Frequently Asked Questions

There are several ways for you to start your journey toward becoming a client with us at Akua Family Therapy:

Option 1 (Recommended)) Whenever possible we ask that you use our "Request Appointment" link located on this website.

• Navigate to any "Request Appointment" tab, follow the prompts and fill out the requested fields. 

  • By doing this, a Client Portal will be created for you.

  • We will then email you a client portal link with our Intake Packet with consent forms, policy and questionnaire. 

  • We will also text you, if you leave us a mobile number, to let you know that an email has been sent out with the intake packet link.

  • Once you have completed the intake packet forms, we will receive an automated notification that your forms are completed and that you are ready to be scheduled. If you skip or partially completed forms, we will not be notified and cannot move forward.

  • One of our therapists will be in touch to schedule your intake appointment when we have received that automated notification that all your forms are complete.

Option 2) Call or text our appointment number 808-646-3150, or email connect@akuafamilytherapy.net or fill out our "contact" form located in the "Request Appointment" link, to let us know you are interested.

• • We will get back to you within 24-48 hours to acknowledge your interest.

  • If it looks like we will be a good fit for you, your family, your marriage, we will ask that you fill out a "Request Appointment" form.

  • If you are unable to navigate the "Request Appointment" form online, we will text, email or call you and request your first and last name, phone number, email, insurance type, date of birth and mailing address in order to create a secure Client Portal for you. 

  • We will also ask that you text or email or upload a copy of your insurance card and ID. 

If you request an appoint via our online forms, please note that we will not approve your request until you have completed all requested forms in the intake packet. 

• We may deny your appointment request and reschedule if you do not get your forms in on time. 

• We may put you on a waitlist if a therapist is not available at the time of your request. 

• We may ask if you are willing to pay out-of-pocket for therapy, if Aaron Collins, LMFT does not have any openings. 

Option 3) Your doctor or medical provider may send us a referral via our fax number 808-731-2069 and we can follow up with you and request that you start the process above. 

Note: Only Aaron Collins, LMFT is authorized and credentialed to accept insurance for therapy. Aaron Collins, LMFT is credentialed with:

HMSA

HMSA Quest

HMAA

UHA

Blue Cross Blue Shield

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Minors

• We are only accepting minors 10 years old and above, who have HMSA or HMSA Quest insurance.

The out-of-pocket cost ranges from $0.00 to $200 based on different scenarios.

• Quest Insurance - If you have HMSA Quest, you will pay $0.00 for therapy.

• Private Insurance, PPO, HMO, etc. - Some insurance plans require you to pay for a portion of your therapy sessions. There may be a deductible in which you may have to pay the full amount of your therapy session until your deductible is met. Once your deductible is met, or if you don't have a deductible, you may have a "co-pay". The co-pay amount usually ranges between $10-$40 per session.  Akua Family Therapy has no say in the amount of your deductible and/or co-pay as this is determined by your insurance company. 

• If you are requesting or requested to meet with one of our pre-licensed clinicians Ellie Garrison or Kristi Efford, in most cases, you will need to pay cash for therapy. Our regular fee for our services ranges between $105-$155

• We apply 4.71% GE Tax to all co-pays and out-of-pocket fees. 

• Family Therapy can consist of one or more persons in the therapy office. Family Therapy is mental health treatment that is relationally focused, taking into consideration a persons system or context (past, present or future). Family Therapy is often used to repair relationships, improve communication and work through behavioral, emotional and mental health problems. 

• No. Insurance companies do not cover "couples therapy" and/or "marriage counseling" or "family therapy". 

• Yes. If one or both of you have a diagnosable disorder, and we are treating you for that disorder, and couples therapy is a part of your treatment plan, then we can bill your insurance if you are being seen by Aaron Collins, LMFT.

• We are not able to bill insurance for individual adult or couples therapy sessions provided by Ellie Garrison or Kristi Efford.

YES. We are accepting children ages 10 years old and above. 

• Aaron Collins, LMFT accepts adolescent minors who are self motivated toward participating.

• Ellie Garrison and Kristi Efford are accepting minors ages 10 years and older, under supervision by Aaron Collins, LMFT.

