Practice, Privacy & Appointment Policies

At Yugen Mental Health & Addiction Support, clear policies help protect your privacy, maintain healthy professional boundaries, and support fair access to available appointment times. Questions or concerns about these policies are always welcome.

Privacy & Confidentiality

Your privacy and confidentiality are a priority. Personal health information is collected, used, stored and disclosed in accordance with Ontario's Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA) and the professional and ethical standards governing social work practice in Ontario.

Your information will not be disclosed without your consent unless disclosure is otherwise permitted or required by law.

Small Communities & Overlapping Relationships

Living and working in a smaller community means our paths may occasionally cross outside therapy, or we may know some of the same people. These circumstances do not automatically prevent us from working together. Confidentiality and professional boundaries will always be carefully maintained.

If Roxanne sees you in public or in a social setting, she will not acknowledge you first. This is simply to protect your privacy and allow you to decide whether you wish to acknowledge that you know one another. You are always welcome to say hello.

Clinic Hours & Appointments

Regular practice hours are Monday to Thursday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and alternating Sundays, 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The practice is closed Fridays, Saturdays, statutory holidays and other announced closures.

Appointments can be scheduled, changed or cancelled through the Yugen Mental Health & Addiction Support Jane booking site: https://yugenmentalhealth.janeapp.com/#staff_member/1

Text Messaging & Communication

Whenever possible, please send text messages during regular practice hours. Messages are reviewed between scheduled clients and during practice hours, and you can generally expect a response within 1-2 business days.

Text messaging is intended primarily for appointment-related and brief administrative communication. Clinical or therapeutic concerns will not be discussed by text and will be held for your next scheduled session.

Please do not rely on text messaging for urgent or crisis support. If you require immediate assistance, please text or dial 9-8-8 to reach the National Mental Health & Suicide Crisis Helpline or visit your local emergency room.

Cancellations, Rescheduling & Missed Appointments

Life happens. Whenever possible, clients are asked to provide at least 24 hours' notice when cancelling or rescheduling an appointment.

Clients may have two appointments cancelled, rescheduled or missed with less than 24 hours' notice before ongoing scheduling is reviewed. Individual circumstances, clinical needs, accessibility and accommodation needs, continuity of care, and the reasons for missed or changed appointments will be considered.

Following two occurrences, clients may be returned to the practice waitlist until appointment availability permits services to resume. Clients who wish to maintain regular booking access may instead choose to pay the regular $165 session fee for each of the two occurrences, after which regular booking may continue.

This policy is not intended to be punitive. Appointment availability is limited, and late-cancelled or missed appointments often cannot be offered to another person waiting for support.The goal is to balance flexibility and compassion with respect for reserved clinical time and fair and equitable access to mental health and addiction support.

If something is making it difficult for you to attend consistently, please speak with Roxanne. Whenever possible, barriers, alternative arrangements and reasonable accommodations can be discussed.

A complete copy of Yugen Mental Health & Addiction Support’s Practice & Privacy Policies is available upon request. Please contact the practice directly if you would like to receive a copy.

Thank you for taking the time to review these policies and for your continued trust in Yugen Mental Health & Addiction Support.

Questions or concerns may be directed to:

Roxanne Hammond, RSW, BA (Psychology)

Registered Social Worker | Owner

E-mail: roxanne@yugenmentalhealth.com