This in-person workshop, with Barbara Griswold, LMFT, offers 6 ethics CEs.

While you may shiver at the idea of an insurance plan, ethics committee, licensing board, or even a client requesting your session notes, this is happening more frequently – even to psychotherapists who don’t work with insurance. Poor notes may even lead insurance plans to refuse claim payments or ask for money back – even from out-of-network therapists!

Well-written records may be your only defense if your care is questioned. And the quality of your notes can also be a deciding factor in whether a client gets necessary treatment or disability approval. While note-writing is a huge part of our job, it is likely you never received training in how to write good notes. And you may not realize how your current note-keeping habits can hurt you – and your clients.

This essential training will give you the training you never got in grad school. You’ll get helpful tips on how to write BRIEF notes that satisfy legal, ethical, and insurance expectations, so that you’ll feel confident if you receive a records request. You’ll be given a downloadable note template and treatment plan template, designed to satisfy insurance plans, that you can use immediately in your practice. Best of all, you will get the rare opportunity to see examples of what “good” progress notes look like.

Other topics will include:

• Is it best to be vague when it comes to notes?
• 11 elements insurance plans and licensing boards require in notes and intakes.
• What should be in your telehealth notes.
• How couples and family notes are different (or are they?).
• How to document “medical necessity,” the key to treatment approvals.
• Audits: Why your notes may be requested -- even if you are NOT in-network.
• What should be in your treatment plans.
• Possible negative consequences of poor notes.
• What preventive steps you can take now to avoid income loss or "clawbacks."
• How to deal with late notes.
• If time: How to keep from falling behind in your notes.

This just may be the most valuable and practical training you will ever take.

This event is designed for a nationwide audience of mental health professionals, including pre-licensed, students, and supervisors, veteran insurance billers and newbies, plus billers and office staff.

DISCLAIMER: Information presented is general in nature. Documentation requirements change regularly, and may vary by state, insurance plan, and licensing board. Nothing in the presentation should take the place of legal advice and/or contacting a health plan directly.

Barbara Griswold, LMFT (she/her) is a private practice coach and author of Navigating the Insurance Maze: The Therapist’s Complete Guide to Working with Insurance – And Whether You Should, soon to be released in its 10th edition. She authors the weekly e-newsletter, “What Every Therapist Should Know About Insurance.” She was proud to serve for several years on the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists’ Ethics Committee and Board of Directors. After 33  years in private practice working with more than a dozen insurance plans, she now  provides group training and online courses to therapists nationwide about insurance, audits, documentation, and the business of private practice. She invites you to visit her website at theinsurancemaze.com.

• Check-in opens at 8:30 am.
• Breakfast and lunch buffets will be provided, including gluten-free and vegetarian options.
• If you are a member of NHAMFT and a pre-clinical fellow (post-grad / pre-licensure), please email Christine Lazdowski before registering to obtain the contributor rate.

REGISTRATION FAQs:

• You must have an AAMFT account, even if you are not a member, in order to register. Creating an account is free and can be done at the beginning of registration. This account will be used to access your CE certificate after the training.
• The registration system will automatically assign you to the correct registrant category.
• If you do not have any form of membership with AAMFT, you are a non-member. 
• CEs are provided through AAMFT, and are valid for all licenses covered by the Board of Mental Health in the state of NH.