YES. We accept minors when both parents consent to treatment.

YES. We accept minors when the focus of therapy is on the development and therapeutic treatment of the child.

• We do not accept minors when parent, guardian, CWS, lawyers, third party or any other agency needs a written report or summary of what the minor talked about in therapy.

• We do not accept minors when parents are in custody litigation and requiring written summary or reports of what was discussed in therapy. 

• We do not accept minors when parents or guardians do not want to take part in treatment planning and progress of the child and/or their developmental needs. (Parents may be requested to participate in supplemental, parenting and/or family sessions as recommended by the therapist and/or supervisor).

We may also ask that minors be seen in the context of family therapy rather than individually. 

We ask that you read our therapist bios and let us know who you prefer to work with. We may recommend a different therapist for your based on the following:

• Which therapists have current openings?

• Which therapists have openings that match your availability?

• Which therapists have experience, training and expertise to best assist your needs?

• In general, most of our clients will have one therapist.

• In some cases, you make be working with two therapists. This is called co-therapy. The advantage of co-therapy is that you will have two trained professionals partnering to provide you with advanced therapeutic insight and intervention. Essentially you will have two set of eyes helping you at once. 

• If you desire both individual therapy and couples therapy, or your therapist recommends addition therapy, you will be referred to another therapist either within Akua Family Therapy or someone outside Akua Family Therapy. We try to provide referrals that we think will best match your needs. However, we do not endorse anyone outside our practice and it is the client's responsibility to decide who to see.

• It is important that the therapy space remain private, safe and confidential. If you are thinking about bringing another person into your individual therapy appointment, you would want to discuss the ideas with your therapist well in advance. Your therapist will explain to you the potential negative impacts. If you and your therapist agree that it would be healthy and therapeutic to bring in an additional person, both you and the additional person would have to sign updated consent paperwork prior to the visitor attending your session.

• If you are being seen individually, and then would like to change to couples therapy, we will generally refer you to another therapist for the couples therapy work. 

• If at any point you feel like your therapist is not a good fit for you, you are welcome to let your therapist know and we will be happy to help you find another therapist either with the practice of Akua Family Therapy or we will offer you several referrals for therapists in the community. 

• If you feel that there is a conflict of interest, you feel like there is an ethical concern or any other concern, you can contact Aaron Collins, LMFT directly at aaron@akuafamilytherapy.net 

• All clients are expected to give at least 24 hours notice to their therapist if they will not be able to attend their appointment as scheduled. If a client fails to provide at least 24 hours notice, the cancellation is considered a "late cancellation" and ther is a $75 fee. This $75 fee also applies to "no-show" sessions in which a client fails to attend their appointment. If you cannot attend your scheduled session, please call or text 808-646-3150, as soon as possible to let us know. Some therapists may be able to reschedule your appointment to another day in the same week. 

• If you are 15 minutes or more late for your appointment, this is considered a "no-show". Therapists are only required to wait for you to join the session for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes with no communication from you about running late, a therapist is instructed to cancel the appointment and move on to other tasks. The remainder of the hour is no longer yours and the appointment has been cancelled and will need to be rescheduled with your therapist for another day and time.

• We reserve the right to discontinue treatment for clients who have 3 late-cancelled or no-show appointments within a calendar year.

• You may be a good fit for therapy if you have symptoms so significant that they are impacting your day-to-day functioning. This could look like crying at work, underperforming at work, or feeling too anxious to attend events that your would normally attend. You may be having self-harming or suicidal thoughts, having trouble getting out of bed to start your day, or extra irritable with friends or family members. 

Generally:

• You are a good fit for therapy when you are ready to begin learning tools and skills to better cope in a more healthy manner.

• Your are a good fit for therapy when you feel ready to begin making positive changes in your life.

• You are able to keep yourself and others safe between therapy appointments.

Generally:

• You are a good fit for couples therapy when you both want to attend therapy and be honest with yourselves and your therapist about the challenges you are facing as a couple.

• You are a good fit for couples therapy when you both want to focus on goals and desired outcomes to work towards together with your therapist. 

