Membership Information
Independent Mental Health Practices Alliance (IMHPA)
IMHPA is a 501(c)(6) IPA, the sort of corporation which allows competitors to contract together to provide health care services.
Why join? To prepare for the future of mental health practice.
[In 1996, almost all physicians were in independent practice. In 2024 the Portland metropolitan area has an estimated 7,000-8,000 practicing physicians, an estimated 4900-5600 of those are corporate employees, an estimated 2100-2400 are in independent practice. There are 3,400 primary care and specialty physicians in one of the nation’s largest physician IPAs, PIPA. This indicates that those in independent practice and specialty physicians make up the PIPA membership.]
IMHPA offers membership to Oregon licensed independent clinicians of all mental health disciplines Psychologists, Marriage & Family Therapists, Professional Counselors, Social Workers, Psychiatrists, Mental Health Nurse Practitioners and those at post-graduate level of training, practicing under approved supervision.
Members can be practicing solo, in office-sharing arrangements ot practicing in two types of incorporated groups; (1)corporations where the clinicians are owners/shareholders organized on a “costs/profit sharing basis” and (2)corporations where licensed employees are salaried and pre-licensed clinicians are contracted.
IMHPA recognizes that mental health professionals have a wide variety of support, practice-development and operation needs, just as they have varying modes of clinical practice, interests and specialization. IMHPA members may use all benefits available or just the benefits they choose. Cross-disciplinary collaborations improve mental health services.
IMHPA offered a CE in 2019, encouraging formation of private practice groups, development of those groups has increased. Some have struggled and failed. Group practices need healthy business structures.
What is IMHPA? We are activists for ethical collaborative care.
Peer consultation and study groups are core values of IMHPA, members are supported to organize and participate in groups they create and maintain.
Peer review of quality care is protected by State Law for contract eligible members.
IMHPA’s Referral Directory:OregonTherapyOptions.com (OTO) has a quick, advanced search engine. It offers several more features than any other referral system as it helps clients find the professional services they need.
Members can upload pdf forms to their OTO marketing page. These can be members’ office forms and/or documents which promote some aspect of the member’s practice.
Members who participate in IMHPA contracts with health plans may create an unlimited number of free websites using their own domain names at on their OTO dashboard.
Members’ listserv supports cross-referral and consultation group development, offers updates on IMHPA activity and contracts issues.
IMHPA Members’ HIPAA secure FORUM can facilitate consultation and discussion.
Member have discounts or member-benefit access to many services, tools and continuing education.
Privacy-protected online potential-client screening to attract people seeking services.
Members have an Audit Protection Benefit after 6 months of membership. (Qualification criteria apply to this benefit)
LightQ free-with-membership online measurement system offers widely accepted screening and progress measures as well as an increasing number of assessment and change-measure questionnaires.
LightQ screening, progress and outcome questionnaires can be delivered to potential clients by kiosk, web portal, to members’ clients by email or text.
LightQ measurement system allows completed questionnaire responses to be delivered to the member as .pdfs
LightQ measurement system includes analytics which allow members to examine and compare their own patients’ data
LightQ measurement system will allow IMHPA to participate ethically in Healthy Contracts, and to demonstrate the effectiveness of treatment by IMHPA members as a group.
LightQ free-with-membership EHR system includes HIPAA compliant, privacy protective chart notes which meet all basic, comprehensive, progress and medical necessity requirements.
LightQ EHR includes a Coordination of Care chart note which automatically displays a graph of progress, after 3 measures have been made.
LightQ EHR allows Members to print chart notes as pdfs.
LightQ EHR system allows Members to make “bulk downloads” of their chart notes as .pdfs
IMHPA offers Healthy Contracts negotiation and administrative support for enrollment.
IMHPA offers online and in person training to ensure members’ professional readiness to contract for Value Based Reimbursements
CLICK FOR FULL MEMBER APPLICATION
Please download and read your application before you complete it. If you are interrupted in the process of completing it, the electronic signature system does not save your work.
Tier 2 Licensed Membership
Oregon Licensed Mental Health Professionals may apply to join at Tier 2 any time. IMHPA’s membership includes Psychologists, Marriage and Family Therapists, Professional Counselors, Social Workers, Psychiatrists, and Mental Health Nurse Practitioners and those at post-graduate level of training, practicing under approved supervision. All Oregon Mental Health Professionals are welcome to apply.
Tier 2 Licensed professionals pay $20/month and enjoy all benefits of membership, except free personal websites, the Audit Protection Benefit, and eligibility for Board service. A Tier 2 Licensed professional who applies to participate in an IMHPA negotiated contract automatically moves to Tier 1 membership with their dues increased to $65 per month
CLICK FOR FULL MEMBER APPLICATION
Please download and read your application before you complete it. If you are interrupted in the process of completing it, the electronic signature system does not save your wor
First Year Licensed Membership
Oregon Licensed Mental Health Professionals who join within 60 days of receiving their license pay just $20 a month for their first 12 months of membership and enjoy all benefits of membership. (IMHPA recognizes that starting out in practice has many expenses. IMHPA can help you avoid several of those.)
