Notice of Privacy Practices

In the course of providing counseling services, we may collect and maintain:

• Protected Health Information (PHI): Your name, contact information, date of birth, medical and mental health history, treatment notes, treatment plans, assessment results, and other information related to your care.
• Payment and Insurance Information: Billing information and, where applicable, insurance details needed to process payment for services.

We may use and disclose your PHI for the following purposes:

Treatment. To provide, coordinate, and manage your counseling services, including consulting with other healthcare providers involved in your care when you authorize us to do so.

Payment. To process payment for services, including billing, claims submission, and collection activities.

Healthcare Operations. For internal operations such as quality review, clinical supervision, and maintaining required records.

Required by Law. When disclosure is required by federal, state, or local law, including reporting obligations related to suspected abuse or neglect of a child, vulnerable adult, or elder.

To Prevent Serious Harm. When we believe disclosure is necessary to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to the health or safety of you or another person.

Court Orders and Legal Proceedings. In response to a valid court order, subpoena, or other lawful process, subject to the protections provided by law.

Public Health and Safety. To public health authorities or other agencies when required or permitted by law.

We will not use or disclose your PHI for any other purpose without your written authorization. You may revoke an authorization in writing at any time, except to the extent we have already relied on it.

We maintain reasonable administrative, physical, and technical safeguards to protect your PHI. These include:

• Using a HIPAA-compliant practice management and telehealth platform (Carepatron) with an executed Business Associate Agreement
• Storing records in secured systems with access limited to authorized personnel
• Encrypted transmission of information through our secure client portal
• Ongoing attention to HIPAA Privacy and Security Rule requirements

You have the following rights regarding your PHI:

• Right to Access. You may request to inspect and receive a copy of your records. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee.
• Right to Amend. You may request that we correct information you believe is incorrect or incomplete. We may decline your request in limited circumstances and will provide a written explanation.
• Right to an Accounting of Disclosures. You may request a list of certain disclosures we have made of your PHI.
• Right to Request Restrictions. You may request that we limit how we use or disclose your PHI. We are not required to agree to all requests.
• Right to Confidential Communications. You may request that we contact you at a specific phone number, address, or by a specific method.
• Right to a Paper Copy of This Notice. You may request a paper copy of this Notice at any time.
• Right to Be Notified of a Breach. You have the right to be notified in the event of a breach of your unsecured PHI.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us using the information below.

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with us at the contact information below or with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights. You will not be retaliated against for filing a complaint.

We may update this Notice from time to time. The Effective Date at the top reflects the most recent revision. The updated Notice will apply to all PHI we maintain. Current copies are available on our website and upon request.

If you have questions about this Notice, wish to exercise your rights, or wish to file a complaint, please contact: