Purpose: This HIPAA Privacy Policy is designed to inform clients of their rights and how their Protected Health Information (PHI) will be collected, used, and disclosed by Amber Carra, LMFT, at Support 4 Heroes. As a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in California, maintaining the privacy and security of your personal information is of the utmost importance. This policy complies with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and the California Confidentiality of Medical Information Act (CMIA).

Your Protected Health Information (PHI)

Your PHI includes any information related to your health, treatment, and payment for healthcare services that can be used to identify you. Examples of PHI include your name, address, date of birth, diagnosis, treatment records, and payment information.

How We May Use and Disclose Your PHI

We may use or disclose your PHI in the following circumstances:

1. For Treatment: We may use and share your PHI with other healthcare providers involved in your care to ensure appropriate treatment and coordination of services.
2. For Payment: We may use and share your PHI to bill and collect payment from health insurance companies, Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), or other third-party payers.
3. For Healthcare Operations: We may use your PHI to assess the quality of care provided, manage the practice, and improve treatment services.
4. With Your Authorization: We will not use or disclose your PHI for any purposes not listed above without your explicit written consent. You may revoke your consent at any time, except to the extent that we have already acted on it.
5. As Required by Law: We may disclose your PHI without your authorization if required to do so by federal, state, or local law (e.g., in cases of mandated reporting, to prevent harm to yourself or others, or in response to a court order).
6. To Prevent Harm: If we believe that you or others are in danger, we may disclose your PHI to prevent or lessen that harm. This includes disclosures required by California law, such as the duty to warn potential victims of harm.
7. For Public Health and Safety: We may disclose your PHI for public health activities, such as reporting abuse, neglect, or domestic violence, or for public safety issues, such as reporting threats to national security.
8. To Business Associates: We may share your PHI with third-party service providers (known as "business associates") who help us run our practice, such as billing services or electronic health record providers. These business associates are required by law to protect your information.

Your Rights Regarding Your PHI

As a client, you have certain rights under HIPAA regarding your PHI:

1. Right to Access: You have the right to view and request copies of your medical and therapy records. Requests must be made in writing. We may charge a reasonable fee for the cost of providing copies.
2. Right to Amend: If you believe there is an error in your records, you have the right to request an amendment. This request must be made in writing, and we may deny the request if the information is accurate and complete, or if it was not created by us.
3. Right to an Accounting of Disclosures: You have the right to request a list of disclosures we have made of your PHI, excluding those made for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations, or disclosures you authorized.
4. Right to Request Restrictions: You may request that we limit how we use or disclose your PHI. While we will consider your request, we are not legally required to agree to all restrictions.
5. Right to Confidential Communications: You have the right to request that we communicate with you about your healthcare in a particular way or at a specific location (e.g., only at your home address or via a certain phone number). We will accommodate reasonable requests.
6. Right to a Paper Copy of This Notice: You may request a paper copy of this notice at any time, even if you have agreed to receive it electronically.

Safeguarding Your Information

At Support 4 Heroes, we are committed to protecting the privacy and security of your PHI. We maintain physical, electronic, and procedural safeguards to ensure your information is protected from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure. This includes the use of secure systems for storing records and ensuring that all staff members are trained on confidentiality practices.

Complaints

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with us or with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). To file a complaint with our practice, please contact:

Support 4 Heroes Amber Carra, LMFT [661] 434-1943 Or email at: [email protected]

We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

Changes to This Policy

We reserve the right to modify this HIPAA Privacy Policy at any time. Any changes will be posted in our office and on our website, and the revised policy will apply to all PHI maintained by us. You are encouraged to review this policy regularly to stay informed about how we protect your privacy.

Contact Information

If you have any questions about this HIPAA Privacy Policy or your rights under HIPAA, please contact us at:

Support 4 Heroes Amber Carra, LMFT [661]434-1943 or email to: [email protected]