Discharge a client from your caseload

This article outlines the steps that you’ll need to take when a client’s treatment comes to an end. Below you can find step-by-step instructions from start to finish for how to discharge a client from your caseload.

Discuss discharge with the client.
- Engaged clients: For a comprehensive guide on how to discuss and plan for a discharge with a client, see the article: Best Practices for Discharge Planning
- Disengaged/unresponsive client: Discharges may be completed when the patient does not engage in a therapeutic relationship with the provider or if the patient no longer regularly schedules appointments. If a patient does not schedule a follow-up visit within 90 days after an initial appointment or within 30 days of the most recent visit, the provider is expected to make a minimum of one documented outreach attempt to inquire if the patient would like to continue to receive services.
  - If there is no response from the patient within 10 days, a discharge note should be completed.
Complete the Discharge Note in the Rula provider portal.
- View the components of a discharge note and best practices for completing discharge notes here.
- Completing the discharge note will automatically cancel any future appointments with the client.
The client will automatically move from your Active client list to your Inactive client list.
- This step is automatic; no further action is needed from you to update your client roster/list in the provider portal.
- Remember: Your Active client roster/list does not equal your current caseload—this list is not used to calculate your availability to see new clients. See below for details about how discharging a client may impact your current caseload.
If applicable, the client will be automatically removed from your current caseload.
- Explainer: Only clients on your Active roster/list with future appointments scheduled are counted toward your current caseload. Therefore, discharging clients may or may not impact your current caseload and new client capacity. See outcomes of all potential scenarios below.
  - Scenario 1: Complete a discharge note for an Active client, with a future appointment scheduled
    - Outcome: The client is removed from your current caseload, freeing up new client capacity. The discharge note submission automatically cancels all future visits.
  - Scenario 2: Complete a discharge note for an Active client, without a future appointment scheduled
    - Outcome: The client is not counted toward your current caseload and, therefore, cannot be removed from it. The current caseload number remains the same, and no additional new client capacity opens up.
  - Scenario 3: Complete a discharge note for an Inactive client.
    - Outcome: The current caseload number remains the same, and no additional new client capacity opens up.