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Terms of Use.
Please read these terms carefully before using this website or our telehealth services.
Last updated: August 2026
Agreement to Terms
Effective Date: January 1, 2024 | Last Updated: August 2026
By accessing or using the Pacific Mental Health Services (PMHS) website located at www.pacmhs.com (“Site”), scheduling or attending a telehealth session, or submitting any form or inquiry through this Site, you agree to be bound by these Terms of Use. If you do not agree to these terms, you must not access or use the Site or our services.
PMHS reserves the right to modify these Terms at any time. Updated terms will be posted on this page with a revised effective date. Continued use of the Site following any changes constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.
About Pacific Mental Health Services
Pacific Mental Health Services is a 100% virtual clinic licensed in the State of California. All clinical services are provided by associate clinicians operating under the direct supervision of a board-approved licensed clinical supervisor.
Supervising Clinician: Ryan Frost #51777
Business Address: P.O. Box 492044, Redding, CA 96049
Phone: (530) 604-4309
Email: rfrost@pacmhs.com
Associate clinicians hold provisional licensure issued by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) and are working toward full licensure. Their titles may include APCC (Associate Professional Clinical Counselor), ACSW (Associate Clinical Social Worker), or AMFT (Associate Marriage and Family Therapist).
Scope of Services
PMHS provides individual, couples, and family psychotherapy services delivered exclusively via telehealth to residents of California. Services are not available to individuals located outside of California at the time of a session.
What We Do Not Provide
- Emergency mental health crisis services. In a crisis, call 988 or 911 immediately.
- Medication management or psychiatric services.
- Forensic evaluations, psychological testing, or disability assessments.
- Services to minors without proper parental or guardian consent.
- Services to individuals located outside of California at the time of the session.
No Therapeutic Relationship Without Formal Intake
Submitting a contact form, inquiry, or any other communication through this website does not establish a therapist-patient relationship. A therapeutic relationship with PMHS is only established after the following steps have been completed:
- You have completed all required intake paperwork through the SimplePractice patient portal.
- You have provided informed consent in writing prior to your first clinical session.
- A clinician has confirmed your first scheduled appointment.
Telehealth Consent and Limitations
Telehealth services are delivered via Doxy.me, a HIPAA-compliant video platform. By participating in telehealth services with PMHS, you acknowledge and consent to the following:
- Telehealth sessions carry inherent technical risks including connection interruptions, video or audio failure, and potential third-party interception over unsecured networks.
- You are responsible for ensuring your environment is private, confidential, and free from interruption during sessions.
- You must be physically located within the State of California at the time of each session.
- Telehealth may not be appropriate for all clinical presentations. Your clinician will discuss whether telehealth is clinically suitable for your needs.
- In the event of a technical failure, your clinician will attempt to contact you by phone to continue or reschedule the session.
Electronic Communications and Session Recording
By using this Site, submitting a form, or scheduling an appointment, you consent to receive electronic communications from PMHS, including appointment reminders, intake documents, and administrative messages sent by email, text message, or through the SimplePractice patient portal. Message and data rates may apply to text communications. You may withdraw consent to text or email communication at any time by contacting us directly, though this may affect our ability to send appointment reminders.
Session Recording
Audio or video recording of any telehealth session, by either the patient or the clinician, is strictly prohibited without the other party's express written consent in advance. This includes recording through the telehealth platform, a personal device, or any other means. Unauthorized recording of a session is a violation of these Terms and may result in termination of services.
Fees, Insurance, and Payment
PMHS accepts Medi-Cal through Partnership HealthPlan of California, Medicare, Medi-Medi, and private pay. Private pay rates and sliding-scale availability are determined on a case-by-case basis during the intake process.
No Surprises Act
Under the No Surprises Act (Public Law 116-260), you have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate of expected costs for non-emergency services before scheduling. You may request a Good Faith Estimate at any time. If you receive a bill that is $400 or more than the Good Faith Estimate, you may dispute the charge. For questions about this right, contact the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services at 1-800-985-3059 or visit cms.gov/nosurprises.
Cancellation Policy
Cancellations must be made at least 24 hours before your scheduled session. Late cancellations and no-shows may result in a fee as outlined in your Informed Consent Agreement. Insurance does not cover late cancellation or no-show fees.
Termination of Services
PMHS reserves the right to discontinue or decline to provide services to any individual, at the clinician's discretion, including for non-payment, safety concerns, repeated late cancellations or no-shows, or a determination that PMHS is not an appropriate level or type of care for your clinical needs. Where clinically appropriate, PMHS will provide reasonable notice and referral information to help you transition to another provider.
You may discontinue services at any time. We encourage you to discuss this with your clinician and to request a discharge summary or referral if helpful. Discontinuing services does not eliminate any outstanding balance owed for services already rendered.
PMHS also reserves the right to suspend or terminate your access to this Site, without notice, if we reasonably believe you have violated these Terms of Use.
Confidentiality and Mandatory Reporting
All information disclosed in therapy is confidential and protected under California law, including the Confidentiality of Medical Information Act (CMIA) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). PMHS will not disclose your information without your written authorization, except in the following legally mandated circumstances:
- Duty to Warn / Tarasoff: If you disclose a serious and credible threat of harm to an identifiable third party, your clinician is required to take reasonable steps to protect that person, which may include disclosure to law enforcement or the potential victim.
