Clear Skies Counseling

This Notice of Privacy Practices (NPP) explains how we may use and disclose protected health information (PHI), your rights regarding that information, and our responsibilities to protect your privacy. PHI is information that identifies you and relates to your health, health care services, or payment for health care services.

Uses and Disclosures of Protected Health Information: We may use and disclose your PHI for treatment, payment, health care operations, and other purposes permitted or required by law. We will follow any federal or state law that provides greater privacy protection.

Treatment: We may use and disclose your PHI to provide, coordinate, or manage your counseling and related health care services, including communication with other treating professionals when clinically appropriate.

Payment: We may use and disclose your PHI as needed to bill for and obtain payment for health care services.
Healthcare Operations: We may use and disclose your PHI to support practice activities such as scheduling, appointment reminders, supervision, consultation, credentialing, compliance, auditing, training, business management, and working with business associates who assist our practice.

Your Choices: You may tell us whether we may share information with family members, friends, or others involved in your care or payment for your care. If you cannot communicate your preference, we may share information when permitted by law or necessary to protect health or safety.

Uses and Disclosures Requiring Written Authorization: We will not use or disclose your PHI for marketing, sell your PHI, or use or disclose most psychotherapy notes without your written authorization. Other uses and disclosures not described in this Notice will be made only with your written authorization. You may revoke an authorization in writing at any time, except to the extent we have already taken action in reliance on it.

Substance Use Disorder Records: Certain substance use disorder records may receive additional protections under federal law, including 42 CFR Part 2. When applicable, we will use and disclose such records only as permitted or required by law and will provide any additional notices required by law.

Other Uses and Disclosures Permitted or Required by Law: We may disclose your PHI without authorization when permitted or required by law, including for public health and safety activities, abuse reporting, law enforcement, court orders, workers’ compensation, research, government oversight, and other legally authorized purposes.

Your Rights: When it comes to your health information, you have certain rights. This section explains your rights and some of our responsibilities to help you.

Electronic or Paper Copy of Your Record: You may ask to see or get an electronic or paper copy of your medical record and other health information we maintain about you. We will provide a copy or summary, usually within 30 days of your request, and may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee. Under federal law, you generally may not inspect or copy psychotherapy notes or information compiled in reasonable anticipation of, or for use in, a civil, criminal, or administrative action or proceeding.

Amendment or Correction: You have the right to ask us to correct or amend health information about you that you believe is incorrect or incomplete. We may deny your request in certain circumstances, but we will tell you why in writing. If we deny your request, you may submit a written statement of disagreement, and we may prepare a rebuttal and provide you with a copy.

Confidential Communications: You have the right to ask us to contact you in a specific way, such as by home or office phone, or to send mail to a different address. We will agree to reasonable requests and will accommodate requests required by law.

Restrictions: You have the right to ask us not to use or disclose certain PHI for treatment, payment, or health care operations, or not to share information with certain family members, friends, or others involved in your care. We are not required to agree to every restriction request. If you pay for a service out-of-pocket in full and ask us not to share information about that service with your health plan for payment or health care operations, we will agree unless a law requires us to share that information.

Accounting of Disclosures: You have the right to ask for a list of certain disclosures of your PHI that we have made. Your request may cover up to six years before the date of the request. We will provide one accounting in a 12-month period without charge and may charge a reasonable fee for additional requests.
Paper Copy of This Notice: You have the right to obtain a paper copy of this Notice upon request, even if you agreed to receive the Notice electronically.

Personal Representative: If you have given someone medical power of attorney or if someone is your legal guardian or otherwise legally authorized to act for you, that person may exercise your rights and make choices about your health information, subject to applicable law.

Complaints: You may complain to us or to the Secretary of Health and Human Services if you believe your privacy rights have been violated. To complain to us, contact the Privacy Officer at Clear Skies Counseling by phone at 325-261-3074. You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

Our Responsibilities: We are required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your PHI, to provide you with this Notice of our legal duties and privacy practices, to follow the duties and privacy practices described in the Notice currently in effect, and to notify you if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your information. We will not use or disclose your information other than as described in this Notice unless you tell us we can in writing. If you tell us we can, you may change your mind in writing at any time.

Changes to the Terms of this Notice: We may change the terms of this Notice, and the changes will apply to all information we maintain. The revised Notice will be available upon request, in our office, and on our website.

Privacy Contact: Privacy Officer, Clear Skies Counseling, 325-261-3074.

For more information, please see:
www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/consumers/noticepp.html

This notice was published and becomes effective on May 29, 2026.