This notice describes show health information may be used and disclosed and how our clients can gain access to their own information.

 

I. OUR PLEDGE REGARDING HEALTH INFORMATION: At Live Oak Minds, we understand that health information about our clients and their health care is personal.we are committed to protecting health information. we create a record of the care and services you receive from Live Oak Minds. we need this record to provide our clients with quality care and to comply with certain legal requirements. This notice applies to all of the records of client care generated by this mental health care practice. This notice will tell you about the ways in which we may use and disclose health information about
our clients. we also describe client rights to the health information we keep about them, and describe certain obligations regarding the use and disclosure of client health information. we are required by law to:

• Make sure that protected health information (“PHI”) that identifies our clients is kept private.

• Provide this notice of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to health information.

• Follow the terms of the notice that is currently in effect.

• We can change the terms of this Notice, and such changes will apply to all information we have about our clients. The new Notice will be available upon request, in our office, and on our website.

 

II. How we may use and disclose health information about our clients: The following categories describe different ways that we use and disclose health information. For each category of uses or disclosures we will explain what we mean and try to give some examples. Not every use or disclosure in a category will be listed. However, all of the ways we are permitted to use and disclose information will fall within one of the categories. For Treatment Payment, or Health Care Operations: Federal privacy rules (regulations) allow health care providers who have direct treatment relationship with the patient/client
to use or disclose the patient/client’s personal health information without the clients’s written authorization, to carry out the health care provider’s own treatment, payment or health care operations. we may also disclose a client’s protected health information for the treatment activities of any health care provider. This too can be done without your written authorization. For example, if a clinician were to consult with another licensed health care provider about your condition, we would be permitted to use and disclose your person health information, which is otherwise confidential, in order to assist the clinician in diagnosis and treatment of your mental health condition. Disclosures for treatment purposes are not limited to the minimum necessary standard. Because therapists and other health care providers need access to the full record and/or full and complete information in order to provide quality care. The word “treatment” includes, among other things, the coordination and management of health care providers with a third party, consultations between health care providers and referrals of a patient for health care from one health care provider to another. Lawsuits and Disputes: If a client is involved in a lawsuit, we may disclose health information in response to a court or administrative order. we may also disclose health
information about a client who is a minor in response to a subpoena, discovery request, or other lawful process by someone else involved in the dispute, but only if efforts have been made to tell you about the request or to obtain an order protecting the information requested.

 

III. CERTAIN USES AND DISCLOSURES REQUIRE YOUR AUTHORIZATION:

 

1. Psychotherapy Notes. we do keep “psychotherapy notes” as that term is defined in 45 CFR § 164.501, and any use or disclosure of such notes requires the client’s Authorization unless the use or disclosure is: a. For our use in treating the client. b. For our use in training or supervising mental health practitioners to help them improve their skills in group, joint, family, or individual counseling or therapy. c. For our use in defending ourselves in legal proceedings instituted by
the client. d. For use by the Secretary of Health and Human Services to investigate our compliance with HIPAA. e. Required by law and the use or disclosure is limited to the requirements of such law. f. Required by law for
certain health oversight activities pertaining to the originator of the psychotherapy notes. g. Required by a coroner who is performing duties authorized by law. h. Required to help avert a serious threat to the health and safety of others.

 

2. Marketing Purposes. As a psychotherapy group, we will not use or disclose a client’s PHI for marketing purposes. The privacy of our clients is important to us.We do not share, sell, or convey your personally identifiable information (PII) to third parties for marketing purposes. No Client contact information will be shared with third parties/affiliates for marketing/promotional purposes. All the above categories exclude text messaging originator opt-in data and consent; this
information will not be shared with any third parties for marketing purposes. If you provide your phone number, you consent to receive SMS messages from Live Oak Minds. Message and data rates may apply. You may opt-out at any time by replying STOP to any message. For more information, reply HELP or contact us directly.