CLICK FOR FULL MEMBER APPLICATION
Please download and read your application before you complete it. If you are interrupted in the process of completing it, the electronic signature system does not save your work.
Associate Membership
Professionals under approved supervision toward their licenses may participate in the referral directory, create free websites, and enjoy and many member benefits for $20/month as Associate Members.
CLICK FOR ASSOCIATE APPLICATION
Please download and read your application before you complete it. If you are interrupted in the process of completing it, the electronic signature system does not save your work.
PART OF A PRIVATE PRACTICE GROUP?
IMHPA is a 501 (c)6 corporation which offers individual memberships to clinicians of all mental health disciplines practicing solo or in office-sharing arrangements and to clinicians practicing in two types of incorporated groups; (1) private corporations where the clinicians are owners/shareholders organized on a “costs and/or profit sharing” basis and (2) private corporations where all employees are salaried.
Established, incorporated groups which include 6 or more licensed members and help facilitate the group’s professionals credentialing process for IMHPA contracts pay dues at a rate of $45 per month per licensed group member and $20 per month for associate-level professionals participating in the corporation.
Click to: Activate Your Marketing Page at Oregon Therapy Options
Full Membership Requires:
State License for independent practice of a mental health discipline.
Malpractice insurance (1,000,000 occurrence 3,000,000 aggregate) plus General Liability Insurance,
Approval by the IMHPA Board of Directors of candidate's Enrollment Application.
Membership in IMHPA is provisional for the first year.
Members agree to accept Bylaws and Policies adopted by IMHPA as they enroll.
Members agree to IMHPA policies concerning their ethical responsibilities to colleagues and clients as they enroll. (We suggest downloading and reading your application before you complete it. If you are interrupted in the process of completing it, the SignNow system does not save your work.)
Peer-consultation is a requirement of membership and as a support for members.
Tier 1 Members are Owners and may serve on Committees, as Board members and officers.
Contracting with Healthplans
Keep your current EHR if you choose. IMHPA offers an online platform (which meets group and individual contract requirements) at no extra charge. IMHPA members have responsibility for and control over their personal contracts with Healthplans.
Contracting agreements which involve the provision of mental and behavioral health services with structure as Value Based Contracts (VBC) that involve Alternative Payment Methods (APM) are part of the future. (The Affordable Care Act of 2010, brought VBC contracting to healthcare. It is coming slowly and with a great deal of confusion for mental and behavioral health services.
The developing payment methods may include Value Based Payments (VPM), Risk-sharing, Pay for Performance (P4P) and Feedback Informed Treatment (FIT), IMHPA is positioning itself to support Ethical Independent Practices in the new arena of Value Based Contracting.
Peer Consultation & Supervision
IMHPA members have created an interdisciplinary community that promotes and supports sound clinical practice through participation in peer study and consultation. IMHPA Bylaws require that all members belong to a Peer Consultation Group or have other formal study, consultation or supervision. The expectation is that consultation/supervision or study meetings will be held at least once a month. IMHPA members may choose to meet with a single peer consultant or supervisor.
Peer consultation
creates and supports professional community.
encourages ethical practice and provides networking opportunities.
supports IMHPA members as they provide quality care to clients.
supports counseling and therapy services through appropriate referrals and improved decision making capabilities.
helps prevent therapist burnout by decreasing the isolation therapists often experience in private practice.
allows mentoring opportunities in therapy skills and business practices.
is a quality assurance strategy. When IMHPA members present our practices to the public, and when we market contracts for services the fact of our peer consultation is an assurance to clients of our well-developed skills and our clinical depth.
is a growing standard of practice across the country. In many cases, peer supervision is a required standard of behavior.
Four basic reasons to start, join, formalize and maintain consultation group
Less Risk and Lower Liability.
Save Time and Money.
Create long term supportive clinical relationships
Professional Growth.
Members Audit Protection Benefit
Join the Independent Mental Health Practices Alliance (IMHPA) for comprehensive audit protection. Membership offers expert support, training, consultation, and guidance before, during, and after Healthplan or Medicare audits. Benefit from clinical consultations, mental health chart reviews, and certification of medically necessary services. Ensure your practice meets ethical, legal, and clinical standards while receiving robust protection and peace of mind. Join IMHPA today and secure your practice against audits with confidence.
Contact us if you want to know more
Members who are interested in joining an existing peer consultation group, or would like to form a new one, are encouraged to post a message on the IMHPA listserv and/or to contact the IMHPA Administrator at 503-222-0332.