Amber Brinkman, LLC Policies Updated December 2024
My goal is to provide effective advocacy services tailored to your child’s unique needs. To ensure we maintain an effective and productive working relationship, please review the following policies, which complement the terms outlined in our client agreement.
I will be your primary contact as we work together. I work with many families to provide dedicated advocacy and support, and these policies are designed to ensure clear communication and effective collaboration.
Business Hours:
I am available Monday through Thursday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM (ET), and prioritize scheduled calls, meetings, and appointments. Please note that your package may not include phone calls, meetings or appointments with me unless specifically outlined in our agreement.
Response Times:
You can expect a response to phone calls, emails or text messages within 48 business hours, although I do try to respond as quickly as I’m able, and 3-5 business day turnaround (unless otherwise agreed upon) for all written communication requests. E.g., Parent input statements, advocacy letters, and written responses to schools.
Communication & Scheduling Policies:
All communication should be conducted via text message, phone calls or through email. Please do not use social media and messaging apps (e.g., Facebook Messenger, Instagram Messenger).
All phone calls must be scheduled through my appointment calendar. I understand that unexpected situations may arise, and I offer one complimentary reschedule. Subsequent rescheduling or cancellations with less than 24 hours’ notice will incur a fee, due upon receipt. Please be aware that my availability may not match yours.
Repeated no-shows may result in termination of services. Please note that late arrivals may also incur a fee, as they impact the time allocated for your session and my ability to assist other families.
If a session is not used within the time frame allotted in the package you have selected, it is forfeited.
My goal is to ensure that every family I work with receives the time and attention they deserve. When an appointment is missed or cancelled without sufficient notice, it limits my ability to assist you effectively and also prevents me from providing support to other families who also need help.
Timely Communication & Strategy:
Effective advocacy requires timely communication and the accurate and complete exchange of information. Just as you expect the school to meet deadlines and follow through on commitments, it is equally important that you do the same. If you delay in providing information or following through on agreed-upon actions, it may reduce the effectiveness of our efforts and hinder our ability to achieve the desired outcome. I reserve the right to terminate our agreement if communication delays become a recurring issue. Misrepresentation, withholding, or altering information can disrupt the process and may lead to termination of services.
If your package includes my assistance with implementing your advocacy strategy, once an advocacy strategy is agreed upon, any changes to this plan must be discussed with me in advance. Sudden changes can undermine our strategy and impact outcomes.
Active clients understand they must consult me before agreeing to anything verbally or in writing with the school or district.
Billing:
Typically, packages are payable upfront, in full, in advance of the start of services. In the event of recurring billing, your card on file will be billed every 30 days at the amount agreed in your agreement.
Billing Disputes:
In the unlikely event of a disagreement between us regarding your services or deliverables, you agree to make a good-faith attempt for 30 days to communicate with me prior to initiating a chargeback.
Confidentiality:
To ensure the success of our advocacy efforts, strategies, documents, and communications are best kept confidential. Sharing this information, even with friends or family members, can unintentionally compromise the effectiveness of our plan. To avoid such situations, please do not forward or share our strategies, responses, or other materials with anyone, including friends, other families, or the district, without my explicit consent. The strategies and resources provided are tailored to your specific case and may not apply to others, are a proprietary work product, and are not designed to be generalized to other situations.
I am committed to maintaining the confidentiality of all client information and records within the legal limits. Your trust is important to me, and I take the protection of your personal information seriously.
Social Media:
To preserve the integrity of our advocacy work, it is best if you refrain from posting about your child’s situation with the district on social media while working with me. Sharing details publicly can inadvertently harm your case and weaken our advocacy efforts.
Meetings:
Meeting attendance is not a standalone service and is only available to current clients with consulting packages that have meeting attendance as an add-on service. Your package may not include the option for meeting attendance. Meetings that exceed three hours will incur additional charges, billed in 15-minute increments, and invoiced after the meeting. Frequently, meetings are continued to another session. Each session constitutes one meeting for my schedule, and each session will be treated as a meeting for billing purposes.
Time Off Policy:
Business is closed on Fridays, weekends, and federal and state holidays. From time to time, you will be notified of additional days off. During time off or vacation periods, urgent assistance may be available at my discretion, and an additional surcharge will be incurred.
Rush Services:
Requests for expedited services outside of typical timelines are subject to availability and may incur an additional fee.
Records:
I work exclusively with digital records to ensure you retain your personal copies for your files. Please submit all records in PDF format.
No Guarantees:
While I strive to provide the best possible advice to help you navigate the process of IEPs or 504 Plans, I cannot guarantee any specific outcome. I am not an attorney, do not give legal advice, and am not responsible for final advocacy decisions. All advocacy decisions are your own.