Opening a clinical private practice in Maine to serve those in need of mental health support involves several administrative, legal and operational hurdles.Jan Dubois, Sweetser’s affiliate program manager, said the shift into a private practice requires a business owner mindset.Dubois said independently becoming paneled with insurance companies can take months, and purchasing malpractice and general liability insurance is crucial to safeguarding personal assets. Practitioners who decide to launch a private practice must also choose a legal framework, such as an LLC or PLLC, to determine their liability and tax obligations.When it comes to a space for the practice, practitioners need to decide between purchasing or renting an office space, working from a home office that must meet ADA standards and be compliant with fire codes or using a virtual platform that is compliant with HIPAA.Dubois said Sweetser can help practitioners overcome the barriers to starting their own practice through the Sweetser Affiliate Network, which is a partnership program designed for independently licensed clinicians in Maine who wish to maintain their own private practice while benefiting from the infrastructure of a large behavioral health nonprofit organization.By joining Sweetser’s network, practitioners — including psychologists, licensed clinical professional counselors and licensed clinical social workers — can gain access to a steady stream of client referrals; comprehensive billing and credentialing services, including MaineCare and commercial insurance; and clinical consultation. Dubois said this model allows therapists to focus on patient care while Sweetser handles much of the administrative burden, such as quality assurance, rapid claims payment and managed care assistance. Sweetser also offers an AI documentation tool that helps make taking session notes easier.Dubois said practitioners can visit sweetser.org/affiliatenetwork to learn more about how they can open their own practice and trade their paperwork for their passion. In addition, Dubois said she is happy to work one-on-one with practitioners to guide them through the process and provide a free comprehensive packet on how to start a private practice.
PORTLAND, Maine —
Opening a clinical private practice in Maine to serve those in need of mental health support involves several administrative, legal and operational hurdles.
Jan Dubois, Sweetser’s affiliate program manager, said the shift into a private practice requires a business owner mindset.
Dubois said independently becoming paneled with insurance companies can take months, and purchasing malpractice and general liability insurance is crucial to safeguarding personal assets. Practitioners who decide to launch a private practice must also choose a legal framework, such as an LLC or PLLC, to determine their liability and tax obligations.
When it comes to a space for the practice, practitioners need to decide between purchasing or renting an office space, working from a home office that must meet ADA standards and be compliant with fire codes or using a virtual platform that is compliant with HIPAA.
Dubois said Sweetser can help practitioners overcome the barriers to starting their own practice through the Sweetser Affiliate Network, which is a partnership program designed for independently licensed clinicians in Maine who wish to maintain their own private practice while benefiting from the infrastructure of a large behavioral health nonprofit organization.
By joining Sweetser’s network, practitioners — including psychologists, licensed clinical professional counselors and licensed clinical social workers — can gain access to a steady stream of client referrals; comprehensive billing and credentialing services, including MaineCare and commercial insurance; and clinical consultation. Dubois said this model allows therapists to focus on patient care while Sweetser handles much of the administrative burden, such as quality assurance, rapid claims payment and managed care assistance. Sweetser also offers an AI documentation tool that helps make taking session notes easier.
Dubois said practitioners can visit sweetser.org/affiliatenetwork to learn more about how they can open their own practice and trade their paperwork for their passion. In addition, Dubois said she is happy to work one-on-one with practitioners to guide them through the process and provide a free comprehensive packet on how to start a private practice.