Important Practice Policies

2026 PRACTICE POLICIES

Salt and Light Psychiatry, PLLC

Welcome to Salt and Light Psychiatry, PLLC. We are committed to providing evidence-based, integrative, and patient-centered psychiatric care supported by secure, HIPAA-compliant technology.

The purpose of this document is to outline our practice policies and expectations. These policies are designed to promote clarity, safety, consistency, and a therapeutic environment grounded in mutual respect.

If you have any questions regarding these policies, please contact our office.

CLINICAL SERVICES

Patients must be at least eighteen (18) years old, have never previously been issued a court appointed guardian, or actively receiving medical care from the Department of Veterans Affairs. Patients must also be physically located in the state of Florida at the time of the appointment. 

For new patients, physician and patient must be in agreement with proceeding with treatment in order to schedule the initial evaluation which is determined during a brief introductory phone call for which there is no fee. 

Following the initial psychiatric evaluation, if it is determined that Salt + Light Psychiatry can provide the services you need, a treatment plan and appointment frequency will be established based on medical necessity. This is when the doctor-patient relationship will be established.

Patients receiving medication management must be seen at least every three (3) months in order to remain active in the practice and continue receiving prescription refills. More frequent visits may be required depending on clinical complexity, medication changes, or symptom severity.

Salt + Light Psychiatry requires patients to attend at least one in-person appointment annually. This policy ensures a thorough clinical evaluation and supports a strong therapeutic relationship. Depending on treatment needs, additional in-person visits may be recommended.

Telehealth services are available throughout the state of Florida.

If there is an immediate risk of harm to yourself or others, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. You may also call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

Salt + Light Psychiatry does not have admitting privileges at any hospital and is not affiliated with any hospital system. If a higher level of care is needed, appropriate referrals will be provided; however, we cannot guarantee availability or quality of outside services.

SERVICES NOT PROVIDED

This practice does not provide:

• Forensic evaluations

• Child custody evaluations

• Court-ordered evaluations

• Disability determinations

• Evaluations solely for medical marijuana cards

• Care to patients located outside of Florida at the time of the appointment

APPOINTMENT POLICY

Appointments are required and scheduled in advance.

Every effort is made to keep appointments running on schedule. Please be aware that

emergencies occasionally arise which may cause unexpected delays. If this occurs, we will

make an effort to notify the patient prior to the appointment. 

Please arrive on time to make the most of your session. If you are running late, notify the office as soon as possible. If you arrive more than 15 minutes late, the appointment may be considered a no-show.

Appointments must be canceled or rescheduled at least 24 hours in advance. Late cancellations or missed appointments will incur a fee (see Fee Policy).

We understand that life can be unpredictable. However, repeated no-shows or late cancellations impact our ability to provide timely care to you and other patients. If these occurrences become frequent, we may need to consider termination of the doctor–patient relationship.

Our goal is always to work collaboratively and compassionately. If you are experiencing barriers to attending appointments, please communicate with us so we can explore possible solutions.

Patients must complete required questionnaires and forms at least 24 hours prior to their appointment. Failure to do so may result in rescheduling.

TELEHEALTH POLICY

Telehealth appointments require:

• A private, secure location

• A reliable internet connection

• A compatible device with audio and video capability

Patients must be physically located within the state of Florida at the time of the session.

MEDICATION POLICY

Medication management is provided as part of your individualized treatment plan.

Patients must:

• Inform the provider of all medications and supplements currently being taken

• Attend follow-up appointments at least every 3 months for prescription renewals

• Schedule additional visits if medication changes or symptom instability require closer monitoring

Regular follow-up appointments are necessary to monitor for side effects, assess treatment effectiveness, and ensure safety.

Refills are provided during scheduled appointments. Early refill requests may not be granted. The patient must be seen for an appointment at a minimum every 3 months to receive refills on medications. 

Controlled substances are prescribed in accordance with Florida and federal regulations.

Salt + Light Psychiatry does not prescribe medical marijuana.

CONFIDENTIALITY

All patient information is kept confidential in accordance with HIPAA regulations.

Information will only be shared with your written authorization or as required by law (for example, in cases involving risk of harm, abuse reporting, or court order).

