THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW YOUR MEDICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH INFORMATION MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION.

Please review it carefully.

OUR LEGAL DUTY

We are required by federal law, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), to:

Protect the privacy of your health information
Provide you with this Notice explaining our legal duties and privacy practices
Follow the terms of this Notice currently in effect
Notify you if a breach occurs that may have compromised your information

We reserve the right to change this Notice at any time. Updated Notices will be posted in our office and on our website.

HOW WE MAY USE AND DISCLOSE YOUR INFORMATION

We may use and disclose your protected health information (PHI) without your written authorization for the following purposes:

1. Treatment

We may use and share your information to provide and coordinate your care. For example:

Consultation with another therapist or psychiatrist
Referrals to specialists
Coordination with your primary care provider

2. Payment

We may use and disclose your information to:

Bill your insurance company
Verify coverage
Obtain prior authorization
Collect payment

3. Health Care Operations

We may use your information for:

Clinical supervision
Quality improvement
Staff training
Licensing and accreditation

4. As Required by Law

We may disclose your information when required by law, including:

Reporting suspected child abuse or neglect

Reporting abuse of a vulnerable adult
Responding to a valid court order
Preventing or reducing a serious threat to health or safety

SPECIAL PROTECTIONS FOR MENTAL HEALTH INFORMATION

Psychotherapy Notes

Psychotherapy notes (private notes kept by your therapist documenting session conversations) are given special protection under federal law.

We will not disclose psychotherapy notes without your written authorization except in limited circumstances such as:

For your therapist’s treatment use
For supervision or training within the practice
If required by law or by insurance contract
To defend against a legal action you bring against us

REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH INFORMATION PROTECTIONS (2024 UPDATE)

Federal law provides special protections for reproductive health care information.

We are prohibited from using or disclosing your health information for the purpose of:

Investigating or prosecuting you or anyone else for seeking, obtaining, providing, or facilitating lawful reproductive health care
Imposing civil or criminal liability related to lawful reproductive health care
Identifying individuals for such investigations

Before we disclose reproductive health information for law enforcement, court proceedings, or health oversight purposes, we are required to obtain a written statement (attestation) confirming that the request is not for a prohibited purpose.

If the request is for a prohibited purpose, we will not disclose the information.

SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER (SUD) RECORDS

If you receive substance use disorder treatment services from us, your records may be protected under a federal law called 42 CFR Part 2.

Under this law:

We generally must obtain your written consent before sharing your SUD treatment information.
A single consent may allow disclosures for treatment, payment, and health care operations.
Your SUD records may not be used in civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative proceedings against you unless you provide specific written consent or a special court order is issued.
Federal law prohibits discrimination based on information contained in SUD records.

USES AND DISCLOSURES REQUIRING YOUR WRITTEN AUTHORIZATION

We will obtain your written authorization for:

Most uses and disclosures of psychotherapy notes
Uses and disclosures of SUD records not otherwise permitted
Marketing purposes (with limited exceptions)
Sale of your health information

Any other use not described in this Notice

You may revoke your authorization at any time in writing.

YOUR RIGHTS

You have the right to:

1. Access Your Records

Request to inspect or receive a copy of your records (with limited exceptions).

2. Request an Amendment

Ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.

3. Request Restrictions

Ask us to limit certain uses or disclosures. If you pay out-of-pocket in full for a service, you may request that we not disclose that information to your health plan.

4. Request Confidential Communications

Ask us to contact you in a specific way (for example, at a different address or phone number).

5. Receive an Accounting of Disclosures

Request a list of certain disclosures made in the past six years.

6. Receive a Paper Copy of This Notice

You may request a paper copy at any time.

COMPLAINTS

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with:

Lori Notor Hughes, (505) 513-9834, lori@notor.com

You may also file a complaint with the:

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Office for Civil Rights
200 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20201
1-877-696-6775
www.hhs.gov/ocr

You will not be retaliated against for filing a complaint.

QUESTIONS

If you have questions about this Notice, please contact:

Lori Notor Hughes, (505) 513-9834, lori@notor.com

Effective Date: March 3, 2026

Last Review Date: March 3, 2026

HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices