665 (due when the report is ready, typically 2-3 weeks later)
Debriefing Session: $235 (due on the day of the feedback session)
Payment Methods
I offer several payment options for your convenience:
Credit Card: Book and pay for your appointments online. Please note a 2.75% processing fee applies to credit card transactions.
E-Transfer: Payments can be sent to psych@amymoser.ca without a processing fee. E-transfers must be made prior to the session; otherwise, the card on file will be charged.
Cash or Cheque: Accepted at the time of the initial meeting.
Please provide me with your preferred payment method when scheduling your assessment or counseling session. Feel free to contact me with any questions regarding the payment process.
Information Protection Considerations:
1. Email: I can share information with you by email, but as it is not encrypted, this may not be as safe as other methods. Please provide your email address only if you want to share information this way.
2. Consultation among colleagues: It is common practice to consult with other professional psychologists to ensure best practices for clients. I take steps to ensure that client confidentiality is maintained (e.g., I do not share names). But if you are not comfortable with this, please let me know.
3. iCloud Storage: I use computers that may automatically back up all documents on the computer to iCloud or an external hard drive.
4. Online Scoring: Many psychology assessment tools are administered or scored online. Some identifying information (e.g., initials, date of birth) may be used to administer and score these tests. Please note that our psychologists have not created these programs; your test data may be stored in them.
5. AI Utilization: Artificial intelligence may assist in writing notes, reports, and documentation. I review all AI-generated content to ensure accuracy and compliance with confidentiality standards. By consenting to my services, you acknowledge and agree to the potential use of AI in the documentation process.
If legal documentation mandates joint decision-making/consent for parents who do not reside together, you are obligated to advise the psychologist to gain consent from both parents.