Family Handbook

OUR MISSION

Basal Therapies is a full service pediatric therapy center in Frederick, MD, specializing in speech, occupational, feeding, physical, and mental health therapies, and social-emotional support. We proudly serve children and adolescents in and around the Frederick community with meaningful, individualized plans that provide them with life-changing results.

We’re more than just a standard children’s therapy clinic. Our holistic approach includes assessing your child’s unique interests and family life and incorporating them into a treatment plan designed with each child’s specific needs in mind. We not only support children, we support the whole family with parent-centered education and intervention.

Basal Therapies is where passion meets progress, every child, every family, every day.

HOURS OF OPERATION & HOLIDAYS

Basal Therapies is open from 8:30 am – 5:30 pm for administrative support, although therapy appointment availability varies beyond those hours.

Our offices will be closed the following holidays: New Years Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, President’s Day, Easter, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Friday after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

INCLEMENT WEATHER POLICY

If your therapist determines that travel is unsafe or if you, the parent, think that travel to our office would be hazardous, either you or your therapist may cancel the session. If your therapist cancels, you will receive a call from your therapist or another member of our team informing you that the session is canceled due to inclement weather. If you decide to cancel a session because of the weather, then call to report the cancellation as soon as possible. When in-person therapy is canceled, families have the option to switch to virtual therapy at their regularly scheduled time, or make up that therapy session later in the week (if available). If a family chooses not to reschedule, they may do so without penalty. Virtual sessions will remain as scheduled.

FAMILY ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Your family’s involvement and commitment to your child’s therapy program is critical for their development. We view you, the family, as our partner in helping your child grow and develop optimally.

In order for our partnership to be effective, we both must have clear roles and expectations. Our role is to provide the most comprehensive, high quality services for your family.

In your role as the family, we expect the following:

  • Regular attendance
  • Appropriate handling of illnesses
  • Parent participation in home programs as outlined by the provider
  • Supportive environment, including:
    • Keeping our office notified of changes in important information (e.g., insurance updates, address, phone, child’s behavior changes at home or school)
    • Notifying clinic or therapist if someone else will be picking your child up from therapy
    • The child receiving therapy should be awake, clothed, diaper changed and recently fed unless otherwise described within your plan
    • If your child has a food allergy, please let us know!
    • Asking the provider for permission before photographing or recording sessions

FLEXIBLE SCHEDULING

We are so excited to support your child and family at Basal Therapies! We are proud to offer your child a flexible schedule as your family begins its support journey with our team. Each week, a member of our admin team will contact you to schedule your child’s weekly sessions. This flexibility allows for your child to meet with different therapists, try different days of the week, times of the day, and/or service locations to determine the best match to meet their needs. Once your family decides on a good fit, and that therapist has a standing appointment available, we will gladly add your family to a recurring appointment.

COMMUNITY-BASED THERAPY SERVICES

Basal Therapies may provide support and services in family’s homes and/or childcare settings, as schedules allow, and depending on the health and safety of the home. Please note that there will be travel fees associated with any off-site sessions.

ATTENDANCE POLICY

Our clinic’s goal is to provide high quality and effective therapy services in a timely manner. Your responsibility in achieving this goal is agreeing to have your child consistently attend their scheduled therapy sessions. Regular attendance and participation are key factors in your child’s progression through therapy.

Basal Therapies understands that things happen in life that are unexpected. While truly sympathetic, frequently missed appointments mean that your child is less likely to make progress in a timely manner.

Failure to Show Definition: Not showing up for your appointment with no phone call at all, or calling after the session was supposed to have started, regardless of the circumstance will be charged a $65 missed appointment fee, which must be paid prior to the next appointment. Clients who fail to show for 2 appointments will immediately be placed on a week-to-week schedule.

Late Cancellation Definition: These include scheduling conflicts, forgetting scheduled sessions, change of mind about attending sessions, etc. Sessions canceled with less than 48 hours’ notice are considered late cancellations and will be charged a $65 late cancellation fee. This fee must be paid prior to the next appointment.

Unplanned Cancellation Definition: These include such situations as illness, weather, family emergency, traffic/accident or other last-minute mishaps. Please call the office as soon as you are aware of the situation. Unplanned cancellations with less than 2 hours’ notice will be considered a late cancellation and will incur a $65 fee that must be paid prior to the next appointment. Sessions that are made up will not count toward your child’s annual allowance of missed appointments. Virtual sessions may be offered when at least 2 hours notice is given, or at the discretion of your child’s therapist.

Planned Cancellation Definition: These include instances such as vacation, parties, doctors and dentist appointments, or any other scheduling conflict. Please let your therapist or the office staff know at least 48 hours in advance, otherwise the session will be considered a “Failure to Show.” Sessions that are made up or conducted virtually will not count toward your child’s annual allowance of missed appointments.

Annual Allowance of Missed Appointments: Due to limited scheduling availability, we ask that all patients attend their scheduled appointments. When an appointment is applied to our schedule, that time is reserved to meet your child’s needs. We work hard to accommodate each of our patients. Cancellations of any kind can be disruptive to the therapeutic process. Basal Therapies will allow up to 8 cancellations per service within any calendar year. When cancellations exceed the limit of 8 per service, your child’s file will be reviewed. At that time, it may be decided that the interruptions to the therapeutic value of our services warrants a week-to-week schedule or discharge.

Week-to-week Scheduling: Standing appointments may be a difficult commitment for some families. Week-to-week scheduling will allow you to call in and book an appointment one week at a time so that it fits your schedule that week. If you have 8 cancellations OR 2 failures to show within a calendar year, your child’s appointments will be switched to week-to-week scheduling. If your child is switched to a week-to-week schedule and there are any additional missed sessions, your child will be discharged from therapy.

