Source: https://whitecloudtherapy.com/notice-of-privacy-policies/
Timestamp: 2020-07-07 16:50:51
Document Index: 491138691

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 63', '§ 54', '§ 54', '§ 8', '§ 8', '§ 32']

Privacy Policies and Practices – Download
NOTE: For your convenience, statutes below are linked to the text of each related Virginia law or regulation. Be aware that these links will take you to an external website.
Uses and Disclosures of Information Requiring Your Authorization or Consent
As a rule, I will disclose no information about you, or the fact that you are my patient, without your written consent. My formal Mental Health Record describes the services provided to you and contains the dates of our sessions, your diagnosis, functional status, symptoms, prognosis and progress, and any psychological testing reports. Health care providers are legally allowed to use or disclose records or information for treatment, payment, and health care operations purposes. However, I do not routinely disclose information in such circumstances, so I will require your permission in advance, either through your consent at the onset of our relationship (by signing a general consent form), or through your written authorization at the time the need for disclosure arises. You may revoke your permission, in writing, at any time, by contacting me.
There are some important exceptions to this rule of confidentiality – some exceptions created voluntarily by my own choice, and some required by law. If you wish to receive mental health services from me, you must sign the attached form indicating that you understand and consent to accept my policies about confidentiality and its limits. We will discuss these issues during our first session, but you may reopen the conversation at any time during our work together.
Emergency If you are involved in in a life-threatening emergency and I cannot ask your permission, I will share information if I believe you would have wanted me to do so, or if I believe it will be helpful to you.
· Child Abuse Reporting:If I have reason to suspect that a child is abused or neglected, I am required by Virginia law to report the matter immediately to the Virginia Department of Social Services ( § 63.2-1509 ).
· Health Oversight: Virginia law requires that I report misconduct by a mental health care provider of my own profession. By policy, I also reserve the right to report misconduct by health care providers of other professions. By law, if you describe unprofessional conduct by another mental health provider of any profession, I am required to explain to you how to make a report to the licensing board (§ 54.1-2400.4). If you are yourself a health care provider, I am required by law to report to your licensing board if I believe your condition places the public at risk (§ 54.1-2400.7). Virginia Licensing Boards have the power, when necessary, to subpoena relevant records for investigating a complaint of provider incompetence or misconduct.
· Court Proceedings: If you are involved in a court preceding and a request is made for information about your diagnosis and treatment and the records thereof, such information is privileged under state law, and I will not release information unless you provide written authorization or a judge issues a court order (§ 8.01-399; § 8.01-400.2 ). If I receive a subpoena for records or testimony, I will notify you so that you, your attorney, or I can file a motion to quash (block) the subpoena and can give reasons why I think your records should be protected from disclosure (H-6 in § 32.1-127.1:03). However, while awaiting the judge’s decision, I am required to place said records in a sealed envelope and provide them to the Clerk of Court. NOTE: In Virginia civil court cases, therapy information or records are not protected by patient-therapist privilege in child abuse cases, in cases in which your mental health is an issue (e.g., if you sue someone for mental/emotional damages), or in any case in which the judge deems the information to be “necessary for the proper administration of justice.” In criminal cases, Virginia has no statute granting therapist-patient privilege, although records can sometimes be protected on another basis. Protections of privilege may not apply if I do an evaluation for a third party or where the evaluation is court- ordered. You will be informed in advance if this is the case.
· Right to Receive Confidential Communications by Alternative Means and at Alternative Locations —You have the right to request and receive confidential communications of PHI by alternative means and at alternative locations. (For example, you may not want a family member to know that you are seeing me. Upon your request, I will send your bills to another address. You may also request that I contact you only at work, or that I do not leave voice mail messages.) To request alternative communication, you must make your request in writing, specifying how or where you wish to be contacted.
· Right to an Accounting of Disclosures –You generally have the right to receive an accounting of disclosures of PHI for which you have neither provided consent nor authorization (as described in section III of this Notice). On your written request, I will discuss with you the details of the accounting process
· Right to Amend – If you feel that protected health information I have about you is incorrect or incomplete, you may ask me to amend the information. To request an amendment, your request must be made in writing, and submitted to me. In addition, you must provide a reason that supports s your request. I may deny your request if you ask me to amend information that: 1) was not created by me; I will add your request to the information record; 2) is not part of the medical information kept by me; 3) is not part of the information which you would be permitted to inspect and copy; 4) is accurate and complete.
· Right to a copy of this notice – You have the right to a paper copy of this notice. You may ask me to give you a copy of this notice at any time. Changes to this notice: I reserve the right to change my policies and/or to change this notice, and to make the changed notice effective for medical information I already have about you as well as any information I receive in the future. The notice will contain the effective date. A new copy will be given to you or posted in the waiting room. I will have copies of the current notice available on request.