Letter to Clients: Response to Covid-19

To Our Trusted Clients,

Surely you have been receiving plenty of emails outlining specific responses to the COVID-19 situation as it evolves. Here is how we are adapting at Montgomery County Counseling Center.

In-Person Therapy WORKS

Mental, emotional, and relational health does not cease to exist amidst this pandemic. If anything, the rise of anxiety and uncertainty during this experience means providing consistent access to your support teams. Our goal is to continue providing our clients with the best care possible. We are striving to maintain the integrity of in-person therapy, as years of research indicates that the face-to-face therapeutic rapport is essential for healing. Until health or government officials advise otherwise, we will continue to provide therapy directly from our office.

What we’re doing to keep you safe

To accomplish this mindfully:

• We ask that you wash your hands in the bathroom immediately upon arrival to your session.
• We have increased office cleaning efforts with more frequent sanitation of commonly-touched surfaces.
• We will make hand sanitizer available as soon as more becomes available in stores.
• We have already stocked the beverage area with disposable, single-use cups. You may not refill personal items at the beverage station at this time.

While our goal is “business as usual”, we also recognize that the widespread cancellations announced by the Maryland government today will impact working schedules, child care needs, etc. If you are unable to get to the office because of these changes, we are now able to offer you video telehealth sessions that are HIPAA-compliant through our client portal. Contact your therapist if you require a temporary switch to telehealth. Be advised that insurance reimbursement for telehealth varies widely and it is your responsibility to contact your policy provider regarding your coverage.

Stay Home If You are Sick

Most importantly if you or anyone in your immediate household is experiencing any symptoms of an upper-respiratory illness (i.e. cough, shortness of breath) or have a fever, or if you have been advised to self-quarantine, DO NOT COME INTO THE OFFICE. Contact your therapist to shift your appointment to a telehealth session. In the event that you are unable to shift to telehealth (eg, you are prioritizing appointments with your primary care provider or are too ill to engage in therapy), we will relax our 24-hour cancellation policy. Please note that the relaxation of this policy applies for late cancellations only and will not be honored in the event that you no-show without contacting your therapist.

Economic Impact of Covid-19

Lastly, if you are experiencing any immediate economic impacts—layoffs or pay cuts—that imminently challenge your ability to access therapy, please speak with your therapist about this. We believe in compassionate problem-solving to respond to the widespread impacts of the COVID-19 situation.

Thank you for your attention to these matters. Please know that we strongly believe in our community’s ability to walk the middle path of appropriate vigilance while caring for one another during this time.

Regards,

Laura and MCCC Team