Frequently Asked Questions

If you are using an insurance program that LifeLens is able to accept, your cost will be determined by your insurance plan’s deductible obligation, co-insurance obligation, or co-pay obligation. Your therapist will be able to provide information to you about your specific plan. If LifeLens is not in your insurance plan’s network, LifeLens will request out of network benefits for your cost of treatment

Each clinician at LifeLens accepts cash-based patients and each clinician has the autonomy to establish his/her own private pay cash rate. Clinicians are able to administer a sliding scale in order to accommodate patient needs.

LifeLens will obtain information from your insurance company about coverage for mental health outpatient services and explain your coverage benefits to you. However, sometimes information changes based on changes in your insurance group’s coverage, or due to insurance company processing of claims. You are encouraged to follow-up with your insurance company to ensure you have a clear understanding of your coverage and your obligations.

Ultimately, each patient (or guardian of a patient) is responsible for their cost of treatment, whether it is entirely paid through insurance coverage, a combined payment plan of insurance and a co-pay, or a cash-based payment arrangement. If your insurance company fails to pay for your treatment, LifeLens will continue to pursue payment from the insurance company, but if those efforts are unsuccessful, you will be asked to bring your balance current.

Each patient’s mental health treatment is confidential. That confidentiality can be breached only through the following exceptions:

1. risk of imminent harm to self;
2. risk of harm to another person or an institution;
3. disclosure of abuse or neglect of a child, a senior citizen, a physically disabled individual, or mentally disabled individual;
4. court order for records or testimony.

You will be asked to provide the name and telephone number of someone to contact in the event of an emergency.

Bringing someone with you to your first appointment may help ease anxiety or nervousness about a first session. As you feel more at ease, you may decide to meet alone with your therapist as this will provide the best opportunity for self-disclosure.

Your child’s therapist will always be glad to receive communication from you about your child, but the therapist is restricted in what they can share with you. Children are often more likely to share feelings and distress if they feel assured that their disclosure is maintained confidentially. This is an important question to discuss with your therapist at the time of your first appointment.

If you feel your therapist is not a good fit, you can ask that therapist for a referral to another LifeLens clinician or to a clinician at another mental health clinic. Another option is to speak to LifeLens support staff by telephone or message sent through the website, and a request for another therapist can be handled through those mechanisms.

Each of LifeLens’ clinicians have been educated and trained to work in the mental health field, and each clinician is licensed in the State of Michigan to provide treatment. Some of the common licensure statuses include:

1. Licensed Psychologist (LP). All individuals licensed as LP have a doctoral degree in psychology.
2. Licensed Masters of Social Work (LMSW). All individuals licensed as LMSW have a Masters degree in social work and are trained as clinical social workers.

Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). All individuals licensed as LPC have a Masters degree in counseling. Some of LifeLens’ clinicians have additional certifications or licensure, such as Certified Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CAADC), Registered Play Therapist, and National Certified Counselor (NCC).

LifeLens does not have a staff psychiatrist for medication prescription. However, your therapist can recommend a number of psychiatrists to you.

• Screening refers to brief tests or questionnaires to rapidly assess functioning status.
• Testing generally refers to a cognitive or personality test that is self-administered or administered by a psychologist or other certified professional. Testing can assist in diagnosis, can provide information about intelligence, academics, behaviors, strengths, and weaknesses. Psychological tests are often categorized as cognitive tests and personality tests.
• Assessment is comprised of the utilization of a series of tests or instruments that assist in providing an in-depth perspective of a specific area, such as educational needs or psychological functioning. Assessment results are often used to recommend specific services.
• Evaluation is a comprehensive approach that includes gathering data of the individual, the individual’s family, the individual’s functioning in a variety of domains and settings. Thus, an evaluation will often include multiple providers from various disciplines each contributing expertise. Evaluation results are often used by court systems, schools, state agencies, and treatment providers to make treatment recommendations.

During (or prior to) the admission process you will be offered an opportunity to consent (or decline) to communication between LifeLens and any other doctors or therapists that you see. You can consent to communication with as many providers as you like.