Privacy / HIPAA Notice
How we protect your information, your rights under HIPAA, and our practices for secure telehealth in New York.
Our Commitment to Your Privacy
Your trust matters. We safeguard your information and use it only for your care, payment processing, health-care operations, and as otherwise permitted or required by law.
- Minimum necessary: We limit access to the least information needed to provide care.
- Secure telehealth: Sessions are delivered via a platform designed for HIPAA alignment.
- Transparent practices: This page summarizes our Notice of Privacy Practices (NPP).
How We Use & Disclose Your Information
- Treatment: To provide, coordinate, or manage your care (e.g., consult with another provider with your consent when appropriate).
- Payment: To bill for services or assist you with out-of-network documentation (e.g., providing a superbill).
- Health Care Operations: Quality improvement, training, auditing, scheduling, and customer support.
- As required by law: Public health reporting, safety concerns, court orders, or other legally permitted situations.
Your Rights
- Access & Copies: You can request electronic or paper copies of your records.
- Amendments: Ask us to correct or add to your record if you think it’s incomplete or inaccurate.
- Restrictions: Request limits on disclosures to others (we’ll honor when legally permissible and feasible).
- Confidential Communications: Request alternative ways to contact you (e.g., a different phone or email).
- Accounting of Disclosures: Request a list of certain disclosures we’ve made.
- Right to a Copy of this Notice: You may request a copy at any time.
- Right to Complain: You can file a complaint with us (and/or HHS OCR) without retaliation.
Authorizations & Your Choices
For uses beyond treatment, payment, and operations—such as most marketing or sharing psychotherapy notes—we will obtain your written authorization, which you can revoke in writing going forward.
How We Protect Your Information
- Administrative: Access controls, confidentiality agreements, staff training.
- Technical: Encryption in transit where supported by the platform; device and account protections.
- Physical: Secure handling of any paper files or devices that may store data.
Telehealth & Location
We provide services to clients who are located in New York at the time of session. Please ensure you will be physically in New York for all telehealth appointments.
Good Faith Estimate (GFE)
Under the No Surprises Act, self-pay clients are entitled to a Good Faith Estimate of expected charges. We provide a written estimate during scheduling and upon request. This is an estimate—not a contract—actual costs may vary based on your needs.
Questions, Requests, or Complaints
To exercise your rights or ask about this notice, contact us:
Effective date of this notice: August 2025.
Please avoid emailing PHI. Use the client portal for secure messages. If you email us, share only minimal, non-sensitive details; we’ll follow up with a secure link.
Email support@thecolorfulcouch.com or message us via the portal to request access. We generally respond within 30 days as required by law.
If a breach affecting your information occurs, we will notify you as required by applicable law and outline steps you can take.
Only for permitted purposes (treatment, payment, operations), with required safeguards and agreements, or when required by law. We do not sell your information.