Advertising, Fees, and Business Practices
This domain tests truthful public statements, financial arrangements, and business conduct that could mislead clients or exploit the professional relationship.
Core rules
- Advertising must be accurate and not misleading. Do not guarantee outcomes, use sensational claims, or imply credentials you do not hold. Use “psychologist” only if licensed in Nevada.
- Disclose fees, billing practices, cancellation policies, insurance limitations, and collection procedures early. Do not misrepresent services to obtain reimbursement.
- Fee splitting for referrals is improper when it rewards referral rather than services. Contingency fees for therapy are unethical. Bartering requires a written agreement, fair value, and attention to exploitation risk.
- Collection practices must protect confidentiality. Do not disclose clinical information to a collection agency without authorization or legal authority, and do not abandon a client for nonpayment.
Worked example
A psychologist offers a “guaranteed cure for anxiety” in a newspaper ad and pays a physician $50 for each referral. Both practices create Board risk: the guarantee is misleading, and the referral payment is an improper fee split. The psychologist revises the ad and ends the payment arrangement.
Traps
Using testimonials that imply guaranteed results; failing to disclose fees before service; withholding records solely for unpaid bills; billing insurance for services not delivered; entering barter arrangements without documentation.