Obsessive compulsive disorder - OCD treatment and therapy from NOCD

Therapy Enrollment Agreement & Terms Of Use

NOCD Therapy Description

This NOCD Therapy Enrollment Agreement & Terms of Use is provided to NOCD Therapy enrollees (“Members”) in addition to the NOCD Terms of Use, which remain in full force and effect. NOCD Therapy offers a series of paid messaging and telehealth services to assist in the assessment, treatment, and/or self-management of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and related obsessive-compulsive spectrum (OC-spectrum) conditions, including hoarding disorder, tic disorders, and body-focused repetitive behavioral disorders, such as trichotillomania and excoriation disorder.

Through the NOCD Platform, NOCD Therapy connects Members with a mental health professional (MHP) who has training in OCD and Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum conditions as well as evidence-based treatments for these disorders, including Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) and Habit Reversal Training (HRT). We call these MHPs our ‘NOCD Providers.’ NOCD Providers may include Licensed Psychologists, Licensed Counselors,  Licensed Social Workers and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists, or associates in any of the above disciplines (associates have completed their graduate academic and practicum work, and are now seeing Members to gain hours to sit for their licenses and are supervised by Licensed NOCD Providers). 

NOCD Providers are here to help our Members learn how to feel better by providing education, empathy, and knowledge about OCD and ERP as well as OC-spectrum conditions and HRT/CBT.

The NOCD assessment and treatment services available to a Member will depend upon each Member’s service enrollment.

Depending on the Member’s enrollment, NOCD Therapy Members will have access to the following service(s):

  • Self-Guided therapeutic tools and community discussion. 
  • First Session: A clinical interview via video with one of our therapists. 
  • NOCD Therapy: An research-backed program that includes ~60 or ~45 or ~30 minute sessions and messaging with one of our NOCD Providers. NOCD Therapists will be able to work with you to assist you with your presenting problem as well many other concerns with which you may also be dealing. If a NOCD Provider cannot assist you, we will work with you on referrals to providers that can help. 

Depending on the Member’s enrollment, NOCD Providers may:

  • Provide professional OCD and Related Disorders messaging support or telehealth services, via the NOCD Platform, that are commensurate with the Member’s service selection and the MHPs’ education, license, experience, and applicable federal and state law, and public health codes.
  • For OCD and Related Disorders:
    • Provide clinical assessment for OCD and Related Disorder(s) symptoms and provide treatment recommendation(s) for a Member’s ongoing plan of care.
  • For NOCD Therapy:
    • Provide education, treatment plan, and ERP and/or HRT/CBT treatment.
    • Respond to messaging within one business day, with education, symptom screening tools, empathy, and support.
    • May contact Members unsolicited if there has been no contact from a Member in more than 24 hours or if there is a concern for the Member’s well-being.
  • For all services, and in accordance with applicable law and regulations:
    • Inform Members of when NOCD Providers will be unavailable and offer Members alternative NOCD Providers with whom Members can receive services in the interim if the MHP will be out for more than two weeks in a row.
    • Review information provided by Members (e.g., activity, ERP plan, scores for screening measures) to inform clinical decision-making.
    • Refer to and collaborate with external clinical and support resources when clinically indicated and at the Member’s consent.

Emergencies

People in the NOCD community care about you. We understand that emergencies arise in people’s lives. NOCD is not intended to be used in an emergency or considered a replacement for emergency services. You agree that in case of emergency you will call 911 (in the US and Canada), 999 (if in the UK), 000 (Australia), or contact emergency services in your country, or go safely to your nearest emergency room.

If you are in danger of harming yourself or others, please use the following resources to get immediate help:

As a requirement to access the NOCD Therapy Service, Members will need to provide NOCD with their physical location at the time of therapy services and emergency contact information. Should Members refuse to provide an emergency contact, their local emergency number will be the default emergency contact.

Participation and Consent to Receive Services

  • You understand that you have the right to accept or decline any suggestions made by your NOCD Provider. NOCD does not guarantee any results or treatment outcomes. While therapy is helpful for most individuals, it may not benefit everyone.
  • You maintain responsibility for informing NOCD if you are in a different state, territory, province, or region than the originating location to ensure you receive services from a licensed mental health provider in your state, territory, province, or region.
  • Potential benefits from NOCD services may be improvement in your understanding of OCD and Related Disorders and improvement in symptom severity. You understand that there are also potential risks from engaging in NOCD services, including, but not limited to, the experience of unpleasant emotions and the possibility that, despite your best efforts and the efforts of the NOCD Provider, your condition may not be improved, and in some cases may even worsen.
  • You understand that in order to receive effective treatment, you will need to complete the screening process and progress questionnaires, to the best of your knowledge, with information that is accurate, correct, and not false or misleading.
  • You understand that in order for our NOCD services to improve your treatment experiences, you will be asked to provide us with feedback about your experience and needs throughout the term of the Therapy services.
  • You understand that telehealth based services may have limited capabilities compared to in-person services. You also understand that if your NOCD Provider believes they cannot appropriately provide you with the necessary services via telehealth, the NOCD Provider will make their best effort to refer you to a licensed provider who can provide you such services, via telehealth or in-person. You understand that NOCD Providers have the right to refuse you service or the right to refer you to other appropriate providers in circumstances when, in their professional judgment, the NOCD Provider feels that they lack the competency to provide you with the appropriate services.
  • You agree that in case of an emergency, you will immediately seek medical assistance including, as appropriate, calling your local emergency number or your local emergency access phone number, or presenting at your nearest emergency room.
  • You agree to provide us with your physical location and an emergency contact whom we may call in case of emergency.
  • You have the right to request the credentials of your NOCD Provider by going to the relevant state’s licensing website.
  • You may be asked if it is permissible for a recorded or live observation of your session to occur. You understand that this would happen only with your consent, and its purpose would be for the evaluation of your therapist or for the purpose of training new therapists. Note that there is no obligation to consent to observation or recording, and should you choose to deny consent, there will be no penalty or consequence of your doing so. If the session is recorded, once viewed, it would be permanently deleted. If a session is observed for auditing purposes, your therapist would receive feedback about their performance in the session and get tips for how to improve their delivery of therapy. If your session is observed, the observer(s) will have their camera and microphone turned off for the session to minimize any distraction.

