U.S. Notice of Privacy Practices

Privacy Contact

Our Responsibilities

The Emotional Aid Counseling protects the privacy and security of your protected health information and follows applicable federal and Texas privacy requirements.

Mental health information may receive additional protection under Texas law. When applicable Texas law provides greater privacy protection, the more protective requirement is followed.

How Your Information May Be Used or Shared

Your health information may be used or disclosed as permitted by law for purposes including:

Information may also be disclosed when required or permitted by law, including certain situations involving suspected abuse or neglect, serious threats to health or safety, health oversight activities, valid legal requirements, and other circumstances authorized by law.

When Written Authorization Is Required

Uses or disclosures that are not otherwise permitted by law generally require your written authorization.

Additional protections may apply to psychotherapy notes maintained separately and certain substance use disorder information.

The Emotional Aid Counseling does not sell protected health information and does not use it for marketing in a manner that requires authorization.

You may revoke an authorization in writing, except to the extent action has already been taken in reliance on it.

Additional Privacy Protections

Certain information may receive additional federal or state protections.

For couples therapy, records may be considered shared records and generally will not be released without the appropriate authorization of both partners unless disclosure is otherwise permitted or required by law.

Texas law also provides protections regarding certain electronic disclosures of health information.

Your Privacy Rights

Depending on applicable law, you may have rights to:

• Request access to or copies of your health records.
• Ask that incorrect or incomplete information be corrected.
• Request confidential methods of communication.
• Ask for certain limits on uses or disclosures.
• Request an accounting of certain disclosures.
• Receive information about applicable privacy practices.
• Authorize another legally qualified person to act on your behalf.
• Receive notification of qualifying breaches.
• File a privacy complaint without retaliation.

Detailed information about records requests, professional licensing complaints, Texas consumer privacy information, and additional client rights is available on our Texas Client Rights page.

Privacy Complaints

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may contact:

You may also file a privacy complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights.

File a privacy complaint with the HHS Office for Civil Rights

The Emotional Aid Counseling will not retaliate against you for raising a privacy concern or filing a complaint.

Changes to This Notice

The Emotional Aid Counseling may update its privacy practices as permitted by law. The current website summary will be updated when appropriate.

The complete formal Notice of Privacy Practices is provided directly to clients as part of the onboarding process and may also be requested from the practice.