Attendance, Late, No-Show, & Cancellation

Missed Appointment Fees

HEAL CCC does not charge missed appointment fees. However, we maintain a strict attendance policy to support scheduling availability, continuity of care, and responsible use of appointment times.

Future appointments and continued services depend on provider availability, communication, and adherence to practice policies.

Cancellations & Rescheduling

Clients are asked to provide at least 24 hours’ notice when canceling or rescheduling an appointment whenever possible.

A cancellation made with less than 24 hours’ notice is considered a late cancellation.

A missed appointment without notice before the appointment start time is considered a no-show.

Late Arrival Policy

Clients are encouraged to arrive on time for scheduled appointments. HEAL CCC provides a 6-minute grace period for late arrival.

• 0–6 minutes late: The appointment may proceed as scheduled when possible.
• 7 or more minutes late: The appointment will be documented as a late arrival.
  The session may be shortened, rescheduled, or unable to be completed depending on remaining time and provider availability.

If a session cannot be completed due to late arrival, it may be considered a missed appointment based on the circumstances and practice policy.

Missed Appointments & No-Shows

A no-show is defined as:

• Not attending a scheduled appointment.
• Not providing notice before the scheduled appointment start time.

Following a no-show:

• The reserved appointment time is forfeited.
• Continued scheduling is not guaranteed and depends on provider availability and current practice policies.

Late Cancellations

A late cancellation is defined as canceling an appointment with less than 24 hours’ notice.

• Two late cancellations are considered equivalent to one no-show.
• Repeated late cancellations may result in a discussion regarding scheduling needs, treatment readiness, and whether the current treatment arrangement remains appropriate.

New Clients & Intake Appointments

Initial appointments require additional time for assessment, treatment planning, and establishing care. To support access for clients seeking services, the following applies to intake appointments:

• After two missed intake appointments (no-shows), HEAL CCC will be unable to reschedule the intake appointment.
• If a first intake appointment is missed, the client must contact the office or therapist within 7 business days to continue the intake process.
• If no contact is received within 7 business days, the intake request may be closed. Re-engagement may require a new intake request or referral depending on current availability.

Established Clients & Ongoing Treatment

For established clients, attendance concerns will generally be addressed through communication and treatment planning whenever possible.

Following a no-show:

• The provider will make one outreach attempt.
• If there is no response within 7 calendar days, reserved or recurring appointment times may be released.
• Three no-shows within a 12-month period may result in ending services and providing referral recommendations when appropriate.
• If there is no contact within 30 days following a missed appointment and outreach attempt, the episode of care may be administratively closed.

Repeated cancellations, even when appropriate notice is provided, may result in a discussion regarding treatment fit, readiness, scheduling needs, and whether continued services can be provided effectively.

Additional Considerations

• Urgent, unexpected, or unavoidable circumstances will be considered when reviewing attendance patterns.
• Appointment times are reserved specifically for each client. Missed appointments and late cancellations reduce availability for other individuals seeking care.
• Attendance patterns may be considered as part of ongoing treatment planning and decisions regarding continuity of care.

Definitions

No-show: Not attending a scheduled appointment or not providing notice before the appointment begins.

Late cancellation: Canceling a scheduled appointment with less than 24 hours’ notice.