 

3. Sale of PHI. As a psychotherapy group, we will not sell a client’s PHI in the regular course of our business.

 

IV. CERTAIN USES AND DISCLOSURES DO NOT REQUIRE CLIENT AUTHORIZATION. Subject to certain limitations in the law, we can use and disclose client PHI without their Authorization for the following reasons:

 

1. When disclosure is required by state or federal law, and the use or disclosure complies with and is limited to the relevant requirements of such law.
2. For public health activities, including reporting suspected child, elder, or dependent adult abuse, or preventing or reducing a serious threat to anyone’s health or safety.
3. For health oversight activities, including audits and investigations.
4. For judicial and administrative proceedings, including responding to a court or administrative order, although our preference is to obtain an Authorization from the client before doing so.
5. For law enforcement purposes, including reporting crimes occurring on our premises.
6. To coroners or medical examiners, when such individuals are performing duties authorized by law.
7. For research purposes, including studying and comparing the mental health of patients who received one form of therapy versus those who received another form of therapy for the same condition.
8. Specialized government functions, including, ensuring the proper execution of military missions; protecting the President of the United States; conducting intelligence or counter-intelligence operations; or, helping to ensure the safety of those working within or housed in correctional institutions.
9. For workers' compensation purposes. Although our preference is to obtain an Authorization from the client, we may provide client PHI in order to comply with workers' compensation laws.
10. Appointment reminders and health related benefits or services. we may use and disclose client PHI to contact client to remind client that they have an appointment with Live Oak Minds. we may also use and disclose client PHI to tell client about treatment alternatives, or other health care services or benefits that we offer.

 

V. CERTAIN USES AND DISCLOSURES REQUIRE YOU TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO OBJECT.
1. Disclosures to family, friends, or others. we may provide client PHI to a family member, friend, or other person that the client indicates is involved in their care or the payment for their health care, unless the client objects in whole or in part. The opportunity to consent may be obtained retroactively in emergency situations.

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VI. YOU HAVE THE FOLLOWING RIGHTS WITH RESPECT TO YOUR PHI:
1. The Right to Request Limits on Uses and Disclosures of Client PHI. You have the right to ask Live Oak Minds not to use or disclose certain PHI for treatment, payment, or health care operations purposes. we are not required to agree to your request, and we may say “no” if we believe it would affect your health care.

2. The Right to Request Restrictions for Out-of-Pocket Expenses Paid for In Full. You have the right to request restrictions on disclosures of your PHI to health plans for payment or health care operations purposes if the PHI pertains solely to a health care item or a health care service that you have paid for out-of-pocket in full.
3. The Right to Choose How we Send PHI to You. You have the right to ask Live Oak Minds to contact you in a specific way (for example, home or office phone), to text or to send mail to a different address, and we will agree to all reasonable requests.
4. The Right to See and Get Copies of Your PHI. Other than “psychotherapy notes,” you have the right to get an electronic or paper copy of your medical record and other information that we have about you. we will provide you with a copy of your
record, or a summary of it, if you agree to receive a summary, within 30 days of receiving your written request, and we may charge a reasonable, cost based fee for doing so.
5. The Right to Get a List of the Disclosures we Have Made.You have the right to request a list of instances in which we have disclosed your PHI for purposes other than treatment, payment, or health care operations, or for which you provided Live Oak Minds with an Authorization. we will respond to your request for an accounting of disclosures within 60 days of receiving your request. The list we will give you will include disclosures made in the last six years unless you request a shorter time. we will provide the list to you at no charge, but if you make more than one request in the same year, we will charge you a reasonable cost based fee for each additional request.
6. The Right to Correct or Update Your PHI. If you believe that there is a mistake in your PHI, or that a piece of important information is missing from your PHI, you have the right to request that we correct the existing information or add the
missing information. we may say “no” to your request, but we will tell you why in writing within 60 days of receiving your request.
7. The Right to Get a Paper or Electronic Copy of this Notice. You have the right get a paper copy of this Notice, and you have the right to get a copy of this notice by e-mail. And, even if you have agreed to receive this Notice via e-mail, you also have the right to request a paper copy of it.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS NOTICE
This notice went into effect on June 1, 2026