FEE SCHEDULE & PAYMENT POLICY

Salt + Light Psychiatry is currently in network with HealthSmart, Mutliplan, and NPPN insurance, and an out-of-network practice with all other insurance companies. We do not accept Medicare, Medicaid, or Tricare.  Out-of-network patients pay out-of-pocket for all appointments. Most private insurance companies reimburse 50-80% of the out-of-network cost to the patient. However, as each insurance plan is different, it is not guaranteed that an insurance company will reimburse the patient for the mental health services they received. Please contact your insurance company to find out exactly what will be covered. Please note, patients cannot request reimbursement from Medicaid, Medicare, or Tricare for our services. Medicaid, Medicare, or Tricare do no reimburse patients for out-of-network mental health services.

We will provide a superbill to our patients after each appointment. A "Superbill" is a medical billing receipt for an appointment with an out-of-network provider. It includes diagnoses, CPT billing codes, fees, and date of service. Patients can choose to submit the superbill to their insurance company directly to request reimbursement. As each insurance plan is different, submitting a superbill does not guarantee that an insurance company will reimburse the patient for the mental health services they received.

Patients are required to save a credit or debit card on file when scheduling their first appointment. If you are an out-of-network patient, full payment will be charged to the card on file at the time of appointment even if you plan to request reimbursement from your insurance, FSA, or HSA. Payment is charged at the time of the appointment through our secure payment gateway. New appointments cannot be scheduled and ongoing medication scripts cannot be provided if there is an outstanding balance on the account. For in-network patients, co-pays will be collected and the insurance company will be billed accordingly.

A credit or debit card must be kept securely on file. Booking new evaluation appointments requires a nonrefundable fifty percent (50%) deposit of the total fee.

Current Out-of-Network Fees:

• New Patient Psychiatric Evaluation: $375

• Follow-Up Appointment: $175

• Extended Follow-up Appointment: $325

• Reproductive Psychiatry One-Time Consultation: $450

• Late Cancellation/No-Show Fee: 100% of scheduled appointment cost

NO SHOW & LATE CANCELLATION POLICY

Appointments canceled with less than 24 hours’ notice or missed appointments will incur a fee of the scheduled appointment cost. 

Three (3) separate no-shows or late cancellations may result in termination from the practice.

If two consecutive no-shows occur, the patient may be considered inactive.

RECORDS & TRANSFERS

Requests for medical records or transfer of care must be submitted in writing and require a signed release form.

Please allow adequate time for processing to ensure accuracy and confidentiality.

NO RECORDING POLICY

To protect patient privacy, maintain confidentiality, preserve the integrity of the therapeutic relationship, and comply with applicable privacy and healthcare laws, Salt and Light Psychiatry prohibits the recording of any clinical interactions without prior written authorization from the practice.

Patients, family members, support persons, and any other participants are strictly prohibited from audio recording, video recording, photographing, livestreaming, screen recording, or otherwise capturing any portion of:

• Telehealth appointments

• In-person appointments

• Telephone calls with providers or staff

• Clinical discussions or encounters within the practice

This prohibition applies whether the recording is overt or concealed and includes recordings made through phones, computers, tablets, wearable devices, or any other electronic equipment. Patients participating in telehealth services must attend appointments from a private setting and may not use any software or device to record, screenshot, screen capture, or transmit the session without express written consent from the provider and practice administration.

Unauthorized recordings may compromise:

• Patient and staff privacy

• HIPAA compliance

• Clinical candor and therapeutic trust

• The safety and comfort of providers and staff

If a patient is found to have recorded, attempted to record, or distributed any recording of a session or clinical interaction without authorization, this may result in:

• Immediate termination of the appointment

• Discontinuation of care from the practice

• Referral options for alternative psychiatric care, when appropriate

• Additional legal action if privacy laws or confidentiality protections are violated

Unauthorized recording constitutes grounds for immediate termination from Salt and Light Psychiatry.

Salt and Light Psychiatry requires that psychiatric medications be managed by a single psychiatric prescriber while a patient is actively enrolled in the practice.

PATIENT TERMINATION POLICY

Patients who establish care with, receive ongoing psychiatric medication management from, or obtain psychiatric prescriptions from another psychiatric prescriber during active treatment with Salt and Light Psychiatry may be dismissed from the practice.

