Effective Date: May 1, 2025

This Privacy Policy describes how Summit Mental Wellness: A Psychological Corporation ("Summit Mental Wellness," "we," "us," or "our"), operated by Dr. Jacinda Hernandez, PhD, collects, uses, maintains, and discloses information collected from users ("you" or "clients") of our website and psychotherapy services. We are committed to protecting your privacy and the confidentiality of your Protected Health Information (PHI) in accordance with applicable federal and California state laws, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), the California Confidentiality of Medical Information Act (CMIA), and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA).

1. Information We Collect

We collect various types of information to provide our services effectively and comply with legal obligations.

• Protected Health Information (PHI): This includes information related to your past, present, or future physical or mental health or condition, the provision of healthcare to you, or the past, present, or future payment for the provision of healthcare to you. PHI may include:

  • Demographic information (name, address, date of birth, contact details).

  • Medical and mental health history.

  • Diagnosis and treatment plans.

  • Session notes and progress records.

  • Billing and insurance information.

  • Information shared during therapy sessions (verbal, written, or via telehealth platforms).

• Personal Information (Non-PHI): This may include information you provide when interacting with our website, such as contact form submissions, or technical data related to your website visit (e.g., IP address, browser type, pages visited).

• Information from Third Parties: We may receive information from third parties with your consent (e.g., from referring providers, insurance companies for billing purposes).

2. How We Use Your Information

Your information is primarily used to provide you with high-quality psychotherapy services and to manage our practice effectively. This includes:

• Provision of Treatment: To assess your needs, develop and implement treatment plans, conduct therapy sessions, and monitor your progress.

• Payment for Services: To process payments, bill your insurance company (with your consent), and manage financial accounts.

• Healthcare Operations: For internal record-keeping, quality improvement, scheduling appointments, and communicating with you about your care.

• Communication: To respond to your inquiries, provide appointment reminders, and share relevant information about our services.

• Legal and Ethical Compliance: To meet legal, ethical, and professional obligations, such as mandated reporting, responding to court orders, or protecting public safety.

3. Disclosure of Your Information (Confidentiality and Its Limits)

Your privacy is paramount. We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal or health information. We will only disclose your information under specific circumstances, always adhering to strict confidentiality guidelines.

• With Your Written Consent: We will obtain your explicit written authorization before sharing your PHI with third parties, such as other healthcare providers for coordinated care, family members, or legal representatives.

• For Treatment, Payment, or Healthcare Operations (TPO): Information may be used or disclosed for these purposes without your specific authorization, as permitted by HIPAA.

• Mandated Reporting: As a licensed psychologist in California, I am legally required to report certain situations, which include:

  • Reasonable suspicion of child abuse or neglect.

  • Reasonable suspicion of elder or dependent adult abuse.

  • Serious threat of physical violence towards an identifiable victim.

  • Serious threat of harm to self where there is a clear and imminent danger.

• Court Orders/Legal Proceedings: If compelled by a valid court order or subpoena.

• Business Associates: We may share PHI with third-party vendors (e.g., secure telehealth platforms, electronic health record (EHR) systems, billing services) who perform functions on our behalf. These "Business Associates" are legally bound by HIPAA and sign Business Associate Agreements (BAAs) to protect your PHI.

• Emergencies: In situations of immediate danger to yourself or others, information may be disclosed to prevent harm.

4. Data Security

We implement robust security measures to protect your information from unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include:

• Using HIPAA-compliant and encrypted telehealth platforms and EHR systems.

• Maintaining physical, electronic, and procedural safeguards.

• Secure storage of all client records.

• Regular review of our security practices.

While we strive to protect your personal information, no method of transmission over the Internet or method of electronic storage is 100% secure. Therefore, we cannot guarantee its absolute security.

5. Your Rights Regarding Your Information (California Specific)

Under California law, you have specific rights regarding your PHI and personal information:

• Right to Access/Inspect and Obtain a Copy: You have the right to inspect and receive a copy of your PHI that we maintain. Requests must be made in writing. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee for copies.

• Right to Request an Amendment: If you believe your PHI is inaccurate or incomplete, you may request an amendment. We may deny your request under certain circumstances, but we will provide a written explanation.

• Right to Request Restrictions: You have the right to request restrictions on how your PHI is used or disclosed for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations. We are not required to agree to all requests, but we will consider them carefully.

• Right to an Accounting of Disclosures: You have the right to request a list of certain disclosures of your PHI made by us.

• Right to Request Confidential Communications: You have the right to request that we communicate with you about medical matters in a certain way or at a certain location (e.g., only by phone to your cell number, or only via email to a specific address).

• Right to Opt-Out of Sale (CCPA): While Summit Mental Wellness does not sell personal information, you have the right to opt-out of the sale of your personal information.

• Right to Know (CCPA): You have the right to request that we disclose what personal information we collect, use, disclose, and sell.

• Right to Delete (CCPA): You have the right to request the deletion of your personal information, subject to certain exceptions (e.g., legal record-keeping requirements for healthcare providers).

• Right to Revoke Authorization: You may revoke any authorization for disclosure of PHI at any time, in writing. This will not affect information already disclosed based on your prior authorization.

• Right to File a Complaint: If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with us or with the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

6. Website and Social Media Information

• Cookies and Tracking Technologies: Our website may use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your browsing experience and analyze website traffic. You can set your browser to refuse all or some browser cookies, or to alert you when websites set or access cookies.

• Third-Party Links: Our website may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of these external sites. We encourage you to review their privacy policies.

• Social Media Engagement: Summit Mental Wellness maintains a presence on various social media platforms (e.g., Facebook, Instagram) for informational and engagement purposes. Please be aware that interactions on these platforms (e.g., comments, likes, direct messages) are subject to the privacy policies and terms of service of the respective social media companies. Social media is not a secure or confidential platform for discussing Protected Health Information (PHI) or for seeking therapy services. Please do not share personal health information on our public social media pages. For confidential communication or to inquire about therapy, please use the contact methods provided on our website.

7. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We reserve the right to update or modify this Privacy Policy at any time. Any changes will be effective immediately upon posting the revised policy on our website. We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we are protecting your information.

8. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, your privacy rights, or our data practices, please contact us at:

Summit Mental Wellness

Dr. Jacinda Hernandez, PhD

559-221-2613

info@summit-mentalwellness.com

516 W. Shaw Ave., Suite 200

Fresno, CA 93704