Confidentiality

Members are responsible for maintaining the security of their mobile devices or other electronic means used in accessing the NOCD services. NOCD strongly recommends using only password-protected device(s) and also enabling the “Lock App” feature located within the Account settings of the NOCD app.

The content of services is confidential. A record of digital and electronic communications with NOCD will be maintained according to applicable law and ethical guidelines. Depending upon the services delivered, clinical documentation may also be completed via a HIPAA-compliant electronic medical record (EMR). This information will not be shared with a third party outside of the NOCD platform without the consent (Release of Information or ROI) of the Member or the Member’s authorized custodian or legal representative. Exceptions to confidentiality will be made in accordance with, or as required by law, and may include, but are not limited to the following:

  • If a Member’s NOCD Provider reasonably believes the Member is in danger, physically or emotionally, to themselves or another person;
  • If there is reasonable cause to suspect abuse or neglect of a minor or another vulnerable individual. Mental Health Professionals (MHPs) are mandated reporters. Though specific laws may vary by state, NOCD’s MHPs must follow the law and uphold their Code of Ethics;
  • If Members disclose that they are infected with a potentially life-threatening illness that could be transmitted to a specific uninformed person;
  • If Members disclose sexual contact with another mental health professional with whom they have or had a professional therapeutic relationship;
  • If NOCD is obligated to disclose information pursuant to a court order or otherwise required by law; and
  • If NOCD, its employees, or agents utilize such information internally for NOCD quality assurance reviews

Please note that the community on the NOCD App is monitored 24/7. Comments made in the community on the NOCD platform may be forwarded to your NOCD therapist and/or NOCD staff if the messages include subjects of intent to self-harm, intent to harm others, or satisfaction/dissatisfaction with your provider. If you post anything that is concerning the community (e.g., excessive reassurance-seeking, suicidal ideation, intimidating behavior, etc.), your therapist may also be informed of the post(s).

Use of Technology

It is important for Members to know that using technology may come with additional risks. These risks include, but are not limited to the following:

  • The possibility of technology failure resulting in a NOCD Provider not receiving Members’ messages/information/inability to provide services;
  • Text-based messaging communication increases the possibility of misunderstandings between the NOCD Providers and Members because of the absence of nonverbal/visual cues;
  • In the event of a technology failure during the session, your NOCD therapist will make every attempt to re-engage you in the session. 
  • Though we take our commitment to confidentiality and data privacy very seriously and follow all applicable privacy laws and regulations such as HIPAA, confidentiality may be breached at many points when using electronic communication, including unauthorized monitoring/interception of transmissions. This means that unauthorized third parties could potentially access Members’ records/communication. By communicating with NOCD Providers via electronic methods, you understand and agree to these risks. If you have any questions regarding these risks prior to obtaining services from NOCD, please contact us by e-mail at privacy@nocdhelp.com.

NOCD Research Mission

To further NOCD’s research mission of better understanding OCD and Related Disorders, NOCD collects de-identified data of Members. De-identified data is data for which individually identifiable health information has been removed. For more information on the NOCD Research Mission and the NOCD Scientific Advisory Board please visit our website. Post completion of the NOCD therapy protocol, NOCD will contact you at various points to ask you to complete some voluntary assessment measures to see how you are maintaining your gains. 

You will also be sent surveys after your sessions, which are optional for you to complete. The results from those surveys may be shared with your therapist/NOCD staff to help them to improve their work within the NOCD Protocol. 

Acknowledgment and Agreement

  • I understand that NOCD is not intended to be used in an emergency or considered a replacement for emergency services.
  • I agree to provide emergency contact information. I have read and understand my participation responsibilities as an enrollee of NOCD Therapy services.
  • I agree to inform NOCD of any changes in my contact or emergency contact information.
  • I authorize NOCD to conduct periodic quality assurance reviews of my services to ensure high-quality care.
  • I agree to pay for services as determined by my service selection if not already covered by a sponsoring organization. 
  • I agree that de-identified data can be collected for research purposes.
  • I understand that I am responsible to choose a private, secure, and distraction-free location when I use NOCD Therapy services.
  • I understand that I am responsible for having secure, reliable internet service, as well as updating the NOCD app and having technology that supports the most current version of the app.
  • I have had the opportunity to ask questions and have my questions answered (Contact Us at info@nocdhelp.com).
  • I have read, understand, and agree to comply with the NOCD Therapy Enrollment Agreement, Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

I consent to receive services through NOCD.