NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES

Our Commitment to Your Privacy

Inspired Hope Therapy, LLC is committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of your Protected Health Information (PHI). We create and maintain records of the services we provide in order to deliver quality care, comply with legal requirements, receive payment for services, and operate our practice.

Federal law, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), requires us to maintain the privacy of your protected health information, provide you with this Notice of Privacy Practices, follow the terms of the notice currently in effect, and notify you if a breach of your unsecured protected health information occurs.

We reserve the right to revise this Notice at any time. Any revisions will apply to all protected health information maintained by our practice. The current version will always be available upon request, through the client portal, and on our website.

How We May Use and Disclose Your Health Information

Federal law allows us to use and disclose your protected health information without your written authorization for purposes of treatment, payment, and healthcare operations.

For treatment, we may use or disclose your information to provide, coordinate, or manage your behavioral health care. This may include developing your treatment plan, consulting with other healthcare professionals involved in your care, coordinating services with other providers, or making referrals when clinically appropriate.

For payment, we may use or disclose your information to verify insurance eligibility, obtain prior authorization, submit insurance claims, collect payment, respond to requests from insurance companies, and perform other activities necessary to receive reimbursement for services provided.

For healthcare operations, we may use your information for activities necessary to operate and improve our practice. These activities may include quality improvement, clinical supervision, professional consultation, staff training, licensing and accreditation, compliance reviews, auditing, and business management.

We may contact you regarding appointment reminders, scheduling changes, billing matters, or other administrative issues using the secure client portal, telephone, voicemail, email when appropriate, or text messaging if you have authorized us to do so.

We work with trusted companies that assist us in operating our practice, including providers of electronic health records, billing services, payment processing, secure communications, and other technology services. These organizations, known as Business Associates, are required by federal law and written agreement to protect the privacy and security of your protected health information.

If you receive telehealth services, your protected health information is protected in the same manner as information obtained during in-person treatment. Telehealth sessions are conducted using HIPAA-compliant technology whenever reasonably available.

Uses and Disclosures Required or Permitted by Law

We may disclose your protected health information without your authorization when required or permitted by federal or New Jersey law. Examples include reporting suspected child abuse or neglect, reporting abuse or neglect of vulnerable adults, preventing or reducing a serious threat to health or safety, complying with court orders or other legal proceedings, responding to lawful requests from law enforcement, participating in public health reporting, cooperating with health oversight agencies, responding to workers' compensation claims, assisting coroners or medical examiners, and carrying out certain national security activities authorized by law.

When New Jersey law provides greater privacy protections than federal law, we will follow New Jersey law.

Psychotherapy Notes

Psychotherapy notes receive additional protection under HIPAA. These notes are maintained separately from your clinical record and generally may not be used or disclosed without your written authorization except as permitted or required by law. Examples include use for your treatment, clinical supervision, defending legal actions brought by you, compliance investigations conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, or other situations specifically authorized by law.

Uses Requiring Your Written Authorization

Uses or disclosures of your protected health information that are not otherwise permitted by law generally require your written authorization. This includes most disclosures to family members or other third parties, marketing communications, and any sale of protected health information, which Inspired Hope Therapy, LLC does not engage in. You may revoke an authorization at any time by providing written notice, except to the extent that action has already been taken in reliance on that authorization.

Your Rights Regarding Your Health Information

You have the right to inspect or obtain a copy of your health records, with limited exceptions permitted by law. You have the right to request that information in your record be corrected if you believe it is inaccurate or incomplete. You may request restrictions on certain uses or disclosures of your protected health information, although we are not always required to agree to those requests.

You may request that we communicate with you using a particular telephone number, mailing address, secure electronic method, or other reasonable means, and we will make reasonable efforts to accommodate your request.

You have the right to request an accounting of certain disclosures of your protected health information that were made outside of treatment, payment, and healthcare operations. You also have the right to receive a paper copy of this Notice at any time, even if you previously received it electronically.

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you have the right to file a complaint with Inspired Hope Therapy, LLC or with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights. Filing a complaint will not affect your treatment or result in retaliation of any kind.

Electronic Communications

Our practice uses electronic systems, including an electronic health record and secure client portal, to manage your care and communicate with you. While we use reasonable administrative, physical, and technical safeguards to protect your information, no electronic communication system can guarantee absolute security.

Minor Clients

When services are provided to minors, parents or legal guardians generally have rights regarding the minor's protected health information as permitted under applicable federal and New Jersey law. Certain confidentiality protections for minors may apply depending on the nature of treatment and applicable law.

Questions or Complaints

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

You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights. Filing a complaint will not affect your care or your relationship with our practice.