LET'S ADDRESS SOME QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE ABOUT OTR AND SCHEDULING...

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HOW DO I SCHEDULE AN INTAKE?

Just Email and/or call us. Sometimes our staff can answer emails much faster than returning calls. We recommend doing both. Make sure to tell us days and times you need, which office, and if there is a specific therapist you prefer. (We are not always physically there or able to answer every call next to the phone for the main line...please leave a voicemail and email us). We DO NOT have an administrative assistant... it is one of us therapists checking the many voicemails and calling people back when we have the time between meetings. 

​Check your spam/junk mail...sometimes when we email you back it goes there first! 

***If you are public safety/first responder (Local & Federal PD, Security, and Emergency/Fire/Rescue Folks), Frontline Medical Provider, active duty military (deploying soon), or a humanitarian aid worker or conflict-zone journalist in between assignments please indicate so in order for us to provide further intake info and please email as well. ***

*** If you don't leave a voicemail we will NOT return the call to whatever number... we don't know who it is... so we will assume it is spam.*** 

***If you have recently experienced a sexual assault, domestic violence, or violence of any type please let us know***

***First Responders can walk in for a Wellness Check In with our First Responders Wellness Program (FRWP)***

ARE YOU ACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS?

We often close our general waiting list when the wait becomes too extensive. We review those requesting services that are in need of therapy to treat the areas we specialize in or if a situation is urgent. We will reopen the general list once staff can be available. We move through our waiting lists each time a spot opens and do our best to place people with a therapist that matches their needs. We schedule by appointment only and many of our cases are long term due to the type of issues we work with which is why openings move slowly. At times we may have immediate openings but more often we do have an extensive waiting list. Our schedules shift often. We do our best to prioritize the inquiries of those listed above that require our specific specialty area. Evenings and weekend times are our busiest and the longest wait for the next available. Please be mindful of our specialty in trauma related services and first responders, humanitarians, and military issues.

WHY THE LONG WAIT?

OTR does not schedule people for an intake without an available ongoing therapy spot for them. Many agencies may schedule an intake but will not have an ongoing spot for you to schedule your therapy sessions. We make sure that when you have an intake with one of our staff it is because that therapist will be seeing you ongoing in their schedule in that time slot. Sometimes we may have one of our Clinical Residents complete an intake with you...but this is knowing you can be scheduled ongoing with one of our licensed staff if not with that Clinical Resident. Once you are scheduled for an intake you will not wait to start therapy. Our intakes are not brief screenings.  At times we do ask to complete a phone screening with you prior to the intake to determine the extent of your needs. We do have specialties. Many of our clients attend therapy long term and keep their spots once they begin which slows the openings in schedules for our small team. 

HOW LONG IS THE WAIT FOR AN INTAKE?

That is a tough question. It depends on the days, times, office, and therapist you need. We move through the waiting list in the order of the date a person requested to be on the list. When one of our staff has an opening they review the list for who is next that fits what they have available and the service request. A therapist then emails or calls you directly to let you know they have what you need. Sometimes the owners of the practice, Sarah or Jennifer, will reach out to coordinate this as well. If we don't hear back we move to the next person in need and take you off the list. Sometimes when we reach out our email may go to your junk mail box. We often will reach out more than once to make sure you got the message. You can always check in as well. Our waits have ranged from 8 months to 2 weeks and always depend on the days and times. Evenings (4pm-8pm) and weekend times are always the most requested by clients virtually and in person and are limited in availability. Also, not all our staff see children and teens and couples limiting options of availability if that is a need you may have. (You can view our OTR staff specialties by clicking on the STAFF tab). 

WHAT IF I AM A TRICARE/HUMANA REFERRAL with an AUTHORIZATION? 

Tricare/Humana sends multiple referrals/authorizations a day via emails, fax, and/or phone to our offices due to a function of their automatic system and a shortage of practices accepting Tricare health plans in the area. This does not confirm you with an intake appointment. Many of these authorizations are for people who have yet to contact us for services and they are faxed to the DC office. We apologize for the inconvenience of this. We understand that this can be very overwhelming and frustrating. We also recommend you get an authorization for OTR in general and not just one specific therapist at OTR. Many times whomever is referring you will pick the first name that pops up for our practice. We also suggest you always check on having other options for referrals if you are in need of an immediate appointment. We are a very small private practice and we are happy to add you to the waiting list (when it is open) and we are doing our best to move through that list and prioritizing those deploying in the near future or just returning. Please let us know if you are deploying in the near future or have just returned and need services while adjusting. (See above for Waiting List information) 

I CALLED A FEW TIMES...WHY HASN'T ANYONE ANSWERED?

Good question! This is because it would be one of our therapists answering or returning all the calls in between appointments making it tricky to have the time. We DO NOT have a receptionist or admin assistant taking calls for us. We suggest you leave a voicemail and PLEASE send us an email at OTR@overtherainbowllc.com or one of the specific therapists. We can get behind in responding to calls. If you are calling about services for public safety/first responder employees (federal and local)  or humanitarian aid workers or any of the above listed priority types PLEASE email us as well. 

DO YOU KNOW WHAT MY CO-PAY OR FEE WILL BE?

No. We have no access to your individual plan prior to you becoming a client and signing consent for us to have your information and contact your insurance company. EVERY PLAN IS DIFFERENT. Always check your health plan before your intake. Everyone's plan is different...and it gets complicated. Co-pays can range from 0$-70$ depending on your plan. We take AETNA, CIGNA, CAREFIRST/BCBS, and TRICARE-East/HUMANA. Each one has multiple versions and different costs. We do not particpate in outside contacts for EAPs. We do take EAP sessions provided under the insurances listed above. Also many people do not realize they have a deductible. A deductible means you have to pay out of pocket for your services until you meet that deductible amount. We send in a claim and that goes towards your deductible along with any other claims sent in for medical services you receive. You can check on what you have left to meet in your health plan account if you have a deductible. We often do not get a clear idea of your costs until the first claim comes back even if we checked after receiving your information. So give your health plan services line a call or check it out in your online portal beforehand and that can give you a better idea of costs. We always try to work out a fee within limits that is affordable if you have deductible and it is a hardship. WE NEVER CHARGE A FEE FOR SERVICES PRIOR TO YOUR INTAKE. WE DO NOT TAKE PAYMENTS FOR FUTURE SESSIONS. 

We hope this helps and answers some of your questions!

Respectfully,

Jennifer, Sarah, Melanie, Kristin, Nicole, Lexie, Shawnita, Abbie, Iwona, Everlis, Lyron & Bridget