Many psychotherapists experience “documentation anxiety” because they were not trained in graduate school in how to document according to medical necessity standards. As a result, they can feel at the mercy of insurance companies, spending an enormous amount of time justifying treatment, fighting rejected insurance claims, fearing, or preparing for audits, writing disability reports, defending themselves in a board complaint, and losing income. Paperwork often seems unrelated to being clinically useful. Treatment plans, in particular, are often generic, not client centered, and avoided. This leaves the clinician vulnerable to financial loss if records are audited, or to legal, ethical, or professional issues in case of a board complaint. In this webinar, we will discuss how good treatment planning supports good clinical practice, justifies medical necessity, facilitates getting authorizations, and helps mental health professionals and clinics pass insurance audits and protect themselves in case of a board complaint, and thus saving thousands of dollars in potential recoupments and lost productivity. Knowing how to develop a treatment plan to medical necessity standards contributes to a marked reduction in documentation anxiety, better clinical outcomes and increased job satisfaction.
This course is based on the recorded webinar, From Chaos to Clarity: Unleashing the Power of the Golden Thread in Treatment Planning created by Beth Rontal, LICSW in 2023.
Beth Rontal, LICSW, is a nationally recognized and engaging speaker on mental health documentation for private practice clinicians and those working in agency behavioral health settings. Her Misery and Mastery SM trainings and accompanying forms have been used all over the world. She mastered her teaching skills with thousands of hours supervising and training both seasoned professionals and interns when supervising at an agency for 11 years.
Beth writes blogs on clinical documentation, co-chairs the NASW Private Practice Shared Interest Group, and has a private practice in Brookline, MA specializing in working with people who struggle with emotional eating.
Recommended For
Counselors, marriage and family therapists, psychologists and social workers. This course is appropriate for all levels of knowledge.
Course Objectives:
After taking this course, you should be able to:
Determine how to translate clinical skill and intuition into the behavioral language required for mental health documentation.
Name 1 question to ask the client to co-create a treatment plan.
Employ the Golden Thread in treatment planning to help justify medical necessity.
Availability
This course is available starting Nov 28th, 2023 and expires Nov 27th, 2033
Disclosure to Learners
Disclosure of Relevant Financial Relationships
CE Learning Systems adheres to the ACCME's Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited
Continuing Medical Education. Any individuals in a position to control the content of a CE activity –
including faculty, planners, reviewers, or others ― are required to disclose all relevant financial
relationships with ineligible entities (formerly known as commercial interests).
The following relevant financial relationships have been disclosed by this activity's planners, faculty, and
the reviewer:
Planners and Reviewers
The planners of this activity have reported that they have no relevant financial relationships.
Material Authors
There are no known relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Course Creator
Beth Rontal, LICSW – No disclosures to report.
Commercial support
There is no commercial support for this distance-learning course.
Exam Questions
All exam questions for the course are visible on this page for members of Addiction Counselor CE.
Membership is free, and you can register today!
You'll only pay when you're ready to purchase a course, or if you take advantage of the Unlimited Package.
If you're already a member, please sign in to see the exam questions for this and all other courses.
Discuss this course
You can share your thoughts about this course after you pass the exam.
Is this course approved for my continuing education requirements?
Yes, most likely. Look Up Your State Board for more detailed information. Logged-in site members will see the relevant approval information displayed in the Approvals tab for every course.
Do you have accommodations for my disability (ADA)?
If you are having trouble using Addiction Counselor CE, please contact us! We would be happy to accommodate your needs right away, and your input will help us make Addiction Counselor CE more accessible for future users too.
How do I enroll in this course?
Use the Enroll In This Course button and just follow the instructions! You don't pay anything until you're ready
to take an exam.
What do I have to do to complete the course?
To complete the course, review the course objectives, then review the material, and then pass the exam with a score of 75% or greater and lastly complete an evaluation.
How do I access the materials?
Most of our courses are based on online articles available for free to the public. Some courses, such as
those based on books, require that you purchase the material. Use the Materials tab above for more
info. You don't need to enroll in the course to access materials, whether free or paid. So you always
know what you're getting into before you commit to taking the exam.
How do I get my certificate?
Your certificate(s) will be available to download or email immediately when you pass the course exam and complete the evaluation.
Can I contact you for more help?
Yes! Use the Help widget at the bottom-right of the screen anywhere on Addiction Counselor CE to search our help docs, or to ask our support team for help. Unlike most of our competitors, Addiction Counselor CE has live US-based support reps to help you by email, chat, or phone.
This course material is hosted by
,
a web site separate from Addiction Counselor CE.
When you're done, just close the tab/window to return to this course page.