- Duty to Report Child Abuse: All PMHS clinicians are mandated reporters under California Penal Code § 11166. Suspected or known child abuse or neglect must be reported to child protective services.
- Elder and Dependent Adult Abuse: Under the Elder Abuse and Dependent Adult Civil Protection Act (Welfare & Institutions Code § 15630), clinicians must report known or suspected abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation of elders and dependent adults.
- Danger to Self: If you are in imminent danger of harming yourself, your clinician may take steps to ensure your safety, which may include contacting emergency services.
- Court Order: Records may be disclosed pursuant to a valid court order or subpoena, subject to applicable legal protections.
For complete detail on how your information is collected, used, and protected, see our Privacy Policy and HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices.
Minor Patients
Patients under the age of 18 require written consent from a parent or legal guardian prior to beginning services. A parent or guardian must be present for the intake session. California law grants certain confidentiality rights to minors, including the right to consent to certain services without parental involvement (Cal. Health & Safety Code § 124260; Cal. Family Code § 6924).
PMHS will discuss the specific limits of minor confidentiality with the minor and their guardian at intake, and will document the agreed-upon communication arrangement in the Informed Consent.
Non-Discrimination and Language Access
PMHS does not discriminate against, and provides services without regard to, race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, or source of payment, consistent with applicable state and federal law.
As a contracted provider with Partnership HealthPlan of California, PMHS is committed to ensuring meaningful access to services for individuals with limited English proficiency. Free language assistance and interpreter services are available upon request. If you need an interpreter or a translated document, let us know during intake or contact us directly.
Website Use and Intellectual Property
All content on this Site, including text, graphics, logos, and layout, is the property of Pacific Mental Health Services and is protected by applicable copyright and intellectual property laws. You may not reproduce, distribute, modify, or commercially exploit any content from this Site without prior written permission from PMHS.
Permitted Use
- Accessing the Site for personal, non-commercial informational purposes.
- Submitting inquiries or forms for the purpose of obtaining mental health services.
Prohibited Use
- Attempting to gain unauthorized access to any portion of the Site or its backend systems.
- Transmitting any malicious code, spam, or harmful content through the Site.
- Scraping, harvesting, or collecting data from the Site using automated means.
- Impersonating PMHS staff, clinicians, or other users.
Third-Party Links
This Site may contain links to third-party websites, including Partnership HealthPlan of California, BenefitsCal, and crisis resources such as the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. These links are provided for convenience only. PMHS does not control and is not responsible for the content, accuracy, or privacy practices of any third-party website.
Site Availability
PMHS reserves the right to modify, suspend, or discontinue any portion of this Site, including its content or features, at any time and without notice or liability.
Copyright Complaints
If you believe content on this Site infringes your copyright, contact us at rfrost@pacmhs.com with a description of the material and your contact information, and we will investigate promptly.
Disclaimer of Warranties and Limitation of Liability
This Site and its content are provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis without warranties of any kind, express or implied, including but not limited to warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement.
PMHS does not warrant that the Site will be error-free, uninterrupted, or free from viruses or other harmful components. To the fullest extent permitted by California law, PMHS shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages arising out of your use of or inability to use the Site or its services.
The information on this Site is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute professional medical or psychological advice. Always consult a qualified mental health professional regarding any questions or concerns about your mental health.
Indemnification
You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Pacific Mental Health Services, its clinicians, and staff from any claims, damages, losses, or expenses, including reasonable attorneys' fees, arising out of your misuse of this Site, your violation of these Terms, or your violation of any rights of a third party.
General Provisions
Severability
If any provision of these Terms is found unenforceable or invalid, that provision will be limited or eliminated to the minimum extent necessary, and the remaining provisions will remain in full force and effect.
Entire Agreement
These Terms of Use, together with our Privacy Policy, HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices, and any Informed Consent Agreement signed at intake, constitute the entire agreement between you and PMHS regarding your use of this Site and our services.
No Waiver
PMHS's failure to enforce any right or provision of these Terms will not be considered a waiver of that right or provision.
Assignment
You may not assign or transfer these Terms without our prior written consent. PMHS may assign these Terms in connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets.
Minimum Age to Use This Site
This Site is not directed to children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 through general use of the Site. Use of the Site by a minor to inquire about or receive clinical services is addressed separately under Minor Patients, above.
Accessibility
PMHS is committed to making this Site accessible to all users. If you experience difficulty accessing any portion of this Site, please contact us so we can assist you and address the issue.
Governing Law and Dispute Resolution
These Terms of Use are governed by the laws of the State of California, without regard to its conflict-of-law provisions. Any disputes arising under these Terms shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in Contra Costa County, California.
PMHS encourages patients to raise concerns directly with their clinician or the clinical director before pursuing formal legal action. Many concerns can be resolved through direct communication.
Contact Information
If you have questions about these Terms of Use, please contact us:
Ryan Frost
Director of Clinical Services & Training, Pacific Mental Health Services
You may also file a complaint with the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) at bbs.ca.gov or by calling (916) 574-7830.