Website Disclaimer

Creative Counseling and Intervention Services, Inc.Website: www.ccsames.org

Effective Date: 9/1/2026 Last Updated: 9/7/2026

Please Read This Disclaimer Carefully

This Disclaimer applies to www.ccsames.org and all content, pages, forms, blog posts, downloadable materials, newsletters, and linked resources made available through it (the "Site"), which is owned and operated by Creative Counseling and Intervention Services, Inc. ("CCS," "we," "us," or "our").

By using the Site, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agreed to this Disclaimer, together with our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, please discontinue use of the Site.

1. In an Emergency, Do Not Use This Website

This Site is not monitored 24 hours a day and cannot be used to obtain emergency help. Messages sent through our contact forms or by email may not be read for hours or days.

If you or someone else is in immediate danger, experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis, or having thoughts of suicide or self-harm:

  • Call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room

  • Call or text 988 — the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7

  • Call Your Life Iowa at (855) 581-8111, text (855) 895-8398, or chat at yourlifeiowa.org — available 24/7

Never delay seeking emergency care or disregard professional medical advice because of something you read on this Site.

2. Informational Purposes Only — Not Professional Advice

All content on the Site is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It is not, and must not be relied upon as, mental health, medical, psychological, psychiatric, diagnostic, treatment, substance use, legal, financial, or tax advice.

Mental health and substance use concerns are highly individual. General information cannot account for your specific history, symptoms, circumstances, culture, medications, or risk factors. Always consult a qualified licensed professional regarding any question about your mental health or medical condition.

Nothing on the Site should be used to self-diagnose, self-treat, start or stop a medication, or make any decision about your care.

3. No Therapist-Client Relationship Is Created by Using This Site

Reading this Site, submitting a contact or appointment request form, signing up for our newsletter, attending an event, or making a donation does not create a therapist-client, counselor-client, or any other professional relationship with CCS or with any of its clinicians, supervisors, interns, staff, contractors, or volunteers.

A professional relationship is established only when:

  1. You have completed our intake process; and

  2. You have signed our written informed consent and service agreement documents; and

  3. CCS has formally accepted you for services and scheduled you with an assigned provider.

Until all three occur, no clinician is responsible for your care, no clinical confidentiality obligations arise from your website communications, and no duty to follow up, monitor, or respond exists.

4. Communications Through This Site Are Not Secure or Confidential

Email and web form submissions travel over the open internet and are not encrypted, secure, or protected as confidential communications. They may be intercepted, misdirected, stored on servers we do not control, or accessed by unauthorized parties.

Please do not send protected health information, clinical details, diagnoses, treatment history, substance use history, insurance identifiers, Social Security numbers, or payment card numbers through this Site or by email.Use these channels only for scheduling logistics and general inquiries, and call us at 515-233-1699 for anything sensitive.

Protected health information created in connection with clinical services is governed by HIPAA and by our Notice of Privacy Practices, provided at intake and available on request. Those protections apply to your clinical record — not to a message you send through a public website.

5. Licensure and Geographic Limitations

CCS clinicians are licensed to provide services only in specific states, and each clinician's scope is limited to the states in which that individual holds a current license. Availability of information on this Site does not mean CCS is able or authorized to provide services to you in your state or country.

Nothing on the Site constitutes an offer to provide clinical services in any jurisdiction where CCS or the relevant clinician is not licensed. If you are located outside the states in which we are licensed, we can offer general information and, where possible, referral suggestions — but not treatment. Please contact us to confirm current licensure and availability before assuming services can be provided.

6. Telehealth

Where CCS offers telehealth, it is subject to a separate written informed consent for telehealth, applicable state licensure requirements, and clinical judgment about appropriateness.

Telehealth is not appropriate for every person or every presenting concern. It carries risks that in-person care does not, including technology failure, interrupted or degraded connections, reduced ability to respond to acute risk, and privacy limitations on your end of the connection. Telehealth may be unsuitable in situations involving acute safety risk, active psychosis, certain substance withdrawal presentations, or where a physical examination or higher level of care is indicated. Suitability is determined individually as part of intake and ongoing care — not by anything stated on this Site.

7. Client Portal, Scheduling, Payment, and Other Third-Party Platforms

The Site links to platforms operated by third parties, which may include a client portal or electronic health record, telehealth software, scheduling tools, donation and payment processors, event registration systems, form providers, and a staff dashboard.

CCS does not own, control, or operate these platforms. Their availability, uptime, security, data handling, and content are the responsibility of those vendors and are governed by their own terms of use and privacy policies, which we encourage you to read. CCS is not responsible for any interruption, error, breach, or loss arising from a third-party platform.

