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Address: 503 4th St, Suite B, Davis, CA 95616

Have questions before you request an appointment?

Common Questions

Do you work evenings or weekends?

We do have a limited number of appointments in the evenings and on the weekends - both for insurance, self-pay, and sliding scale. Presently, we have staff answering phones and emails Monday through Friday from 9 to 4 PM.



Do you accept my insurance?

We accept Anthem Blue Cross of California, Anthem UCSHIP, Kaiser of Northern California, Magellan (incl. Anthem Blue Shield of California), Optum (United Healthcare), Partnership Health Plan (Beacon/Medi-Cal), and most PPO health plans with out-of-network benefits. You can always check on your insurance company’s website to identify whether we are a provider covered by your plan. If you have an out-of-state plan this is particularly important. Here are the some of the insurance company sites where you can search for us as a provider: Anthem:
Kaiser:
Magellan:
Optum (United Healthcare):
PHP/Beacon/Medi-Cal:



Do you have counselors that accept my insurance?

Yes, all of our licensed providers are credentialed with all of the insurance companies listed above except for Partnership Health Plan (Beacon/Medi-Cal) - which is only accepted by our associate therapists. This does not always mean that we have openings for all insurance types as we only designate a certain number of appointments for each insurance type. Additionally, if a therapist is new to the team they may not be able to accept all insurances because it takes most insurance companies 4-6 months to process the application we submit for them to become in-network (which is when we're allowed to start billing the insurance company for that provider). If you have one of the above insurances then yes we have a provider who can accept that insurance, but no it doesn't mean we automatically have an opening right now with a provider that accepts your insurance.



How long is the waitlist for appointments through insurance?

It's a bit more complicated than that. It depends on which insurance you have, if you have a provider preference, and if our providers that accept your insurance currently have openings that work for you. Additionally, it depends on how many folks are nearing the end of their treatment at the time you are interested. So the answer could be widely variable from no-wait to months. Your best bet is to complete an appointment request form so we have the information we need to give you the most accurate guess we can. Sorry, we wish it were a simpler answer too!



What's a sliding scale?

A sliding scale means that we offer need-based discounts to the cost of therapy for people paying out of pocket. Our sliding scale program is provided by associate or intern providers. Our rate is $65 per session (discounted from $140 for MA/MS licensed therapists and $160 for PhD/PsyD therapists). We are able to lower the price further from $65/session if this still presents a financial hardship; however, we can only accept a certain number of people at a lower rate and request you only ask for a low rate if sincerely needed. Unfortunately we cannot give discounts to people using insurance because we are legally obligated to charge you the rate agreed to on your insurance policy. If we were to intentionally not charge you or give you a discount when using insurance it would be considered insurance fraud and we could be fined or imprisoned or both.



What's the difference between an intern and an associate?

An intern is someone who is in the process of completing their Masters or Doctoral degree and is gaining required experience while finishing their education. Interns meet with their Licensed Supervisor weekly for one hour per five sessions completed, and additionally take a class where they receive guidance on how to proceed. An associate is post-degree, and has registered with the state of California's Board of Behavioral Sciences or Board of Psychology. They are accruing hours of experience toward licensure, and meet with a Licensed Supervisor weekly for one hour per 10 sessions they complete. They also must pass the state law and ethics exam biannually. Typically an associate has a minimum of 500 hours of experience (gained as an intern).



Is an intern or associate are qualified to work with me?

This is an excellent question and the answer is the same I'd give for a licensed therapist: it depends on their experience and training relative to the primary issues you would want to address. Just like you don't go to a podiatrist to get your GI issues treated, you wouldn't go to a therapist. Additionally, even among licensed therapists, it's like asking if a person licensed for 2 years is now as qualified as the therapist that’s been licensed for 10 years - perhaps, but not necessarily. It's less about time (although that's not irrelevant) and more about training and experience with your specific issues. Keep in mind that an intern or associate also has a team of licensed people to consult as resources - so there is a lot of collective wisdom available to them. As a general rule of thumb, if you have highly complex issues you might be better off seeing someone licensed, but we have some incredibly talented interns and associates here. When in doubt we'll let you know if we think you would benefit from seeing a licensed staff - we are ethically bound to do so and we are not interested in setting you up for failure or further emotional injury.



Can my insurance refund me for appointments on the sliding scale?

No. Private insurance (unless it is specifically a Medi-Cal/MedicAid policy such as PHP/Beacon, CalOptima, etc) does not reimburse for an unlicensed provider even though they are practicing legally under the supervision of a licensed therapist. We agree, it's annoying.



Can I switch over from the sliding scale to insured appointments?

You can, but it would mean starting over with a new therapist - which is generally hard because you have to re-establish history, background, and rapport. There's no rule against it though.



Why would my insurance company refer me to you, if you don't have any openings?

Systems are not always perfect. We are supposed to notify the insurance companies when we don't have openings and when we do, and likewise their staff are supposed to have up to date information from their database. Sometimes we are delayed in our ability to report, or someone we thought was ending therapy does not end up doing so, and sometimes there are database accuracy issues on their side. It's a clunky system that is definitely frustrating on the consumer side as it is for us. We wish it were better too.



How do I get my referral for a Kaiser appointment?

Contact your local mental health office and request to be assessed for a referral to an external provider and let them know you would like to be seen at Clarity Counseling. They will make a referral appointment with you. Once the appointment is done they will send us a referral in 10 working days and you will receive it sooner via an kp.org email. You can wait for them to send it or you can send it over once you have it and we can schedule your intake appointment.



What's the rate to see a therapist or psychologist if I want to just pay out of pocket?

We charge $140 per session for a MA/MS level therapist, and $160 per session for a PhD/PsyD.



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