This policy applies to:

• Psychiatrists

• Psychiatric nurse practitioners

• Physician assistants providing psychiatric medication management

• Telepsychiatry services

• Online psychiatric prescription services

Exceptions may be considered at the sole discretion of Salt and Light Psychiatry in circumstances including, but not limited to:

• Temporary coverage arrangements approved in advance

• Higher levels of care (hospitalization, intensive outpatient, residential treatment)

• Specialty consultations coordinated with the practice

• Geographic relocation or emergency situations

Patients must notify Salt and Light Psychiatry of any outside psychiatric treatment or prescribing.

If another psychiatric prescriber becomes involved in a patient’s care, Salt and Light Psychiatry may:

• Request records and medication lists

• Require signed releases of information

• Pause prescription management until care is clarified

• Determine whether continued treatment within the practice is appropriate

Failure to disclose outside psychiatric prescribing or failure to comply with this policy may result in dismissal from Salt and Light Psychiatry.

When appropriate, dismissal will follow applicable state and federal regulations regarding patient notification, emergency coverage, and continuity of care.

Salt + Light Psychiatry is committed to consistent and effective care. The following policies apply:

Inactivity

If a patient has not been seen for three (3) months and has not scheduled follow-up care, the patient will be considered inactive. The practice will attempt to contact the patient. If no response occurs within 30 days, care may be formally closed.

Repeated No Shows or Late Cancellations

Three (3) missed or late-canceled appointments may result in termination.

Non-Payment

Failure to resolve outstanding balances after reasonable collection attempts may result in termination. Written notice will be provided prior to termination.

Zero-Tolerance Policy

Salt + Light Psychiatry maintains a zero-tolerance policy for:

• Threats of violence/Aggressive behavior/Harassment

• Inappropriate sexual behavior toward providers or staff

• Recording

Any such behavior may result in immediate termination of services to protect the safety and integrity of the therapeutic environment.

TERMINATION PROCESS

If termination is being considered:

• Written notice will be provided

• The patient will have 30 days to respond or schedule an appointment

• If no response occurs, the doctor–patient relationship may be terminated

When clinically appropriate, referrals to alternative providers will be offered to support continuity of care.

Exceptions may be made for documented emergencies, hospitalizations, or extenuating circumstances at the discretion of the treating psychiatrist.

COMMUNICATION POLICY

For non-urgent matters, please contact the office during business hours.

Clinical questions must be submitted through the secure patient portal to protect privacy and ensure appropriate documentation. Non-urgent requests will be responded to based on clinical triage within 1-3 business days.

If you find that you have frequent questions or require ongoing communication between appointments, this may indicate the need for more frequent follow-up visits. Additional appointments may be scheduled and billed according to the fee schedule.

Phone calls outside scheduled appointments may incur additional fees. 

There is an option through our phone provider, Spruce, for patients to mark their message as urgent. Urgent phone calls or urgent appointments may be scheduled by using this feature. 

After-hours paging is billed at a $50 flat fee per occurrence. Any urgent phone consultation or after-hours appointment is billed additionally at $7 per minute based on total time spent with the psychiatrist (billed in 10 minute increments).

Email, text messaging, social media platforms, or other informal communication channels should not be used for clinical matters. These platforms are not monitored for patient care and do not provide appropriate privacy protections. Emails regarding clinical matters will not receive a response.

If there is any immediate concern that you may harm yourself or others, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.

You may also call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255). This confidential hotline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Salt + Light Psychiatry, PLLC is an outpatient practice and is not equipped to provide emergency or crisis intervention services. Non-urgent requests will be responded to based on clinical triage within 1-3 business days. Resources and a safety plan are provided to you for emergency services in the area.

Scheduling Appointments

Prospective patients may request an appointment by:

• Submitting an appointment request form through our website, or

• Calling the office directly during business hours

Submitting a request does not establish a provider–patient relationship. After review, we will determine whether Salt + Light Psychiatry is an appropriate clinical fit and confirm the appointment accordingly.

Established patients may schedule follow-up appointments through the secure patient portal or by calling the office.

Urgent Concerns & Paging the Psychiatrist

When calling the clinic line, you will hear the following options:

• Leave a voicemail for non-urgent questions

• Page the psychiatrist for urgent clinical concerns

Voicemail messages are triaged and responded to based on clinical urgency.

If you choose to page the psychiatrist by using the urgent access code function for an urgent matter, please understand:

• Your concern will be assessed promptly.

