Questions about Child Counseling or Family Counseling in general – or our services in particular? We can probably answer them right here…
Please feel free to Contact Us or call us at (573) 803 1402 if you have additional questions or need to schedule child counseling or family counseling services.
(For more Frequently Asked Questions about specific types of counseling, please visit our Child Counseling FAQ and Family Counseling FAQ pages to learn more.)
What can I expect at my first counseling appointment? What do I need to bring with me?
How long does it take from the time I call to the time we can meet for the first appointment?
What if I’m unsure if counseling is right for my child or family?
Do both parents have to be at the first appointment or can one of us stay home?
Can someone else bring my child to his first counseling appointment?
Does Tender Hearts Child Therapy Center accept Medicaid (MO HealthNet)?
Will my Private Insurance Company pay for counseling services?
I have 3 kids. Can all of them be seen individually for counseling?
I love my child’s counselor. Can I bring my other children to see the same counselor?
Can my child and I see the same counselor for individual counseling?
Can someone else bring my child to an ongoing child counseling appointment?
What payment options does Tender Hearts Child Therapy Center accept?
What is your cancellation policy?
Where are the Tender Hearts Child Therapy Center offices located?
How do I schedule an appointment for my child, teen, or family? Do I need a referral from a Pediatrician or Primary Care Physician?
Tender Hearts Child Therapy Center has a professional, working relationship with many local Pediatricians and Primary Care Physicians. While we appreciate and welcome referrals from these health care providers, we DO NOT require a referral to schedule a child counseling or family counseling appointment. Parents or guardians may simply call our office to schedule an appointment with any of our counselors.
What can I expect at my first counseling appointment? What do I need to bring with me?
We advise that all new clients either print and complete the initial paperwork before the first child counseling or family counseling appointment or plan on arriving about 10 minutes prior to their first scheduled session in order to complete initial paperwork. The Counseling Forms are located on our website under the Counseling Forms and Resources section. Additionally, please bring current insurance card (Missouri Medicaid/MO HealthNet or Private Insurance) to your first child counseling or family counseling session so our Office Manager can copy it for billing purposes. Private Insurance and Self-Pay clients should also bring the appropriate payment (see below) for the session. During the initial appointment, the counselor will meet with the client/family to gather background information and discuss treatment needs. Parents/guardians should plan to participate in the first session and any following sessions that the counselor deems necessary.
How long does it take from the time I call to the time we can meet for the first appointment?
Usually we can book first appointments within 1 week. However, this largely depends on how flexible your schedule is. After school and weekend child counseling appointments fill up fast, especially in early fall and early spring. We are the Southeast Missouri area specialists in child counseling and family counseling and periodically we do have a waiting list.
What if I’m unsure if counseling is right for my child or family?
We offer a FREE 30 minute consultation. You will meet with one of our counselors to discuss what your concerns are. We will then discuss how child counseling and family counseling can help and what we would do to address your child’s and family’s needs. At Tender Hearts, we want you and your child to be 100% comfortable throughout the counseling process. Our free consultation is a great way for you to learn more about our services before making a commitment to the treatment process.
Do both parents have to be at the first appointment or can one of us stay home?
We do not have to have both parents at the first child counseling session. We only need one parent (who has legal custody) to attend the first child counseling session so that we can get all consents signed. The first child counseling session will be different from typical sessions. We will gather family history and background information and discuss treatment goals with you and your child.
Can someone else bring my child to his first counseling appointment?
No. We must have a legal custodian present at the first child counseling session to sign consent forms. We will also need a parent present to answer family background and child history questions. If you are unable to make it to the first child counseling or family counseling appointment, please reschedule this appointment.
Does Tender Hearts Child Therapy Center accept Medicaid (MO HealthNet)?
Yes, Tender Hearts Child Therapy Center does accept Medicaid (MO HealthNet) at our Cape Girardeau offices. Currently all of our child counselors are approved providers with Missouri Medicaid (MO HealthNet) at our Cape Girardeau offices. We do not currently accept Medicaid (MO HealthNet) or any of the 3 HMO’s for Missouri Medicaid at our Farmington office.
Will my Private Insurance Company pay for counseling services?
Tender Hearts Child Therapy Center has counselors who are participating providers with the following insurance companies:
- Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield
- Healthlink
- UHC (United Healthcare) *most plans
- UBH (United Behavioral Health)
- UMR *most plans
- First Health
- TRIWest *Certified Provider
- GHP
- Humana/LifeSynch
- AETNA
- Comprehensive Behavioral HealthCare
- Molina
- Magellan
- MissouriCare
- Home State Health Plan
- MO HealthNet (MC)
*If your insurance company is not listed above, we may still be able to provide counseling services as an Out-of-Network provider. Many insurance companies will cover Out-of-Network providers, so please feel free to check with your insurance company or call our Office Manager for assistance in verifying these benefits.
While we do bill these and other Out-of-Network insurance companies, you will be responsible for all co-pays and/or deductibles at the time of service. Please notify our Office Manager of your insurance when scheduling an appointment to be sure you are scheduled with an approved provider.
