FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

I am a divorced father and I want to set up counseling for my child. However, I do not want the child’s mother to have any access to information about the child’s counseling. How does The Pauquette Center handle this request?

We understand that there are situations where parents are not working together after a divorce, and where one parent may want to get counseling for their child independently, with no involvement or information given to the other parent. However, state and federal law requires that both biological/adoptive  parents have a right to information about a minor child’s treatment in outpatient mental health or addiction counseling. Once the minor is age 14, s/he has an additional right to register preferences as to parents having access to information about treatment. Biological/adoptive parents always have a right to information about medical treatment of a child, unless the parent’s parental rights have been formally terminated in a court of law.

I see from the website that The Pauquette Center employs psychiatric nurse practitioners. What is the turn-around time for getting in to see one of them?

The Pauquette Center is primarily a psychotherapy practice. We emphasize ongoing patient counseling as the most important aspect of a treatment plan. While we do employ two prescribers, our policy is that every patient must be evaluated by one of our in-house therapists first. The Pauquette therapist will then decide whether or not to refer the patient to an in-house prescriber. There are many times when our prescribers’ practices are full; they both work only part-time for Pauquette. If it is felt that medication treatment might be an important avenue for a particular patient to explore, the therapist will work with the patient to explore all the alternatives available for obtaining that type of treatment, including the patient’s primary care provider or other prescribers in the community, in addition to Pauquette’s in-house prescribers.

I have been court-ordered to obtain a psychological evaluation as part of divorce proceedings. Does The Pauquette Center provide this service?

Psychologists at The Pauquette Center provide a range of testing and evaluation services. Currently, we do not have a psychologist who conducts evaluations that meet the criteria for this type of court order. Note that psychological testing and evaluation is covered by a few insurance companies, but not by many others. Court-ordered evaluations are not considered medically necessary, and thus insurance companies do not cover the fees for these types of evaluations.

My teen-aged daughter is seeing a therapist at The Pauquette Center. I am very concerned that she may be using drugs. How can I find out from her therapist if that is true?

Teens age 14-17 have additional protections for confidentiality under Wisconsin state law. Therapists may not disclose information to parents about a teen’s treatment without the teen’s written permission. Please share your concerns with your teen’s therapist, who will then determine the best way to address these concerns. A family therapy session with you and your teen might be an option.

My doctor has referred me to The Pauquette Center for evaluation regarding a possible diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. What is involved in this evaluation?

Many times, an evaluation regarding concerns about attention and concentration can be completed in 2 sessions, each one hour in length. The first session is a clinical interview, in which your symptoms and personal history will be discussed. The second session involves some objective testing. Once all the information is in, the evaluator will write a report for you and your doctor regarding whether or not you qualify for a diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, combined type; attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, primary inattentive type; or something else.

I am looking for some self-help books to read on my own. Does The Pauquette Center have any recommendations for certain ones?

Please check out our Facebook page, where we often post information about recommended self-help books. Down the road, we hope to have a separate link here on the web site with a complete list of recommended books.

I think my son, age 30, may have a drug problem. What can I do to help him?

Anyone age 18 and over must call to set up their own appointment for mental health or addiction recovery services. If you are concerned about a family member who is not choosing to seek help at this time on their own, it could be helpful for you to come in and meet with a therapist yourself, to discuss ways to cope with your concern. Often times, this type of concern can be addressed in just a few sessions.

My step-daughter has a real behavior problem. Do you have a therapist who specializes in seeing teens?

First of all, it is important to note that state regulations require that a biological parent or legal guardian bring anyone under age 18 in for treatment. There are legal documents to be signed at the first appointment regarding consent for treatment, and our fee agreement. Second, if for some reason your step-daughter’s parent does not agree that she needs to come for counseling, we can always meet with you individually to work on your pattern of interactions with her and your partner, and how to navigate step-family issues as skillfully as possible.

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