• You may be advised to schedule an urgent same-day or next-day telehealth appointment or phone consultation to appropriately address the issue.

• Urgent appointments or extended phone calls will incur additional fees and will be billed to insurance (if applicable) or according to our current fee schedule.

Paging should be reserved for time-sensitive clinical concerns that cannot safely wait until the next business day. Non-urgent requests will be responded to based on clinical triage within 1-3 business days.

There is an option through our phone provider, Spruce, for patients to mark their message as urgent by entering an urgent access code when calling the phoneline. This code will be given to you when you establish care with the clinic. This code may be updated, and you will be notified of any changes. After-hours paging is billed at a $50 flat fee per occurrence. Any urgent phone consultation or after-hours appointment is billed additionally at $7 per minute based on total time spent with the psychiatrist (billed in 10 minute increments).

If your situation involves immediate safety risk, you should call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room rather than waiting for a callback.

Between-Appointment Communication & Clinical Needs

At Salt + Light Psychiatry, your well-being is our priority. If you find that you have frequent clinical questions or require ongoing communication between appointments, this may indicate that more frequent follow-up visits are clinically appropriate. We encourage you to discuss this during your sessions so that your care plan can be adjusted accordingly.

Please note: Extended phone calls or clinical communication outside of scheduled appointments may incur additional fees. Additional appointments will be billed to insurance (if applicable) or according to our current fee schedule. This structure ensures that care remains thoughtful, intentional, and appropriately supported. 

LETTER POLICY

Patients may request clinical documentation or letters for purposes including, but not limited to:

• Workplace accommodations

• School accommodations

• Short Term Disability claims

• FMLA or medical leave

To ensure appropriate clinical evaluation and accurate documentation, all such requests must be reviewed directly with the treating provider.

Appointment Requirement

Patients requesting any form of clinical letter, documentation, certification, or completion of paperwork are required to schedule and attend an appointment specifically to discuss the request.

Requests submitted through phone calls, portal messages, email, or staff alone may not be sufficient for completion of documentation.

No Guarantee of Completion

Attendance at an appointment does not guarantee that a letter, form, or documentation request will be completed.

All documentation requests are evaluated based on:

• Clinical appropriateness

• Medical necessity

• Available treatment history and records

• Provider assessment and professional judgment

• Ethical and legal standards

Completion of any documentation is solely at the clinical discretion of the treating provider.

Accuracy and Professional Standards

Salt and Light Psychiatry will only provide documentation that the provider believes is accurate, clinically supported, and medically appropriate. The practice will not complete forms or issue statements that are misleading, unsupported, fraudulent, or outside the scope of the provider’s professional opinion.

Additional Information

Patients may be required to:

• Provide supporting records or collateral information

• Sign release forms

• Allow adequate processing time for paperwork completion

• Pay applicable administrative fees, if permitted and applicable

Right to Decline

The provider reserves the right to decline any request for documentation or forms that are not clinically indicated or cannot be supported by the patient’s medical record or evaluation.

Changes to This Notice

Salt and Light Psychiatry, PLLC reserves the right to change this Notice at any time. Salt and Light Psychiatry, PLLC reserves the right to revise or change this Notice effective for health information that has already been obtained and for information that is obtained in the future. If changes are made, the revised Notice will be available to you upon request, and the updated document will be available on the practice website. The effective date will be shown below.

The effective date of the above policies and clinic regulations is effective as of July 1, 2026.

Salt and Light Integrative Psychiatry (Salt + Light Psychiatry) provides holistic, integrative psychiatric care in Bonita Springs, Florida, serving Naples, Fort Myers, Estero, downtown Bonita Springs, Bonita Beach, and the greater Southwest Florida (SWFL) community. Our practice specializes in integrative and functional psychiatry, women’s mental health, reproductive and perinatal psychiatry, pregnancy and postpartum mental health support, PMDD and hormonal mood disorders, anxiety and depression treatment, bipolar disorder, ADHD in adults, autism and mental health care, and trauma-informed psychiatric care. We offer personalized psychiatric evaluations, medication management, lifestyle and mind-body psychiatry, and natural, holistic treatment approaches for individuals seeking compassionate, spiritually informed, and gentle mental health care. In-person and telehealth appointments are available for patients throughout Naples, Bonita Springs, Fort Myers, and across Florida.