• You are a good fit if you are looking to better understand yourself, and your partner and to give empathy, understanding and safe space to be vulnerable. 

• Most of our couple clients come to us in time to salvage, strengthen and revitalize their relationships. Working on your relationship takes effort and intentional follow through on your part.

• Sometimes, one partner in the relationship don't see the value of therapy and/or is not ready to put in the work that couples therapy requires. When one partner is not ready, this usually results in a lot of conflict escalation in the therapy office. Sometimes your therapist may recommend discontinuing couples therapy and recommend that both partners seek individual therapy until they are ready to put in the work towards couples therapy.

• What if one partner wants to stop coming,  but the other partner wants to continue with the couples therapist? 

  • We ask that the departing partner give consent for the staying partner to stay with the current therapist. We also state that if the couple later wants to seek couple therapy again, they will have to find a new couples therapist. If the departing partner does not consent, the staying partner will be referred to another therapist for individual therapy. 

• If your therapist has exhausted their efforts to help you with your relationship, and you continue to experience heightened distress, your therapist may refer you out to other services. 

• If you decide to end your relationship, we will work with you to re-adjust your goals and/or refer you to other resources. 

• We have therapists at Akua Family Therapy who help couples work through separation, divorce and co-parenting. 

• When there is domestic violence, coercive, manipulative and abusive behavior disclosed in the relationship, it is generally unsafe and not advised for couples therapy to start or continue.

• If there is active substance abuse happening, it is advised that individuals seek substance abuse treatment prior to work in relationship therapy. 

• Couples therapy is generally contraindicated (not advised) when there is active narcissistice abuse taking place within the relationship. Research shows that completing couples therapy during active abuse can actually create increased risk of har for the abuse survivor. 

• Couples therapy is not advised when one person in the relationship does not want to engage in couples therapy.

•  If these issues are disclosed during couples therapy, your therapist will have a discussion with you about next steps. We may recommend alternative interventions, referrals and/or services.

Ethically and legally we as therapist are bound to confidentiality under most circumstances. 

Special Circumstances:

• When a client discloses that they are suicidal and that the threat of harm to self is moderate to severe, we are bound to contact emergency medical services to keep you safe. 

• When a client discloses that they have harmed a child, we are as mandated reporters, required by law to report the incident to CWS and law enforcement agencies. 

• When a client reports that they are feeling homicidal and/or at risk of harming or threatening other person, we are required by law to warn the threatened persons, to notify the police and any other emergency agency for the safety of those threatened. 

• When a child discloses abuse, neglect or feeling scared that someone is going to hurt them, we are required to report to CWS and/or call 911.

You are previewing HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices. This is how it will appear in your Client Portal.

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HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices

Aaron Collins, LMFT, LLC

 - DBA: 

AKUA Family Therapy

 AaronCollinsLMFT@gmail.com - (808) 291-0643

HIPAA NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES

THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW HEALTH INFORMATION MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.

I. MY PLEDGE REGARDING HEALTH INFORMATION:
I understand that health information about you and your health care is personal. I am committed to protecting health information about you. I create a record of the care and services you receive from me. I need this record to provide you with quality care and to comply with certain legal requirements. This notice applies to all of the records of your care generated by this mental health care practice. This notice will tell you about the ways in which I may use and disclose health information about you. I also describe your rights to the health information I keep about you, and describe certain obligations I have regarding the use and disclosure of your health information. I am required by law to:

• Make sure that protected health information (“PHI”) that identifies you is kept private.

• Give you this notice of my legal duties and privacy practices with respect to health information.

• Follow the terms of the notice that is currently in effect.

• I can change the terms of this Notice, and such changes will apply to all information I have about you. The new Notice will be available upon request, in my office, and on my website.

II. HOW I MAY USE AND DISCLOSE HEALTH INFORMATION ABOUT YOU:
The following categories describe different ways that I use and disclose health information. For each category of uses or disclosures I will explain what I mean and try to give some examples. Not every use or disclosure in a category will be listed. However, all of the ways I am permitted to use and disclose information will fall within one of the categories.

