California Psychiatric Association Documents
Summary of Proposed Guidelines For Inpatient Psychotherapy

Summary of NHIC

Proposed Guidelines for Inpatient Psychotherapy

Guidelines require:

1. reporting (in the initial evaluation) all physiological conditions which may effect the mental condition, (in Axis III),

2. special reporting for demented patients (documenting the dementia and other Axis III conditions will not make psychotherapy ineffective),

3. permission from the patient (or family) to treat,

4. verification of service (name of patient, name and licensure of provider, date of service),

5. initial diagnosis,

6. how diagnosis impairs functioning,

7. treatment goals,

8. therapeutic plan,

9. summary of the session including interventions, progress toward treatment goal, new obstacles (if any), and revisions to treatment plan (if any),

10. consultation if lack of improvement is present,

" Incident to" services may be provided only when the practitioner is directly supervised and employed by a psychiatrist or psychologist, who must be physically present while the service is provided.

The proposed guidelines for outpatient (office) psychotherapy require items 1 and 4-10 above. " Incident to" services are nearly identical to the above, although the supervisor need not be in the same room with the practitioner, but must be in the same office (or suite of offices).

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