Disability Paperwork and Benefit-Related Requests
This policy explains how our Redfish Counseling handles requests for disability claims, FMLA forms, and other benefit-related paperwork. Our goal is to provide accurate healthcare information while ensuring our staff can focus on your direct clinical care. Please read this policy carefully.
1. Purpose and Scope
This policy applies to all "incidental" paperwork completion requested by patients. This includes, but is not limited to, Social Security Disability (SSA), Private Disability Insurance, Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) certifications, and Housing or Emotional Support Animal (ESA) requests.
2. Eligibility for Documentation Support
To provide an honest and accurate assessment of your health, in most cases, our providers will need a clear record of your symptoms and response to treatment over time.
Established Relationship: To meet the evidentiary requirements of most agencies, we generally require that you have been an established client for at least two (2) months and have attended at least five (5) appointments. Clinicians may exercise clinical discretion in whether they may be able to complete documentation requests if you have already provided verified and comprehensive records from a previous long-term provider.
Emotional Support Animals (ESA): Redfish Counseling does not currently offer any approval and/or verification of ESA status.
3. Clinical Integrity and "Full Disclosure"
Our providers are ethically and legally bound to provide a complete and honest picture of your health.
Clinical Findings only: We will only report information supported by your medical records. If a form asks for tests we have not performed, we will leave those sections blank and/or refer you to a specialist as needed.
Complete Picture: We are obligated to provide a full clinical summary. We cannot omit relevant clinical history or "negative" clinical findings (such as missed appointments or non-compliance) at a patient’s request. Certain exceptions to this may apply in the case of substance use-related records, which should be discussed with your provider as needed.
Accuracy: Providing false or exaggerated information to a provider to obtain benefits is a serious matter. If a provider determines that the clinical relationship has been compromised by a lack of client truthfulness, it may lead to a the initiation of a formal transition of care (discharge) process in accordance with ethical guidelines.
4. Functional Limitations vs. Legal Status
Our clinicians are mental health providers, not legal or vocational experts.
What We Do Not Provide: We do not make "legal conclusions." We cannot certify that you are "disabled" or "eligible for benefits." Those decisions are made solely by government agencies or insurance companies.
What We Do Provide: We describe your functional limitations (for example: "Patient cannot lift more than 10 lbs" or "Patient cannot concentrate for more than 30 minutes").
5. Administrative Fees and Exceptions
Completing complex paperwork is an administrative task that is not covered by your health insurance premium. These tasks have related applicable fees that can be found here and in the table below (fees below are current as of May 14, 2026).*
Standard Letter (Brief treatment summaries, recommendations, other reports, etc.) | $25 |
Complex narrative reports and/or Assessment summaries | $25 for first 30 minutes; $15 for each additional 30 minutes spent |
Completion of external paperwork/forms (FMLA, short-term disability, other care collaboration) | $25 for first 30 minutes; $15 for each additional 30 minutes spent |
Medical Records Release | $0.75 per page after one free copy |
*Legal Exceptions: Administrative fees apply except where prohibited by your insurance provider contract or by state/federal law (such as specific Social Security Disability applications).
6. Timeline and Deadlines
Standard Processing: Please allow 14 business days for paperwork completion.
FMLA Priority: We recognize that FMLA often has a strict 15-day return window. Please alert our staff immediately if you have a legal deadline so we can prioritize your request.
No "Emergency" Requests: Paperwork cannot be completed during your scheduled therapy session or on a "same-day" basis.
It is solely the responsibility of the client to provide all required documentation needed for the provider to be able to meet the client’s request in a timely manner. Failure to provide these documents and/or to inform the provider of key deadlines may result in delayed completions.
Appendix: Legal Fee Schedule
If a clinician is subpoenaed or requested to participate in legal proceedings related to a disability claim (such as depositions or court testimony), related adjunct service fees apply. These fees can be found here and in the table below (these fees are current as of May 14, 2026).
Court Appearance & Preparation (Including but not limited to depositions and expert or fact witness testimony) | $1,950 per day per provider (partial days prorated accordingly). A $550 retainer is required prior to the delivery of any court-related services. |
These fees are separate from any applicable administrative “paperwork” fees above and must be paid by the requesting party (or the client) via a non-refundable retainer.
Payment Terms: A non-refundable retainer of $550 must be paid in full no fewer than five (5) days prior to the scheduled date. If the retainer is not received, the clinician will not attend the proceeding unless required by a court order that bypasses standard fee arrangements. Any remaining fees due shall be paid immediately after the clinician’s provision of adjunct services.