Privacy Policy

A legal disclaimer

This Privacy Policy describes how Mind, Body, and Spirit Therapy and Life Coaching ("we," "our," or "us") protects and manages the privacy of our clients’ Protected Health Information (PHI) in compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and applicable South Carolina state laws.

By receiving services from our practice, you acknowledge and agree to the terms outlined in this policy.

2. Collection and Use of Personal Health Information

We collect and use PHI for the following purposes:

To provide mental health therapy and life coaching services.
To coordinate care with other healthcare professionals at your request.
For billing and payment processing, including insurance claims.
To comply with legal and ethical obligations.

3. Disclosure of PHI

We may disclose PHI in the following circumstances, in accordance with HIPAA and South Carolina state laws:

Treatment: To coordinate care with other healthcare providers.
Payment: To process insurance claims or collect payment.
Healthcare Operations: For quality assurance, audits, and compliance with regulations.
Legal Requirements: When required by law (e.g., court orders, mandatory reporting of abuse, public health concerns).
Threats to Safety: If there is a serious risk of harm to yourself or others, we may notify law enforcement, emergency responders, or appropriate authorities.
Business Associates: We may share PHI with third-party service providers (e.g., billing companies) under strict confidentiality agreements.

We do not sell, trade, or rent your PHI for marketing purposes.

4. Your Rights Regarding Your PHI

As a client, you have the following rights regarding your health information:

Right to Access: You may request copies of your records. Fees may apply.
Right to Amend: You may request corrections to inaccurate or incomplete information.
Right to Confidential Communication: You may request specific means of contact (e.g., phone, email, mail).
Right to Restrict Disclosures: You may request that we limit sharing of your PHI in certain circumstances.
Right to an Accounting of Disclosures: You may request a list of certain disclosures we have made of your PHI.
Right to File a Complaint: If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with our office or with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) without fear of retaliation.

5. Data Security Measures

We implement appropriate physical, administrative, and technical safeguards to protect your PHI from unauthorized access, disclosure, or misuse. These measures include:

Secure electronic health record (EHR) systems.
Password-protected devices and encrypted communication channels.
Staff training on HIPAA compliance and confidentiality.
Secure disposal of records when no longer needed.

6. Confidentiality of Online Communication

If you choose to communicate with us via email, our website, or other digital platforms, please note:

We take reasonable precautions to protect your information.
We encourage the use of secure, HIPAA-compliant communication channels.
Despite security measures, electronic communication may still be vulnerable to interception.

7. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted on our website, and the effective date will be updated. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.