The short version: You get dignity, choice, privacy, honest prices, and the right to complain safely. I get honesty, notice when plans change, and a safe place to work.
Your rights
To be treated like a person, not a case number
You will be addressed by the name you choose, spoken to as an adult, and never talked about over your head. I use the word people first, clients second, and patients only when the clinical setting calls for it. Never consumers.
To know exactly what I am and what I am not
I am a Certified Peer Specialist of Mental Health (CPS-MH), a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist (CPRS), and a Phlebotomy Technician (PBT). I am not a therapist, a doctor, a nurse, or a lawyer, and I will tell you plainly when something is outside my lane and help you find who does belong in it.
To choose, and to change your mind
You choose your goals, your pace, and which parts of your life we work on. You may refuse any service, stop at any time, or ask for a different approach, without having to justify it and without losing access to anything else.
To privacy
What you tell me stays with me, with the narrow exceptions listed in the Notice of Privacy Practices. I do not use your story, your photograph, or your words on this website, on social media, or in fundraising without your specific written permission — and you can withdraw that permission later.
To be free from abuse, retaliation, and coercion
No yelling, no shaming, no threats, no using your needs as leverage, no using your family against you. If anyone connected to Heart of Care does any of that, you can say so and it will be taken seriously.
To honest money talk
You will be told the rate before the work starts, what is included, and what happens if you cannot pay. Peer support is $20 per hour. Inability to pay does not make you less welcome; say so and we will figure it out.
To complain without it costing you anything
You may raise a concern, ask for a supervisor-level review, or file a complaint with an outside agency, and it will not change how you are treated here. See the grievance page.
To your own record
You may ask what I have written down about you, get a copy, and ask that anything inaccurate be corrected. Ask and I will produce it.
To an accessible service
If you need large print, a slower pace, a support person present, a ride, a different meeting place, or a phone call instead of a visit, ask. Accommodation is expected, not a favor.
What I ask of you
- Be honest with me about what is actually going on, even the ugly part. I cannot help around a lie.
- Tell me when a time will not work, as early as you can. My schedule is small and someone else is waiting.
- Keep the space safe — no violence, no threats, no weapons, and no active intoxication during a visit if it puts either of us at risk.
- Respect the privacy of anyone else you meet through Heart of Care, at a pop-up, on the Porch, or at a group.
- Tell me if something I did hurt you or missed the mark. I would rather hear it than lose you.
Limits I will always name out loud
Peer support is not therapy, medication management, or crisis intervention. I do not diagnose, I do not prescribe, and I do not give legal advice. If you are in immediate danger, call or text 988 or call 911. I will stay with you while you make that call if you want me to.