Does the shelter in place order stop me from seeing my counselor? The answer is, no.
Although the state of Illinois now has a shelter in place order for all residents and non-essential businesses, mental health services are considered an essential healthcare operation.
This means you are allowed to leave your home for the purposes of receiving counseling services. Please click here for the link to the Executive Order that states “mental health and substance abuse providers” are considered an essential “healthcare and public health operation” (#7, first paragraph, pg. 4). I would suggest that you either save this document to your phone or print it out and keep it with you as you travel to and from the office. In the unlikely event you pulled over, you can show this document as legal justification for your travel.
At Polaris, we are continuing to offer in-office visits. We are also offering telehealth and phone sessions during this time to accommodate our client’s needs. For more information about how to access in-office, telehealth and phone sessions, and to understand what we are doing at Polaris to ensure a safe and sanitary environment for you to meet with your counselor at our offices, please click here.