Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What services does Your Hope Center provide in the Eagle County School District?
Your Hope Center’s clinicians provide outpatient psychotherapy services for K-12 students in the Eagle County School District (ECSD). These clinical services are similar to services provided through a private therapist or other behavioral health provider in an outpatient clinical setting. Your Hope Center clinicians work in coordination with school guidance counselors to receive referrals for students seeking mental health support. This clinical model removes barriers to mental health care, including the reduction of transportation barriers and missed school days. We recognize how important it is to continue to serve the mental health needs of Eagle County students. The changes being implemented in the 2024-25 school year will ensure that these clinical services receive sustainable funding to maintain this highly effective clinical care model in future years.
Why is Your Hope Center starting to bill commercial insurance in the 2024-25 school year?
Your Hope Center has been fortunate to receive tax revenue, grants, and other financial support to provide free services in Eagle County schools since 2018, however, many of these funding sources are coming to an end this year. Your Hope Center has been billing Medicaid for school based services over the past two years through a partnership with Vail Health Behavioral Health. Recent changes to state requirements have provided an opportunity for Your Hope Center to start billing commercial insurance starting on July 1, 2024. This change will ensure that Your Hope Center has the financial sustainability to continue to provide clinical services in K-12 school settings in future years.
My student has seen a Your Hope Center therapist in previous school years. What changes can I expect in the 2024-25 school year?
All students receiving services through Your Hope Center will be asked to complete a new consent form. This consent form is a legal requirement in Colorado and ensures that the patient or the patient’s legal guardian is making an informed decision about their care. The student’s assigned clinician will initiate the consent process prior to scheduling the first clinical session during the 2024-25 school year. The consent form will be sent to the student and/or student’s legal guardian to be signed electronically through your computer or cell phone.
During the consent process, families will be asked to provide an image of the front and back of their insurance card if they have public or private insurance. All families with insurance will be asked to submit copies of their insurance card, even if they plan to use other payment methods, such as Olivia’s Fund, for school-based sessions.
What payment options are available for school-based services?
Colorado iMatter Program: The state of Colorado’s iMatter program provides six free behavioral health sessions to children aged 17 and under with an in-network provider, including all Your Hope Center providers, regardless of family income level. Starting in the 2024-25 school year, the first six (6) school-based sessions will be billed to the iMatter program for students who have not already engaged in this program. Parents do not need to register; the first six school-based sessions will be automatically billed to iMatter and provided to eligible students for free.
Medicaid: Your Hope Center has been billing Medicaid for school-based services over the past two years through a partnership with Vail Health Behavioral Health. Patients with Medicaid will continue to receive coverage for school-based behavioral health services through their insurance.
Commercial Insurance: After utilizing the six free iMatter sessions, patients with commercial insurance will receive a bill from Vail Health if the family has a copay or deductible. If you have questions about your behavioral health benefits or would like a cost estimate for school-based sessions, please email us.
Olivia’s Fund: Olivia’s Fund provides financial assistance to Eagle County residents for up to six mental health sessions per person per year for those who qualify. Families who face a financial barrier can apply for Olivia’s Fund at MountainStrong.org/Register by completing the Olivia’s Fund patient application in English or Spanish. Eligible families can receive six free iMatter sessions AND six free Olivia’s Fund sessions during the 2024-25 school year.
Mountain Strong Employee Assistance Program (EAP): If your employer participates in the Mountain Strong EAP, school-based clinical services are covered up to the maximum number of sessions approved by your employer under this employee benefit.
No Insurance: For families who do not have health insurance and are not eligible for Medicaid, Vail Health financial aid is also available for patients regardless of immigration status. For more information, visit VailHealth.org/FinancialAssistance.
How can I find out more about my insurance benefits? How much will each clinical session cost?
Medical insurance plans vary based on the employer, insurance carrier, and plan type. To obtain an estimate of your behavioral health insurance benefits, including an estimate for out of pocket costs for copays and/or deductibles, contact a Vail Health Behavioral Health Financial Counselor by email.
What is the Colorado iMatter program and how does it work?
The state of Colorado’s iMatter program provides six free behavioral health sessions to children aged 17 and under with an in network provider, including all Your Hope Center clinicians. This program currently offers six (6) sessions to kids for the life of the program. Once the six sessions are used, students are not eligible for more sessions. A small number of ECSD students have utilized the iMatter program during the prior school year. The student’s assigned YHC clinician will communicate with the thirty families who may not be eligible for this state program due to prior utilization.
Note: this program does not apply to patients enrolled in Medicaid. Medicaid covers 100% of the costs for mental health services.
Will parents be alerted if their insurance is being billed once the iMatter sessions and/or Olivia’s sessions are used?
Parents will not receive an automatic notification once the student has participated in iMatter and/or Olivia’s Fund sessions. Parents can communicate with their student’s assigned Your Hope Center clinician or contact a Vail Health Behavioral Health Financial Counselor to obtain information on the total number of sessions the student has engaged in during the school year. We encourage parents to contact us early in the school year to obtain an estimate of your behavioral health insurance benefits in order to make decisions regarding behavioral health utilization for your student.
What options are available for families in need of financial aid?
We will have options to support the financial needs of our local families so that no student is denied access to school-based clinical care.
Olivia’s Fund: Olivia’s Fund provides financial assistance to Eagle County residents for up to six mental health sessions per person per year for those who qualify. Families who face a financial barrier can apply for Olivia’s Fund at MountainStrong.org/Register by completing the Olivia’s Fund patient application in English or Spanish. Eligible families can receive six free iMatter sessions AND six free Olivia’s Fund sessions during the 2024-25 school year.
Mountain Strong Employee Assistance Program (EAP): If your employer participates in the Mountain Strong EAP, school-based clinical services are covered up to the maximum number of sessions approved by your employer under this employee benefit.
No Insurance: For families who do not have health insurance and are not eligible for Medicaid, Vail Health financial aid is also available for patients regardless of immigration status. For more information, visit VailHealth.org/FinancialAssistance.
Where will my child’s clinical data be stored? Will other Vail Health staff have access to my child’s mental health records?
As of July 1, 2024, Your Hope Center is using Vail Health Behavioral Health’s electronic medical record for documenting all crisis, community stabilization and school-based clinical services. By law, electronic records for behavioral health services are confidential; this data cannot be accessed by other providers or staff in the Vail Health system. Records of school-based sessions cannot be shared with pediatricians or other providers without the patient or patient’s legal guardian completing a release of information. To learn more about requesting mental health records, visit VailHealthBH.org/Patient-Resources/Medical-Records.
My student has never seen a Your Hope Center clinician, how do I sign up for services?
If your student has not previously engaged in Your Hope Center services, and you would like your student to receive mental health support in the 2024-25 school year, please reach out to your school’s guidance counselor or administration team for a referral to your assigned Your Hope Center clinician.
Who do I contact with additional questions?
If you have questions that were not addressed in this document, or if you would like additional information, please contact us.