Mental TeleHealth Frequently Asked Questions
What is Ascendant Health?
Ascendant Health is a mental telehealth group practice connecting clients with state-licensed mental health therapists via HIPPA-compliant, synchronous Mental Telehealth Video Sessions, as well as HIPPA-compliant, asynchronous Private Unlimited Therapeutic Messaging (e.g., Text Therapy). Our therapists are dedicated to creating safe environments for our clients to process their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, while helping them reach their mental health treatment goals and objectives.
What are Mental Telehealth Video Sessions?
Ascendant Health believes that digital interaction with state-licensed mental health therapists is the way of the future. As such, our clients can schedule synchronous, or “live,” Mental Telehealth Video Sessions with their state-licensed therapist. Synchronous, or “live,” means our clients communicate with their state-licensed therapist in real-time. The frequency of synchronous Mental Telehealth Video Sessions will be dependent on each client’s individual treatment and health insurance plans.
What is Text Therapy?
Ascendant Health believes that digital interaction with state-licensed mental health therapists is the way of the future. As such, our clients may also have access to Text Therapy, which means they can text message their state-licensed mental health therapist whenever they need to and wherever they are, whether at home, work, or somewhere else, as long as they have access to the internet. Our clients can even start a conversation on one device and then continue the conversation later on a different device. Whether using an iPhone, iPad, Android device, or web browser, our clients have full access to Text Therapy with their state-licensed mental health therapist.
Please note that Text Therapy between our clients and Ascendant Health therapists is asynchronous, which means our clients and therapists may not necessarily communicate in real-time; however, our clients can message their therapist as often as needed (and at any time of the day), and expect to receive therapeutic responses from their therapist as soon as possible during the therapist’s working hours.
Please contact us to learn more about or begin services!
*If your therapist is responding less frequently than daily/five days per week, and hasn’t communicated with you about a respective scheduled absence, please contact Ascendant Health’s support team at: [email protected]
Are Ascendant Health’s Mental Telehealth Video Sessions and Text Therapy secure?
Yes, they are!
The privacy and security of our clients is very important to us. Ascendant Health will not share your information with others; in fact, we will only ever share your information if there is an emergency or duty-to-warn situation.
Additionally, all Ascendant Health technology is fully compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Ascendant Health has partnered with SimplePractice to provide our clients with a HIPAA-compliant platform for you to securely access both Mental Telehealth Video Sessions and Text Therapy with your state-licensed mental health therapist.
What do I talk to/message my therapist about?
Literally anything and everything!
Are you feeling down? Are you struggling with anxious thoughts? Are you dealing with grief? Do you have trauma history? Are you facing difficulties in your relationships? Is your work/life balance out of sorts? Ascendant Health’s Mental Telehealth Video Sessions and Text Therapy are your spaces to process your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors with your state-licensed mental health therapist.
Ascendant Health’s state-licensed mental health therapists are educated and trained to treat wide ranging mental health conditions and situations — from anxiety and depression, to trauma and relationship issues. Ascendant Health will work with you to match you with a state-licensed mental health therapist who understands your needs and concerns.
Are Ascendant Health’s therapists licensed?
Yes, they are!
Ascendant Health’s network of mental health therapists have met the individual licensing requirements for the state(s) in which they practice. Additionally, all Ascendant Health therapists have been carefully vetted and trained on our platform.
If my therapist and I don’t match well, can I get a different Ascendant Health therapist?
Yes, you can!
At Ascendant Health, we understand that not all personalities will match. Although we hope all client/therapist connections work well therapeutically, we will work with clients who would like to switch therapists. Please contact Ascendant Health’s support team at: [email protected] if you would like to switch therapists.
Can I call or Skype my therapist?
Unfortunately, no.
Communication between you and your therapist, whether Mental Telehealth Video Sessions or Text Therapy, will occur via our partnership with SimplePractice’s client portal platform, which is private, secure, and HIPAA-compliant. Phone calls, FaceTime, Google Hangout, Skype, or other digital communication applications do not necessarily meet these criteria.
Does Ascendant Health take health insurance?
Yes and no.
Ascendant Health has contracts with Blue Cross Blue Shield, Blue Care Network, and Blue Cross Complete (Medicaid). Please be sure to check with your individual health insurance provider to ensure your plan covers mental telehealth treatment. Ascendant Health also accepts private-pay (i.e., cash) clients for our Mental Telehealth Video Sessions.
Ascendant Health’s Text Therapy platform is a subscription-based service, starting at $49 per week per client. Ascendant Health partners with both individual clients and businesses to provide mental health treatment to those in need. All subscriptions, whether individual client or business-to-business are automatically charged on a monthly basis as long as the subscription is active. You may cancel your subscription at any time.
How does Ascendant Health handle emergencies? What if I am in crisis?
Ascendant Health is not a crisis hotline. Anyone requiring immediate assistance is encouraged to access emergency services (such as 911 or other resources), contact local authorities, or call/text 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
Similar to in-person therapists, Ascendant Health therapists are individually state-licensed, follow clinical and legal protocols if a client is at risk of harming themselves or others, and may be available at flexible hours per their availability. Individual client may contact their therapist to determine whether they have flexible hours.
Is the Ascendant Health platform only available in English?
Mental health services are mostly in English; however, the Ascendant Health network can cover other languages too. Please note, though, that access to mental health services in a language other than English is dependent upon therapist availability in your state of residence. If you are requesting therapy in an alternate language, Ascendant Health will work to meet your request while still adhering to the requirement that therapists must be licensed in their state of residence.
What web browsers are supported by Ascendant Health?
Ascendant Health and SimplePractice are optimized for Google Chrome. That is, using this browser should provide the best client experience. However, both Ascendant Health and SimplePractice also support the latest versions of Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, and Apple Safari.