For Treatment Payment, or Health Care Operations: Federal privacy rules (regulations) allow health care providers who have direct treatment relationship with the patient/client to use or disclose the patient/client’s personal health information without the patient’s written authorization, to carry out the health care provider’s own treatment, payment or health care operations. I may also disclose your protected health information for the treatment activities of any health care provider. This too can be done without your written authorization. For example, if a clinician were to consult with another licensed health care provider about your condition, we would be permitted to use and disclose your person health information, which is otherwise confidential, in order to assist the clinician in diagnosis and treatment of your mental health condition.

Disclosures for treatment purposes are not limited to the minimum necessary standard. Because therapists and other health care providers need access to the full record and/or full and complete information in order to provide quality care. The word “treatment” includes, among other things, the coordination and management of health care providers with a third party, consultations between health care providers and referrals of a patient for health care from one health care provider to another.

Lawsuits and Disputes: If you are involved in a lawsuit, I may disclose health information in response to a court or administrative order. I may also disclose health information about your child in response to a subpoena, discovery request, or other lawful process by someone else involved in the dispute, but only if efforts have been made to tell you about the request or to obtain an order protecting the information requested.

III. CERTAIN USES AND DISCLOSURES REQUIRE YOUR AUTHORIZATION:

• Psychotherapy Notes. I do keep “psychotherapy notes” as that term is defined in 45 CFR § 164.501, and any use or disclosure of such notes requires your Authorization unless the use or disclosure is:
  a. For my use in treating you.
  b. For my use in training or supervising mental health practitioners to help them improve their skills in group, joint, family, or individual counseling or therapy.
  c. For my use in defending myself in legal proceedings instituted by you.
  d. For use by the Secretary of Health and Human Services to investigate my compliance with HIPAA.
  e. Required by law and the use or disclosure is limited to the requirements of such law.
  f. Required by law for certain health oversight activities pertaining to the originator of the psychotherapy notes.
  g. Required by a coroner who is performing duties authorized by law.
  h. Required to help avert a serious threat to the health and safety of others.

• Marketing Purposes. As a psychotherapist, I will not use or disclose your PHI for marketing purposes.

• Sale of PHI. As a psychotherapist, I will not sell your PHI in the regular course of my business.

IV. CERTAIN USES AND DISCLOSURES DO NOT REQUIRE YOUR AUTHORIZATION. Subject to certain limitations in the law, I can use and disclose your PHI without your Authorization for the following reasons:

• When disclosure is required by state or federal law, and the use or disclosure complies with and is limited to the relevant requirements of such law.

• For public health activities, including reporting suspected child, elder, or dependent adult abuse, or preventing or reducing a serious threat to anyone’s health or safety.

• For health oversight activities, including audits and investigations.

• For judicial and administrative proceedings, including responding to a court or administrative order, although my preference is to obtain an Authorization from you before doing so.

• For law enforcement purposes, including reporting crimes occurring on my premises.

• To coroners or medical examiners, when such individuals are performing duties authorized by law.

• For research purposes, including studying and comparing the mental health of patients who received one form of therapy versus those who received another form of therapy for the same condition.

• Specialized government functions, including, ensuring the proper execution of military missions; protecting the President of the United States; conducting intelligence or counter-intelligence operations; or, helping to ensure the safety of those working within or housed in correctional institutions.

• For workers' compensation purposes. Although my preference is to obtain an Authorization from you, I may provide your PHI in order to comply with workers' compensation laws.

• Appointment reminders and health related benefits or services. I may use and disclose your PHI to contact you to remind you that you have an appointment with me. I may also use and disclose your PHI to tell you about treatment alternatives, or other health care services or benefits that I offer.

V. CERTAIN USES AND DISCLOSURES REQUIRE YOU TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO OBJECT.

• Disclosures to family, friends, or others. I may provide your PHI to a family member, friend, or other person that you indicate is involved in your care or the payment for your health care, unless you object in whole or in part. The opportunity to consent may be obtained retroactively in emergency situations.

