At Congruent Counseling Services (CCS), we are committed to safeguarding your privacy and protecting your personal information. As a healthcare provider, we adhere to the strict standards set forth by HIPAA to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and security of your sensitive data. This privacy statement outlines how we collect, use, and manage your information.

We collect various types of information to provide you with quality healthcare. This includes:

• Personal Information: Your name, contact details, date of birth, and other identifying information.
• Medical Records: Details about your health condition, treatments, prescriptions, and medical history.
• Payment Information: Billing details, insurance information, and payment records.
• Communications: Correspondence with our staff, including emails, phone calls, SMS or text messaging, and appointment scheduling.

We use your information for the following purposes:

• Treatment: Providing healthcare services, diagnosing, and managing your mental health.
• Payment: Billing, insurance claims, and processing payments.
• Healthcare Operations: Quality improvement, appointment reminders, and administrative tasks.
• Legal Compliance: Complying with HIPAA regulations and other legal requirements.

We may share your information with:

• Healthcare Providers: For coordinated care and referrals.
• Business Associates: Third-party HIPAA-covered vendors who assist us in providing services (e.g., billing companies).
• Legal Authorities: When required by law or court order.
• Your Consent: We will seek your consent before sharing information for purposes not covered by HIPAA.

Marketing Restriction: We will never share, sell, or disclose any personal information, including mobile information, to any third party or affiliate for the purpose of marketing or promotional activities. No mobile information will be shared with third parties or affiliates for marketing or promotional purposes. All categories of information listed above exclude text messaging originator opt-in data and consent; this information will not be shared with any third parties.

We take extensive measures to protect your data:

• Access Control: Only authorized personnel have access to your records.
• Encryption: Electronic data is encrypted to prevent unauthorized access.
• Physical Security: Paper records are securely stored.
• Training: Our staff undergoes regular HIPAA training.

You have the right to:

• Access: Review and obtain copies of your medical records, with appropriate approval from your clinical team for access to psychotherapy notes. We have 30 days to respond to records requests.
• Amend: Request corrections to inaccurate information.
• Restrict: Limit certain uses or disclosures of your data, by contacting our office at frontdesk@ccs-ic.com, 410-740-8066, using the Contact Us form on the website, or filling out a Release of Information request.
• Complain: If you believe your privacy rights have been violated.

If you have any questions or concerns about our privacy practices, please contact our Privacy Officer at:

Scott Gloefler, officemanager@ccs-ic.com