All patients 18 years or older are required to provide a picture ID (school ID, military ID, etc.) for verification and to prevent insurance fraud. Please keep us informed of any changes related to your credit card, insurance, or worker's compensation information during your treatment with us.

All initial appointments begin with a brief screening, comprehensive clinical assessment, psychiatric evaluation, or medical evaluation, depending on your specific presentation. Our intake forms must be filled out and returned to the office before scheduling an appointment or starting treatment.

We do not allow unattended minor children in the waiting room. This includes children waiting to see their provider as well as when parents/guardians are meeting with their own provider. Minors who are old enough to be in the waiting room unsupervised are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that is respectful of others in the building.

It is your responsibility to keep track of your appointments and follow‐up with our team to confirm your appointment. Our staff will regularly contact you to ensure that your follow-up appointment is scheduled as recommended. WMC staff will also attempt to reply to all messages received in a timely manner, but we cannot guarantee an immediate response. Emergency calls are best handled by the local crisis center by dialing 9-1-1.

Direct phone calls to our providers should be for emergency purposes only. All other matters are best discussed in session. With your permission, our clinicians may communicate with other providers or collect collateral information.

We do not recommend sharing confidential health information about you or any of your family members via email or text. If you initiate electronic communication with us, you are consenting to receive a response in a similar manner. We have established an email address for routine matters that do not require immediate response. Email communications will only be used with established patients and have a 24-hour turnaround. When sending email, please include your name and telephone number in the body of the message.

If you wish to communicate with us electronically, please consider that emails are not a substitute for personal treatment or other mental health care and any messages sent to your provider are not part of your clinical records, unless relevant treatment information is shared. Emails and text messages can be both accessed and intercepted by hackers, putting your privacy at risk. Your confidentiality cannot be guaranteed as protected health information shared electronically can be stored online and exposed.

To protect the patient-provider relationship built in the confinement of our clinic, "dual relationships" with your provider will be avoided. Your provider will not be able to "friend" you via social media (e.g., Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, etc.) to prevent compromising your privacy and blurring the boundaries of the patient-clinician relationship.

Distance health-related services are offered using a HIPAA compliant, two-way, real-time interactive audio and video software when face-to-face interaction is not possible. Telehealth services can only be provided to patients who are physically located in the state of North Carolina at the time of their visits, offering convenient access to care and reducing travel costs to many people. Please know that virtual treatment can compromise your treatment with technical difficulties present during sessions.

We will be happy to collaborate with any existing provider to develop a treatment plan that fits your individual needs. Just remember that a written consent must be completed first.

Your provider may run into you outside of the office and not acknowledge you, especially if there is another person with you, until you acknowledge him or her first. This is done to protect your privacy and confidentiality. Any interaction in public is expected to be brief and exclude others in your company.

Appointments may need to be canceled or rescheduled during inclement weather (i.e., hurricane, snowstorm). WMC follows the New Hanover County schedule for delays and closures, although we may still be open or operating on a normal schedule despite closings or delays in the community. If your appointment must be cancelled, we will make every effort to communicate this to you promptly.

We do not provide emergency care during life-threatening situations. Our prescribers do not have admitting privileges to the hospital, therefore, if there is a crisis regarding your safety, please go to the nearest emergency department for evaluation and possible admission. In some cases, we may be able to fit you into our schedule if you are experiencing a mental health or psychiatric crisis.

Patients are responsible for sharing with their providers what substances and medications they are currently taking. Our prescribers may have set their own guidelines and restrictions as to what they are able to prescribe to their patients.

Urine and/or blood specimens may be collected during your visit as a requirement of your psychiatric treatment/medication management or to detect health-related problems during your primary care visit. We will send the samples to the lab for testing and notify you as soon as the results are back.

We may send information to you through the patient portal prior to your appointment. You may also access your medical records and monitor your appointments and billing information through the portal for your convenience. Access to documents requires granting permission to the file from our end first.

Disrespectful/abusive behavior or harassment towards office staff or providers will not be tolerated. Any patient who engages in disruptive behavior will be immediately terminated.

We do not represent patients in court. However, if we need to spend time preparing for depositions, traveling to the courthouse, or attending court trials, you will be billed at a higher hourly rate than what we charge for our standard services.

Patients who have a strong pre-existing relationship (friend, family, etc.) with an assigned provider are encouraged to seek treatment from a different provider.

We reserve the right to terminate your care if you make any threats or sexual advances toward any member of our staff. We may also discharge you for non-compliance with your treatment, for violating our terms and conditions, for failing to pay your bill, or if your safety is compromised.