Costs for court-ordered and probation-ordered services are often on one’s mind when being asked to complete an anger management program. The fee to anger management classes will vary depending on location, number of participants in the group, the educational degree and experience of the facilitator or counselor, and whether an agency is receiving federal, state or local funding to cover costs.
In general, there is an initial assessment fee which includes an enrollment plus half hour to one hour of 1:1 time with the counselor. This process includes an assessment for one’s baseline when entering the program, and gaining helpful information about the participant. In addition, program policies are reviewed during the initial interview to clarify expectations, and invite participants to a cohesive anger management program. Such assessments can range on the average from $45 to $100, especially if the program gets charged for the administration of the anger assessment.
Court ordered anger management classes can range from $20-$50 per group session, which again can vary depending on several factors including the average size of the groups, local or federal funding to offset costs, the city or county of the location, and the expertise level of the counselor.
The following are four tips on saving money when taking anger management:
- Fee waiver – Some programs honor the fee waiver requested by the courts. For example, at Anger Management 818, if a participant contacts us requesting to use a fee waiver, we will accept the fee waiver for select class times.
- Scholarships for anger management – Some anger management programs offer to give back to certain populations, for example, at Anger Management 818, we offer free anger management services to veterans who attend voluntarily (select class times), and 50% off for veterans for court ordered anger management (select class times). Check with your local programs if they offer a discounted rate for you.
- Department of Children and Family Services – If you are required to attend because of the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), you can seek financial assistance with your social worker, and they can help pay for the anger management classes.
- Insurance and Medi-Cal for anger management – If you are seeking therapy with a focus on anger management, but are treating a certain diagnosis such as ADHD or Bipolar, then your medical insurance, including Medi-Cal may cover the services when working with a therapist. If you are attending anger management because of a court order or probation order, insurance companies do not cover such services (this is usually written in the insurance agreement). I have heard of companies charging Medi-Cal for anger management services. To my knowledge, insurances including Medi-Cal DO NOT COVER court ordered anger management services. Insurance companies only get involved when the therapy service is treating a medical necessity such as a mental health diagnosis, and not a psychoeducational class teaching skills. Please refer back to your insurance about their coverage. If the company you attend is charging your insurance for anger management services, and you’re not doing therapy, this may fall into the practice of insurance fraud.
For more accurate costs, contact your local anger management programs and ask about their rates, including their intake fee, the class fee, rates for court reports, and anger management workbook. Some good questions to ask include:
- How many people are in the group?
- What is the degree and educational background of the group facilitator? (Note that anyone can facilitate anger management without any training, though this may not be important to you).
- Am I able to make up a missed group?
- What are all the costs to the program?
You can select a program that you think will be most suitable for your needs.
Anita Avedian, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT). Anita Avedian, LMFT, is the President of Anger Management 818, located in Sherman Oaks, Woodland Hills, and Glendale. She is very passionate about helping individuals and couples navigate through their anger and help access tools and skills to work through healthy ways to respond to triggering situations. With 25 years of therapy experience, including working with couples and individuals, Anita is seasoned in her work. She is a Certified Anger Management Specialist IV and a Diplomat Member of NAMA and the Co-Founder of CAAMP. Anita authored Anger Management Essentials, a workbook for aggression. Contact Anger Management 818 to learn more about anger management services at (818) 990-0999. www.AngerManagement818.com