What if I do not currently have Missouri Medicaid (MO HealthNet) or Private Insurance? Can I still be seen for counseling?
Yes, all counselors at Tender Hearts Child Therapy Center offer Self-Pay options to clients without Missouri Medicaid (MO HealthNet) or Private Insurance coverage. Our Office Manager will be happy to discuss Self-Pay options when you call to schedule an appointment. We have an affordable private pay scale for Self-Pay clients.
I have 3 kids. Can all of them be seen individually for counseling?
That largely depends on how old your kids are and if you are using insurance to pay for child counseling services.
If all of your children are 4 years old or older, then the answer is YES they can each be seen for individual child counseling services.
If any of your children are 2-3 years old, then you will need to speak with the Office Manager regarding insurance regulations. Some insurance companies prohibit individual child counseling for children 2-3 years old.
I love my child’s counselor. Can I bring my other children to see the same counselor?
Yes. Counselors at Tender Hearts frequently work with multiple children from the same family. The benefit is that you have one counselor who knows your family’s history and the family dynamics. We will also make every attempt to schedule your children’s appointments in back-to-back slots so that you only need to make one visit to our office each week.
I would like to bring 2 of my children to counseling, but I don’t want them seeing the same counselor. Is that okay?
Yes. We understand that each child may want to feel “special” and have their own counselor. We are happy to accommodate this request. Whenever possible, we will attempt to schedule sibling appointments with different counselors at the same time. As always, the more flexible you are with scheduling, the easier this will be.
Can my child and I see the same counselor for individual counseling?
No. We believe this creates a conflict of interest if both you and your child are seeing the same counselor individually. Generally, children have a problem trusting the counselor if he/she knows that their parent sees the counselor individually as well.
While we frequently work with children and their parents in family counseling to work on family issues, we cannot see both of you separately to work on your own individual issues.
We have several counselors who work with adults and we would be happy to schedule an individual appointment for you with one of our adult counselors. Please visit our adult counseling practice at www.HeartlandCounselingCenter.com for more information about our adult services.
Can someone else bring my child to an ongoing child counseling appointment?
Yes, with some exceptions.
Under Federal law, we cannot discuss details about your child’s counseling with anyone unless we have a release on file. So if someone else brings your child to a counseling appointment, we can work with your child individually for the session. We will not be able to update the other person on progress at the end of the session, however, unless you have previously signed a release for the counselor to do so.
If you know that someone else will be bringing your child to counseling on a regular basis, then it may be wise to sign a release in the beginning of treatment. We can specify on the release that this person can only receive verbal updates on counseling progress if you wish.
I am a foster parent, and I need to get a foster child scheduled to see a counselor. What steps do I need to take? Does the referral need to come from the State caseworker?
We gladly accept referrals from foster parents. Before you call, make sure you have discussed child counseling services with the child’s State caseworker and that he/she agrees to having the foster child in counseling services.
You may call in the referral yourself to set up the first appointment. We do not have to have the State caseworker call in the referral. We will be happy to take the child’s information from you and schedule an appointment. We will need contact information for the child’s State caseworker (name, phone number, email). Before the child’s first child counseling appointment, we will contact the State caseworker and have them sign all necessary paperwork.
I am a foster parent, bringing a foster child to counseling. Do I have to be present at the first session?
Yes. In the first session, we will need to gather information on the child. We understand that you will not know most of the child’s family history and background. We will contact the child’s State caseworker for that information. However, we want to hear from you about how the child is adjusting to living in foster care, how the child behaves at your home, if the child is having problems at school, and any other information you can provide us about the child. Also, coming to the first child counseling session may be intimidating for the child. It often helps relieve some anxiety if someone familiar is in the room during the first session or two.
Are Counseling Services at Tender Hearts Child Therapy Center limited to Cape Girardeau County or by geographical area in any way?
No, since Tender Hearts Child Therapy Center is a Private Practice, we are happy to see clients from any area of the Heartland! Our Main Office is located in Cape Girardeau and we now have a Farmington MO Office to better serve children, teens, and families in the Parkland area!
What payment options does Tender Hearts Child Therapy Center accept?
Tender Hearts Child Therapy Center currently accepts cash, check, VISA, MasterCard, and Discover as forms of payment.
What is your cancellation policy?
We ask that you give 24 hour notice for all cancellations. We do not guarantee that your original time slot will be available for rescheduling. We understand that emergencies happen and sometimes you will be unable to give 24 hour notice. However, we reserve the right to terminate child counseling and family counseling treatment for repeated cancellations.
Where are the Tender Hearts Child Therapy Center offices located?
Main Office:
Tender Hearts Child Therapy Center
2909 Independence Street
Cape Girardeau, MO 63703
Phone: (573) 803 1402
Farmington MO Office:
Tender Hearts Child Therapy Center
400 N Washington Street
Suites 116 & 204
Farmington, MO 63640
Phone: (573) 218 9653
(Located in Liberty Hall)
Again, please feel free to Contact Us or call our Main Office at (573) 803 1402 if you have additional questions or need to schedule Child Counseling or Family Counseling services.
