Scheduling and Intake Forms
To schedule an appointment, please complete an intake packet, then email or call. Start with the "Intake Face Sheet" and then complete the others that are highlighted in yellow. Once you have completed all the forms, if you do not hear back promptly, feel free to email tom@choicesmhc.com or call 845-513-5002.
In-Person and Virtual Sessions
Individual sessions are held in person in Room 202 of the Narrowsburg Union during weekday business hours. Individual and group therapy are also provided online. See these instructions and information about getting started with telemental health therapy The selection of in-person vs. virtual visits is based on client preferences and treatment needs.
Choices Mental Health has moved to Narrowsburg.
After years in Monticello, in August 2023 our office moved to The Narrowsburg Union, 7 Erie Avenue, Narrowsburg, New York 12764.
Multiple local Agency needs assessments over the years have noted limited access to in-person counseling services (as well as other healthcare) in western Sullivan County.
My hope is to not inconvenience or lose contact with any of my current clients due to this relocation, and to continue to receive new clients from across the area as now. People I currently see in-person in Monticello may either continue to drive themselves to my office or rely on family or Medicaid Transportation to bring them as they currently do. For those who are seen virtually, there will likely be no difference.
I have personal and family ties to Milanville, Pa., and Narrowsburg back many years, so this relocation feels to me like going home.
People from the towns of Tusten, Cochecton, Delaware, Fremont, Highland, and Lumberland who may be looking to speak with a mental health or substance use/addiction counselor might find an easier time getting an appointment in an accessible, pleasant, and professional environment. I am sure I will continue to see clients from all over the County and elsewhere, and perhaps more from the river towns.
I look forward to continuing to interact with the medical and legal communities and courts throughout Sullivan County, without major changes in type or focus of referrals or in communication to result from the recent move. I am accepting new clients (including self-referrals) as usual. (See this page for intake forms.)
My feet are planted in Narrowsburg, but my workflow (including meeting times of five groups) is unchanged. The former Narrowsburg Central School has been improved to its present condition as the Narrowsburg Union, which is home to a variety of human service, environmental, and creative endeavors. The facility offers conference rooms which I expect to use for small or large group sessions as needed, with smaller groups held in my office.
This autumn, my hope is to offer an in-person or hybrid group for the first time since moving the groups online during the pandemic. Watch this space for more on an in-person group, to be held on a yet undetermined weekday at the Narrowsburg Union.
I get a flow of calls for help from people seeking counseling for a child or teen. That is a community need that I help fill by offering adolescents (age 13 age and up) late afternoon (4 pm) time slots that are reserved for school students and personnel. For adults, I will continue to offer up to five groups per week (age 18 and up, 4 mixed gender, 1 women's) and see people individually throughout the day, 5 days a week. Feel free to inquire.
Another change is that starting in 2024, LMHCs will be permitted to bill Medicare and "straight" NYS Medicaid. Currently, I do not yet accept Medicare or "straight" NYS Medicaid for reimbursement, though this should change early in the new year. Download FAQs on the Passage of the Mental Health Access Improvement Act. I do take managed care Medicaid and most commercial insurance plans (see list in left column).
[Posted 7/19/2023]
[Updated 10/9/2023]
You're Not Alone, Finding Hope In Recovery
Sometimes, obstacles or experiences arise that can be difficult to manage alone. An outside perspective in a confidential, non-judgmental setting can help ease the emotional load or lead to self-discovery and perhaps a new approach. Psychotherapy and counseling can help with recovery from trauma or abuse, grief, depression, anxiety, and preventing relapse. Letting go of toxic shame and secrecy provides relief and hope for recovery. It's been said that the only constant in life is change. We can help you to choose healthy changes and not succumb to reversals.
If you are looking for help or support for mental health or are recovering from or suffering the consequences of alcohol or substance abuse, we recognize that you are a whole person with a unique story worthy of respect. Understanding the emotional and spiritual journey that one has taken is essential to finding and following a path in lasting recovery. To assist with this process, we provide individual and group psychotherapy, as well as comprehensive biopsychosocial assessments for specific conditions and purposes.
Clinical assessments are provided for needs including the following:
- mental health and/or relapse prevention counseling or psychotherapy when self-referred voluntarily or by someone else, whether covered by health insurance, self-payment, or by an employee assistance program (EAP);
- mental health and substance abuse evaluations for courts or outpatient treatment when ordered in the discretion of a Judge, at an attorney's advice, or for other reasons, with referral to other levels of care when clinically indicated;
- NYS OASAS approved clinical provider of impaired driver (DWI) assessments and treatment for courts and the Division of Motor Vehicles;
- substance abuse professional (SAP) services following a US Department of Transportation violation by a US DOT regulated safety-sensitive employee under Title 40, § 28, US Code of Federal Regulations;
- private placement pre-adoption home studies when ordered by Family Court pursuant to NYS Domestic Relations Law § 116(3);
- clinical mental health clearances for surgeons or insurance coordinators before transgender, bariatric, or other surgeries;
- assessment reports for attorneys or others on behalf of families facing extreme hardship establishing lawful status through an I-601A waiver under § 212(a)(9)(B) of the US Immigration and Nationality Act. (See immigrant help links.)
Psychotherapy and some of the other above-described services may be covered by health insurance; some are privately paid. We do not accept Medicare or "straight" Medicaid, though we do participate in-network with managed care of eligible recipients for covered services.
Thomas Rue is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Credentialed Alcohol and Abuse Counselor in the State of New York, recognized by the International Certification & Reciprocity Consortium, and a US DOT qualified Substance Abuse Professional; a National Certified Counselor and Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselor with the National Board for Certified Counselors; and Diplomate and Clinical Mental Health Specialist in Substance Abuse & Co-occurring Disorders with the American Mental Health Counselors Association, with over 35 years experience as a professional mental health, substance abuse, and marital and family counselor since graduating from Rider University in 1985. He has taught college level psychology classes for Mercy College, Marist College, and SUNY-Sullivan.
We are currently accepting adult patients for individual and/or group therapy. Groups are offered on the following dates and times. To attend group, potential participants must first attend an individual face-to-face screening to discuss history and to establish goals.
- Monday evening, Alcohol and Substance Abuse in Society (psychoeducation related to the effects of alcohol and drug use), 15-week duration;
- Tuesday evening, Mood Disorder Support Group for Relapse Prevention;
- Wednesday evening, Mood Disorder Support Group for Mental Health;
- Thursdays morning, Women's Mood Disorder Support Group; and
- Friday afternoon, Mood Disorder Support Group for Relapse Prevention;
Call 845-513-5002 to schedule an intake. All calls are answered directly by Tom Rue. If you get voicemail, please leave a full message on our confidential voicemail.
If you are experiencing a mental health or medical emergency, call 911 or one of the numbers linked here.
Treatment Brochure