Therapist Canceled Appointments

If for any reason one of our therapists needs to reschedule or cancel an appointment with you due to unforeseen circumstances (e.g., illness, weather, etc.), you will be notified as soon as possible. Rescheduled appointments will be coordinated and provided based on the individual therapist’s schedule and clinic’s staffing availability. Therapist-canceled appointments will not count toward your child’s annual allowance of missed appointments.

Therapist Personal Time Off & Training

Our licensed therapists are professionals who adhere to ethical standards and our scope of practice. If our therapists have scheduled personal time off and/or time away from the clinic for community, educational or informational sessions, we will attempt to notify you at least two (2) weeks prior to your appointment time. Canceled appointments based on personal time off and/or education may be rescheduled, canceled and/or coordinated with substitute therapists based on the individual therapist’s schedule and clinic’s staffing availability.

Substitute Therapist

Alternate therapists may provide care due to a primary therapist’s illness, vacation or scheduling conflict. All therapists covering an appointment will have access to your child’s record. We believe your child’s treatment is of the utmost importance, so we ask that you plan to attend appointments even when your regular therapist is not available.

Since we are a teaching facility, we may occasionally have student therapists observing and/or working with your child, under supervision.

HIPPA

The federal government has enacted a law called the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act. The law’s intent is to protect confidential patient records. You will be asked to sign paperwork related to this law on your first visit to the clinic. A handbook explaining your rights under HIPAA is available in the clinic, and we are happy to answer any questions you might have about this law.

GRIEVANCE POLICY

If you have an issue or concern, we encourage you to speak directly with the staff person involved. We believe that is usually the best way to solve a problem. However, if that doesn’t work, you may request to speak with one of our Site Supervisors.

INSURANCE

The Basal Therapies team is here to work with you on issues concerning insurance coverage for your child’s treatment. It is primarily your responsibility to know your insurance benefits and provide information to our staff on policy requirements in a timely fashion, including any changes to your coverage. While we cannot assure your child’s care will be covered, we will do all that we can to assist you in this process. Care will not be denied based on lack of funding, however you may have out-of-pocket expenses.

Our staff will be happy to help make payment arrangements as necessary. You will be asked to decide if you would like to continue your child’s care. This decision is solely up to you. If you have questions or concerns regarding your insurance, or need assistance, please contact our administrative team.

It is the parent(s)/legal guardian’s responsibility to inform Basal Therapies of any and all changes in insurance information, including group policy number, identification number, phone numbers, address, etc. as soon as possible. Failure to do this could result in total patient responsibility for charges incurred.

SERVICE FEES

Community-based services can be provided on an individualized basis at the discretion of the therapist and/or family. For sessions occurring in a family’s home or at another community location (e.g., park, restaurant), there is an additional $20 travel fee per session billed directly to the family; for services occurring in a childcare center, preschool, or private school, there is an additional $10 travel fee per session billed directly to the family.

For children participating in feeding therapy, a $7 food fee will be added to each session, billable to the family, to cover the cost of food used during the session. If a family chooses to bring their own food, the fee will be waived.

Parent Conference Fees

  • Following evaluation(s) Basal Therapies offers a parent conference, which is not a service billable to insurance. This allows therapists and the family to discuss results of testing, treatment planning, outlining goals, etc. While this is an optional service, it is recommended.
  • Throughout treatment, parents and/or therapists may request a periodic conference to discuss progress, modify treatment planning, and/or update goals.
  • 30-minute conference $65; 45-minute conference $95; 60–minute conference $130

Additional meetings

  • If a family requests a therapists’ attendance at a meeting with outside providers, school, etc., the fee will be $130/hour

Progress Reports

  • Progress reports are included as part of your child’s treatment program and will be written and shared once every 6 months. In the event that you need additional reports between scheduled progress reporting timeframes (twice a year), you will incur a flat fee of $130 per report.

USE OF PICTURES

Our clinic may occasionally video tape, audio tape and/or photograph therapy sessions.

Please be assured we will seek your permission first and have you sign a release form before we use photographs for anything other than part of your child’s privacy-protected documentation.

ILLNESS

For the safety of other children and our staff, please do not bring your child to therapy if your child is ill. If your child is ill, please call the clinic to cancel your appointment as soon as possible. Below are guidelines to assist you in deciding whether your child should attend the appointment.

PLEASE NOTE: IF A CHILD ARRIVES AND/OR IS BROUGHT TO OUR OFFICES AND IS BELIEVED TO BE ILL AND/OR CONTAGIOUS, FAMILY WILL BE CONTACTED IMMEDIATELY. THE FAMILY WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR PICKING UP OR MAKING THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR PICKING UP THE CHILD AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

Children should be kept at home when the following occurs:

  • Temperature of 100.4 or higher in the past 24 hours
  • Any potentially contagious condition (e.g., pink eye, bronchitis, rash, diarrhea, vomiting, severe cold with fever, strep throat, hand foot and mouth, lice, etc.)

While we regret the inconvenience caused by strict adherence to these guidelines, our concern for all the children dictates a very conservative approach when dealing with health matters.

EMERGENCY PROCEDURE

In the event of an injury or medical emergency, trained staff will immediately administer first aid and notify the family. If the condition is serious, Basal Therapies will call 911 for an EMT response or to have the child transported to a hospital Emergency Room.

Thank you from all of us here at Basal Therapies, we are pleased you selected us to provide services for your child and look forward to working with your family to make #progressthroughpassion toward shared goals!