The American
Brain Tumor Association (ABTA) is a not-for-profit organization that provides
peer support assistance through its Patient and Caregiver Mentor Support
program. The Patient and Caregiver Mentor Support program matches a
patient or caregiver participant (“support seeker”) with another participant who
has gone through a similar brain tumor journey (“mentor”). ABTA’s Patient
and Caregiver Mentor Support program provides support seekers with an
opportunity to ask personal questions and express their concerns while
receiving encouragement and support from a mentor, who is uniquely familiar
with the challenges that brain tumor patients and/or caregivers face.
Mentors serve
the Patient and Caregiver Mentor Support program on a volunteer basis and
donate their time and energy to the ABTA and the patient and/or caregiver support
seekers with whom they are matched. Mentor / Support seeker matches are
monitored by the ABTA for no longer than one year from the date of being
introduced. If at any point during the program, the mentor and/or support seeker
do not believe that the match is a good fit, they should notify ABTA as soon as
possible to determine next steps. After
one year, the support seeker is considered to have graduated from the Patient
and Caregiver Mentor Support program and will no longer be part of an active
match. The support seeker may opt to renew the match at that time for another
year with the same mentor or with a different mentor.
It is not the
role of a mentor to act as a licensed medical or mental health/healthcare
professional. ABTA’s policy expresses instruction to each mentor that no mentor
may recommend or endorse any specific medical or non-medical tests, products,
procedures, opinions, practitioners, or other information to a support seeker
or otherwise give "medical" advice to another support seeker.
Furthermore, no support seeker should ever construe anything communicated by
any other mentor or support seeker as medical advice, recommendation, or
professional opinion. The sole purpose of the relationships set up through
the Patient and Caregiver Mentor Support program is social and emotional
support among participants impacted by a brain tumor diagnosis. Under no
circumstances should any mentor or support seeker solicit or offer
professional, financial, medical, or other similar advice or assistance from or
to, respectively, another participant.
Mentor / Support
seeker matches are founded, and should be based, solely to provide social and
emotional support and are not intended to be substituted for professional
treatment, advice, or diagnosis. Mentors / Support seekers should always seek
the advice of a physician or other qualified health provider with any questions
regarding any medical condition experienced by self or others. Mentors /
Support seekers should neither disregard professional medical advice received
from doctors nor delay in seeking professional medical advice because of
communication with another ABTA member (mentor, support seeker, or any ABTA
employee or other volunteer) or because of information provided by the ABTA.
The information which ABTA provides through its website (www.abta.org) and other educational programming is
only to be read and/or used for informational purposes and is not intended to
be a substitute for professional treatment, advice, or diagnosis. If at any
time a Mentor/Support seeker has reason to believe that they or a loved one may
have a medical emergency or needs medical attention, they should either call
911, go to the emergency room, and/or call their doctor, as appropriate,
immediately.
Mentor Agreement
By signing below, I understand that I will have limited access to confidential information about the support seeker(s) that is contained in their ABTA Patient and Caregiver Mentor Support program profile. This may include diagnosis, treatment, demographic, or other information provided by support seekers. I understand that I will also have access to further information as disclosed in conversations with my support seeker match. I agree to regard all information encountered during an ABTA Patient and Caregiver Mentor Support program volunteer opportunity, written or spoken, as confidential. I understand that this information is not to be shared with anyone except ABTA Staff on an as-needed basis, and that this information may be shared outside of the ABTA if my or my support seeker’s safety is at risk. I agree that by signing above, I will read the Patient and Caregiver Mentor Support program Mentor Handbook before engaging with my support seeker match. I understand that I will be contacted periodically by ABTA staff for monitoring mentor / support seeker match health, and I will provide information related to this.
Support Seeker Agreement
By signing below, I understand that I will have limited access to confidential information about my mentor through their ABTA Patient and Caregiver Mentor Support program profile. This may include diagnosis, treatment, demographic, or other information provided by mentors. I understand that I will also have access to further information as disclosed in conversations with my mentor match. I agree to regard all information encountered during an ABTA Patient and Caregiver Mentor Support program volunteer opportunity, written or spoken, as confidential. I understand that this information is not to be shared with anyone except ABTA Staff on an as-needed basis and that this information may be shared outside of the ABTA if my or my mentor’s personal safety is at risk. I understand that the purpose of the Patient and Caregiver Mentor Support program is to receive social and emotional support related to my or my loved one’s brain tumor diagnosis, and that program participation may be terminated if it is determined by ABTA staff that my needs or challenges exceed the intent and scope of the program. Some examples of needs or challenges that exceed the intent and scope of the Patient and Caregiver Mentor Support program include, but are not limited to the following: suicidal plans, intent, or desire; mental health concerns; substance abuse; domestic abuse; serious marital issues; inconsistency with mentor’s boundaries in terms of frequency of communication, appropriate topics for discussion, etc. I understand that if my needs and challenges exceed the intent and scope of the Patient and Caregiver Mentor Support program, an ABTA staff member will suggest other services that may be more appropriate for me.
For additional
information about the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
please visit www.hhs.gov
Please don't forget to schedule your brief interview with an ABTA staff member. We look forward to speaking with you soon.