Mankato Psychology Clinic (MPC) provides cost-effective, state-of-the-art psychological services to persons of all ages in a confidential and respectful atmosphere. The professional staff at MPC are licensed psychologists and mental health practitioners. MPC clinicians work in consultation with a variety of other health care and community professionals. MPC professionals pride themselves in their ability to work collaboratively with other professionals to ensure that patients receive comprehensive care.
During your first visit to Mankato Psychology Clinic a clinician will meet with you for an initial intake assessment. The purpose of the intake visit is to gather information about your concerns, review symptoms, gather more general background information, and to develop an initial plan of treatment. This session will last approximately one hour. There are a number of possible outcomes of this session. It may be determined that you will continue to meet with the intake clinician, or that you need to see another clinician who has particular expertise in your problem area. It may be determined that you need to see a physician and/or other medical specialist for additional treatment help. Or, it is occasionally decided that you would be best served through a referral to an outside agency.
During subsequent sessions, you will be given assistance in developing specific skills to help you manage your presenting concerns. If you are bringing your child or ward in for assistance, you will be included in some or all of these sessions so that you can participate in treatment plan development and implementation. Your clinician may request you to perform certain skills or interventions in your home setting between sessions, so that you will reach your goals in a more efficient manner. For instance, if you are having difficulty with anxiety, your clinician may ask you to practice a progressive muscle relaxation sequence at home. Or if your child is having difficulty with anger outbursts, your clinician may outline a specific procedure for responding to these outbursts at home. Your clinician may also request you keep a written record of specific behaviors and interventions between sessions so that an accurate account of your progress is recorded.
The practice of therapy is not an exact science. Some people occasionally get worse, even with the most effective treatment programs. For example, there is a chance that a program, which is intended to produce improvement, may lead to temporary worsening of the presenting problem behaviors or emotions. We will do everything possible to reduce these risks to a minimum. It is important to inform your clinician if such problems occur, so that changes in your treatment plan can be made.
Mankato Psychology Clinic is open from 8 a.m. through 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. through 5 p.m. on Fridays. Later evening appointments may be scheduled per clinician discretion. If you have an emergency during clinic hours, call and identify yourself, your clinician’s name, and the urgent nature of your call. Your clinician, or another clinician, will return your call as soon as possible. If you feel an immediate need for assistance, or that you cannot wait for a return call, call 911 or go to the nearest Hospital Emergency Department. If you have an emergency after clinic hours call 911 or go to the nearest Hospital Emergency Department.
To schedule an appointment call 507-387-1350. Patients have the responsibility to be on time for appointments. If an appointment cannot be kept, whenever possible, please notify us 24 hours in advance. A missed or late canceled appointment may result in being charged a fee.
Fees for services are based on the amount of time the clinician spends with you. Most sessions in our office are approximately one hour. Costs are covered by most health insurance plans, although the type and amount of coverage may vary across different plans.
Before your first appointment, our staff will complete a precertification of your insurance coverage with your insurer and help you understand the outpatient mental health coverage provided by your insurance plan. While this is not a guarantee that your insurance will cover your services, it does allow you to know what we anticipate they will cover.
Charges are billed directly to your insurance company through Mankato Psychology Clinic. You will be billed at the end of each month for your remaining account balance. A current statement of your account is available upon request. Professional staff will make every effort to keep your number of visits to a minimum. The number of sessions required will depend upon the complexity of the issues you are experiencing and the amount of effort needed to implement the programs we develop.
It is the patient’s right and responsibility to participate in treatment. This includes providing feedback to your clinician regarding your progress and the effectiveness of your treatment plan. It is also the patients responsibility to follow through with the treatment assignments given by the treating clinician. Although you may terminate your therapy whenever you wish, it is important that your discuss your decision with your clinician.
Please inform our office staff of any changes in your address, telephone number, or insurance coverage. You will be asked to present your insurance card at each visit.
Mankato Psychology Clinic is committed to maintaining the security, privacy and confidentiality of patients’ health information. The federal government requires that we provide you with notification of our policies and practices to protect the privacy of your health information. A copy of these polices and practices will be given to you when you arrive for your first appointment. In situations where both federal and state laws apply, we will adhere to the law that offers you the greatest level of protection.
Minnesota law limits a minor’s confidentiality with respect to his/her communications with a psychologist or therapist. While parents have a legal right to information regarding such communications, the clinician may ask parents to respect their minor child’s confidentiality. Even if a parent agrees to this request, he or she can still decide to exercise the right to receive this information.
