Privacy Practices & Notice of Privacy Policies
Your privacy, personal health information, and trust are fundamental to our work together. This Notice describes how medical and personal information about you may be used and disclosed, as well as your rights regarding this information.
1. Website & Contact Form Data
When you reach out through the contact form on this website, I collect basic contact information (such as your name, email address, phone number, and brief notes) to respond to your inquiry and schedule an initial consultation.
Data Protection: Personal information submitted through this website is kept strictly confidential and is never sold, rented, or shared with third parties for marketing purposes.
Email & Electronic Communication: While reasonable safeguards are used to protect digital forms, standard email and web forms are not completely secure transmission channels. Please limit sensitive personal health details on web forms until we establish a secure client channel.
2. Confidentiality & Protected Health Information (PHI)
Under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and California state law, communications between a client and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist are privileged and confidential. Information regarding your care will only be disclosed with your written authorization, with the following mandatory legal exceptions:
Suspected Abuse or Neglect: If there is reason to suspect child abuse/neglect, elder abuse, or dependent adult abuse, state law mandates a report to the appropriate protective services agency.
Harm to Self or Others: If a client presents an imminent danger of serious physical harm to themselves or another person, steps must be taken to ensure safety, which may include notifying law enforcement or intended victims.
Court Orders: In the event of a valid court order or subpoena signed by a judge, legal compliance may require disclosure of specific records.
3. Your Rights Regarding Your Health Records
You have specific rights regarding the health information maintained in your client file:
Right to Inspect and Copy: You have the right to request access to and copies of your clinical record, subject to state legal guidelines.
Right to Request Restrictions: You may request restrictions on how certain health information is used or shared, though I am not required to agree to every restriction if it impacts necessary care.
Right to Confidential Communications: You may request that I communicate with you about your health and care via specific means or at specific locations (e.g., a specific phone number or email address).
Right to an Accounting of Disclosures: You may request a list of certain non-routine disclosures of your health information made by the practice.
4. Questions & Complaints
If you have questions about these privacy practices or believe your privacy rights have been violated, please contact me directly so we can resolve the issue. You also have the right to file a formal complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights. You will not face retaliation for filing a complaint.