I am committed to protecting your privacy. The following outlines how your information is used and protected, in accordance with the Health Insurance and Accountability Act.
– More information available at HIPAA
By using the services on this site, you understand and agree to these terms:
INFORMATION COLLECTED FOR ONLINE, CHAT, & TELEPHONE COUNSELING
1. | Personal Information You Choose to Provide. |
2. | Registration Information |
When you register for our services you will provide us information about yourself.
Credit Card Information (Using PayPal)
When using our services, you may need to give personal information and authorization for payment purposes. For example, you may need to provide the following information:
-Name
-Mailing address
-Email address
-Credit card number and any necessary identifying information for payment
-Credit card billing address
-Business and home phone number
ELECTRONIC SECURITY
Every effort is made to ensure privacy of electronic communications (emails and chat). We use the latest technology in safety, (e.g. a secure network, data encryption through SSL – Secure Sockets Layer, firewall protection, and password protection).
RECORDS OF COMMUNICATIONS
Information provided through emails or chat sessions are saved as part of a medical record. Printed information is saved in a locked cabinet in a locked office (double lock system as required by the Licensing Board of Texas.
DISCLOSURE FOR LEGAL PURPOSES
We may disclose information when legally compelled to do so. For example, when we believe that the law requires it or for the protection of our legal rights. We may also disclose account information when we have reason to believe that disclosing this information is necessary to identify, contact or bring legal action against someone who may be violating our Terms of Service.
LIMITATIONS OF CONFIDENTIALITY
Although laws vary from state to state, the following are generally considered to be exceptions to confidentiality, and may be required, by law to be reported:
1 | If there is suspected abuse to a child or elderly. |
2 | The proper authorities may need to be notified in the event that a client makes a credible threat to himself or herself, or to another person (this includes fatal diseases). |
3 | Information may be ordered (through subpoena or court order) for legal purposes or court cases. |
LINKS ON OUR WEBSITE
We are not responsible for the practices employed by Web sites linked to or from our Web site or the information or content contained therein. Often links to other Web sites are provided solely as pointers to information on topics that may be useful to the users of our Web site.
Please remember that when you use a link to go from our Website to another web site, our Privacy Policy is no longer in effect. Your browsing and interaction on any other web site, including web sites, which have a link on our Website, is subject to that Web site’s own rules and policies. Please read over those rules and policies before proceeding.
AGE RESTRICTIONS
Services are available only to those over the age of 18.
CHANGES TO THIS POLICY
We reserve the right to make changes to this policy and to make these changes effective for information that we have already collected about you. You have a right to a copy of this policy and may contact us (here) to obtain a printed version.
RIGHTS
You have the following rights, as a client:
1 | The right to inspect and copy your record (you do not have the right to inspect notes, which are not part of your medical record). To request a copy, you must submit a written request – please note, there may be a fee for the costs involved in copying or mailing your records. In addition, your request may be denied, in the event of limited circumstances or special situations. |
2 | The right to request an amendment to your record. *see footnote |
3 | The right to accounting of disclosures that we have made about you for treatment, payment, etc. |
4 | The right to request restrictions on the information we release. |
5 | The right to request confidential communications. |
6 | The right to a copy of this policy. |
For more information about HIPAA standards, you may visit their website at www.hipaa.org.
* Right to amend – If you believe health information we have about you is incorrect or incomplete, you may ask us to amend the information. To request an amendment, complete and submit a clear statement of the amendment you are requesting. We may deny your request for an amendment if it is not in writing or does not include a reason to support the request. In addition, we may deny your request if you ask us to amend information that:
We did not create or is not part of the information that we keep.
Is not part of your medical record.
Even if we deny your request for amendment, you have the right to submit a written addendum with respect to any item or statement in your record you believe is incomplete or incorrect. If you clearly indicate in writing that you want the addendum to be made part of your medical record we will attach it to your records and include it whenever we make a disclosure of the item or statement you believe to be incomplete or incorrect.
