Notice of Privacy Practices
THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.
Wellness Tree Counseling LCSW PLLC (the “Practice”) is committed to protecting your privacy. The Practice is required by federal law to maintain the privacy of Protected Health Information (“PHI”), which is information that identifies or could be used to identify you. The Practice is required to provide you with this Notice of Privacy Practices (this “Notice”), which explains the Practice's legal duties and privacy practices and your rights regarding PHI that we collect and maintain.
YOUR RIGHTS
Your rights regarding PHI are explained below. To exercise these rights, please submit a written request to the Practice at the address noted below.
1. Your medical records are used to provide treatment, bill and receive payments, and conduct healthcare operations. Examples of these activities include but not limited to review of treatment records to ensure appropriate care, electronic or mail delivery of billing for treatment to you or other authorized payers, appointment reminder telephone calls, and records review to ensure completeness and quality of care. Use and disclosure of medical records is limited to the internal used outlined above except required by law or authorized by the patient or legal
2. Federal and State laws require abuse, neglect, domestic violence and threats to be reported to social services or other protective agencies. If such reports are made they will be disclosed to you or your legal representative unless disclosure increases risk of further
3. Disclosed information will be limited to the minimum necessary. You may request an account for any uses or disclosures other than those described in Sections 1 and Sections 2.
4. You, or your legal representative, may request your records to be disclosed to yourself or any other entity. Your request must be made in writing, clearly identify the person authorized to request the release, specify the information you want disclosed, the name and address of the entity you want the information released to, purpose and the expiration date of the authorization. Any authorization provided may be revoked in writing at anytime. Psychotherapy notes are part of your medical records. We have 30 days to respond to a disclosure request and 60 days if the records is stored off site.
5. You may request corrections to your records.
6. A request for disclosure may be denied under the following circumstances: disclosure would likely endanger the life or physical safety of you or another person, requested information references other persons, except another healthcare provider, or if released to a legal representative would likely result in harm.
7. If a request for disclosure is denied for reasons outlined in Section 6, you or your legal representative may request review of the denial. A review will be conducted by another licensed healthcare provider appointed by the original reviewer, who was not involved in the original decision to deny access. A review will be concluded within 30 days.
8. You may request that we restrict uses and disclosures outlined in Section 1. However, we are not required to agree to the restrictions. If an agreement is made to restrict use or disclosure, we will be bound by such restriction until revoked by you or your legal representative orally or in writing except when disclosure is required by law or in an emergency. We may also revoke such restrictions but information gathered while required by law or in an emergency. We may also revoke such restrictions but information gathered while the restriction was in place will remain restricted by such an agreement.
9. This agreement may be modified or amended as required by law or in the course of health care operations.
To receive a copy of this Notice.
• You can ask for a paper copy of this Notice, even if you agreed to receive the Notice electronically.
To choose someone to act for you.
• If you have given someone medical power of attorney or if someone is your legal guardian, that person can exercise your rights.
To file a complaint if you feel your rights are violated.
• You can file a complaint by contacting the Practice using the following information:
WELLNESS TREE COUNSELING LCSW PLLC
63-48 ALDERTON STREET, REGO PARK, N.Y. 11374
TACHA FLETCHER
347-761-7325
• Additionally, you can file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights by sending a letter to 200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20201, calling 1-877-696-6775, or visiting www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints/.
• The Practice will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.
This Notice is effective on 05/31/2023