VI. YOU HAVE THE FOLLOWING RIGHTS WITH RESPECT TO YOUR PHI:

• The Right to Request Limits on Uses and Disclosures of Your PHI. You have the right to ask me not to use or disclose certain PHI for treatment, payment, or health care operations purposes. I am not required to agree to your request, and I may say “no” if I believe it would affect your health care.

• The Right to Request Restrictions for Out-of-Pocket Expenses Paid for In Full. You have the right to request restrictions on disclosures of your PHI to health plans for payment or health care operations purposes if the PHI pertains solely to a health care item or a health care service that you have paid for out-of-pocket in full.

• The Right to Choose How I Send PHI to You. You have the right to ask me to contact you in a specific way (for example, home or office phone) or to send mail to a different address, and I will agree to all reasonable requests.

• The Right to See and Get Copies of Your PHI. Other than “psychotherapy notes,” you have the right to get an electronic or paper copy of your medical record and other information that I have about you. I will provide you with a copy of your record, or a summary of it, if you agree to receive a summary, within 30 days of receiving your written request, and I may charge a reasonable, cost based fee for doing so.

• The Right to Get a List of the Disclosures I Have Made.You have the right to request a list of instances in which I have disclosed your PHI for purposes other than treatment, payment, or health care operations, or for which you provided me with an Authorization. I will respond to your request for an accounting of disclosures within 60 days of receiving your request. The list I will give you will include disclosures made in the last six years unless you request a shorter time. I will provide the list to you at no charge, but if you make more than one request in the same year, I will charge you a reasonable cost based fee for each additional request.

• The Right to Correct or Update Your PHI. If you believe that there is a mistake in your PHI, or that a piece of important information is missing from your PHI, you have the right to request that I correct the existing information or add the missing information. I may say “no” to your request, but I will tell you why in writing within 60 days of receiving your request.

• The Right to Get a Paper or Electronic Copy of this Notice. You have the right get a paper copy of this Notice, and you have the right to get a copy of this notice by e-mail. And, even if you have agreed to receive this Notice via e-mail, you also have the right to request a paper copy of it.

EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS NOTICE

This notice went into effect on 3/31/20

Acknowledgement of Receipt of Privacy Notice

Under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), you have certain rights regarding the use and disclosure of your protected health information. By checking the box below, you are acknowledging that you have received a copy of HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices.

BY CLICKING ON THE CHECKBOX BELOW I AM AGREEING THAT I HAVE READ, UNDERSTOOD AND AGREE TO THE ITEMS CONTAINED IN THIS DOCUMENT.

No. We do not offer Christian counseling.

• While Aaron Collins, LMFT is a Christian and other therapists at Akua Family Therapy are Christian, we do not offer "Christian Counseling". Christian Counseling is typically offered by local pastors and church leaders.

• At Akua Family Therapy, we pride ourselves on providing ethical, professional, culturally sensitive, and trauma informed care. 

• We practice evidence-based approaches and interventions to support you with reaching your goals and objectives in therapy. Our primary target is to assist you with your mental health and relationship goals ethically without discrimination.

• If you are a Christian and you would like to incorporate your faith into your treatment sessions please let your therapist know. When requested by the client we will gladly work with you to incorporate prayer, bible, or other faith based activity into your therapy sessions.

• If you are not a Christian, and you would like to incorporate your faith into your treatment sessions please let your therapist know. If you don't feel like your therapist is the right fit, you have a concern regarding ethical issues or if you are looking for a therapist who can better identify with you on a faith level, we would be happy to refer you to another therapist in the community that may be a better goodness of fit for you. 

• If you are not interested in incorporating faith into your relationship counseling or mental health goals, that is perfectly acceptable. In fact, most of our clients do not desire faith based options into their treatment.

No. We do not offer court support. 

• When working with children, we require parents to sign our policy and consent stating that we do not write summary reports for court or custody evaluations.

• When working with co-parents, we require a contract stating that both parties will not use therapy as a weapon and disclosures will not be used against each other in court. 

• We do not provide expert witness testimony for court cases. 

• We reserve the understanding that it is not therapeutic to release any client statements, disclosures or content outside the therapy office.

No.

No.

No.

No.

No.

No.

No.