You are responsible for safeguarding your portal login credentials and for using a private, secure connection and device.

8. Third-Party Links, Referrals, and Resources

The Site may link to or mention outside websites, articles, crisis lines, treatment providers, community organizations, research, and other resources. These are offered as a convenience only.

A link, mention, or referral is not an endorsement, recommendation, guarantee, or verification of quality, credentials, safety, or accuracy. CCS does not control third-party content and is not responsible for it. Any reliance on third-party information or services is at your own risk, and any dealings you have with a third party are solely between you and that party.

9. Gap to Growth and Services Provided by Graduate Interns

CCS operates the Gap to Growth program, which provides no-cost services delivered in part by graduate-level student interns completing supervised clinical placements.

Prospective clients should understand that:

  • Services in this program may be provided by students who are not yet independently licensed, working under the supervision of a qualified, approved clinical supervisor;

  • Supervision means a licensed supervisor reviews and directs the intern's clinical work, which typically requires the supervisor to have access to relevant clinical information;

  • Interns rotate on academic schedules, so provider continuity cannot be guaranteed and transfers between providers may occur;

  • Availability of program slots is limited and not guaranteed;

  • The specific structure, supervision arrangements, limits of confidentiality, and duration of services are described in the written consent documents you receive at intake, which govern over anything described on this Site.

10. No Guarantee of Results

Mental health and substance use treatment outcomes cannot be guaranteed. Individual results vary based on many factors, including a person's history, engagement, support system, co-occurring conditions, and circumstances outside of treatment.

Nothing on this Site — including descriptions of our programs, modalities, or approaches — is a promise, warranty, or guarantee of any particular outcome, improvement, symptom relief, or result.

11. Testimonials, Stories, and Program Examples

Any testimonials, success stories, case examples, or program descriptions on the Site are shared with appropriate authorization or are composites and illustrations that do not depict any identifiable individual. They represent individual experiences and are not typical, expected, or predictive of the results any other person will achieve.

12. Accuracy, Completeness, and Availability

We work to keep the Site accurate and current, but we make no representation or warranty that content is accurate, complete, current, or error-free. Clinical guidance, statutes, funding, program availability, staff, insurance participation, fees, and resource contact information all change over time, and content on the Site may not be updated immediately.

The Site is provided "as is" and "as available." CCS does not warrant uninterrupted or error-free operation and is not responsible for technical problems, interruptions, or losses arising from use of the Site.

13. Blog, Newsletter, and Educational Content

Blog posts, newsletters, downloadable handouts, videos, and similar content reflect general professional perspective at the time of writing. They are not tailored to any reader, do not create a professional relationship, and may not reflect the most current research or clinical standards. Views expressed by guest contributors are their own and do not necessarily represent the positions of CCS.

14. Donations, Fundraising, and Tax Matters

CCS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Statements on the Site about the tax treatment of contributions are general in nature. CCS does not provide tax, legal, accounting, or financial advice, and nothing on this Site should be relied upon as such. Please consult your own tax advisor regarding the deductibility of any contribution. Additional donation terms appear in our Terms of Service.

15. Employment, Internship, and Board Information

Job postings, internship placement descriptions, and board service information on the Site are informational only. They are not offers of employment, placement, or appointment, and they do not create any contractual obligation. Positions, requirements, and availability may change or be withdrawn at any time.

16. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, CCS and its directors, officers, employees, supervisors, interns, volunteers, contractors, and agents will not be liable for any loss, injury, or damages of any kind — direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, special, or punitive — arising from your use of, or reliance on, the Site or any content or third-party resource linked from it.

Nothing in this Disclaimer limits, waives, or alters any right, remedy, or protection you may have as a client of CCS arising from the professional services CCS provides to you. This Disclaimer addresses use of the website only. Please see our Terms of Service for the complete limitation of liability provisions.

17. Changes to This Disclaimer

We may update this Disclaimer at any time. Revisions take effect when posted, and the "Last Updated" date above will reflect the change. Your continued use of the Site after a revision is posted constitutes acceptance of it.

18. Contact Us

Creative Counseling and Intervention Services, Inc. 605 E Lincoln Way, Suite 104 Ames, IA 50010

Phone: 515-233-1699 Fax: 515-233-2957 Email: info@ccsames.org

This Disclaimer is provided as a general template for informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice. CCS should have this document reviewed by an attorney licensed in Iowa and, where applicable, by its professional liability carrier before publication.