HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices
The Red Door Therapy & Wellness Solutions
Effective Date: [Enter date this revised notice is published]
THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.
Our Commitment to Your Privacy
At The Red Door Therapy & Wellness Solutions (“The Red Door”), we recognize that seeking mental health support is personal. Protecting your privacy and respecting your dignity are essential parts of our professional responsibilities.
This Notice of Privacy Practices explains how we may use and disclose your protected health information (PHI), the rights you have regarding that information, and our responsibilities under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and other applicable laws.
This notice applies to protected health information maintained in connection with our covered healthcare services, including individual psychotherapy provided through telehealth.
1. Your Rights Regarding Your Health Information
You have the following rights under HIPAA, subject to applicable legal limitations.
Access Your Records
You may request an electronic or paper copy of your health information maintained in a designated record set.
We generally respond within 30 days. If additional time is permitted and needed, we will notify you. Reasonable, legally permitted fees may apply.
Request Corrections
You may request an amendment to information you believe is incorrect or incomplete.
We may deny certain requests as permitted by law and will explain the reason in writing, generally within 60 days.
Request Confidential Communications
You may ask us to contact you through a particular telephone number, mailing address, or other communication method.
We will accommodate reasonable requests.
Request Restrictions
You may ask us to limit certain uses or disclosures of your information for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations.
We are generally not required to agree to these restrictions.
However, if you pay in full out of pocket for a service, we will honor a qualifying request not to disclose information about that service to your health plan for payment or healthcare operations, unless disclosure is required by law.
Request an Accounting of Disclosures
You may request an accounting of certain disclosures made during the preceding six years.
One accounting during a 12-month period is provided without charge. Additional requests may involve a reasonable fee.
Obtain a Copy of This Notice
You may request a paper copy of this notice at any time, even if you previously received it electronically.
Designate a Personal Representative
A person legally authorized to act on your behalf may exercise applicable rights concerning your health information, subject to verification and legal limitations.
File a Complaint
You may file a complaint if you believe your privacy rights have been violated.
You may contact The Red Door directly or submit a complaint to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
You will not be retaliated against for filing a complaint.
2. How We May Use and Disclose Your Health Information
HIPAA permits certain uses and disclosures of protected health information without separate written authorization. Additional restrictions may apply under Colorado law or other applicable federal laws.
Treatment
We may use or disclose information to provide, coordinate, or manage your healthcare.
Example: With appropriate safeguards and subject to applicable law, we may share relevant treatment information with another healthcare professional involved in your care.
Payment
We may use or disclose information to obtain payment for services.
Example: We may provide information necessary to process a claim, verify coverage, or resolve a payment-related matter.
Healthcare Operations
We may use information to manage and maintain the practice.
Example: We may review records for documentation quality, maintain scheduling systems, or perform legally permitted administrative activities.
Other Uses or Disclosures Permitted or Required by Law
Depending on the circumstances and applicable legal protections, we may use or disclose information for:
Public health reporting and activities
Reporting suspected abuse, neglect, or domestic violence when permitted or required by law
Preventing or reducing a serious and imminent threat to health or safety
Health oversight activities authorized by law
Judicial or administrative proceedings when legally authorized
Certain law enforcement requests that meet applicable legal requirements
Workers' compensation matters
Research conducted under applicable privacy protections
Organ or tissue donation purposes, when legally applicable
Medical examiner, coroner, or funeral director functions when authorized by law
Other disclosures specifically required by applicable law
These categories do not mean that The Red Door routinely makes such disclosures. Each request is evaluated according to applicable federal and Colorado confidentiality requirements.
3. Uses and Disclosures Requiring Your Authorization
We generally require your written authorization for:
Most uses or disclosures of psychotherapy notes, as specifically defined by HIPAA
Uses or disclosures of protected health information for marketing when authorization is required
The sale of protected health information
Other uses or disclosures not otherwise permitted or required by law
You may revoke an authorization in writing at any time, except to the extent that we have already acted in reliance on it.
The Red Door does not sell protected health information.
4. Special Protections for Psychotherapy Notes
Psychotherapy notes receive additional protections under HIPAA.
These are notes recorded by a mental health professional documenting or analyzing the contents of a counseling session and maintained separately from the rest of the medical record.
Most uses and disclosures of psychotherapy notes require written authorization, with limited exceptions permitted by law.
Routine clinical progress notes, diagnoses, treatment plans, session dates, and other designated record information are not automatically classified as psychotherapy notes.
5. Additional Protections for Certain Substance Use Disorder Records
The Red Door does not provide specialized substance use disorder treatment and does not operate as a substance use disorder treatment program.
Certain records originating from programs subject to 42 CFR Part 2 receive additional federal confidentiality protections.
If The Red Door receives or maintains records protected by Part 2, those protections will be observed as applicable.
Substance use disorder treatment records received from Part 2 programs, or testimony describing their contents, generally may not be used or disclosed in civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative proceedings against the individual unless authorized by the individual's written consent or by a qualifying court order following the required notice and opportunity to be heard. A court order authorizing disclosure must also be accompanied by a subpoena or other legal requirement compelling disclosure.
This statement explains applicable privacy protections and does not indicate that The Red Door provides substance use disorder treatment.
6. Sharing Information With People Involved in Your Care
When permitted by law, we may share information relevant to your care with family members, friends, or others you identify as involved in your healthcare or payment for your care.
We will consider your preferences and objections as required by HIPAA and applicable state law.
If you cannot communicate your preferences, certain limited disclosures may be made when permitted by law and consistent with professional judgment.
7. Electronic Communication and Telehealth
The Red Door provides individual psychotherapy through telehealth and uses electronic systems for scheduling, documentation, payment, and communication.
We use appropriate administrative, technical, and contractual safeguards to protect health information.
Electronic communications may nevertheless carry privacy risks. We encourage clients to use designated secure communication systems for sensitive clinical information.
When required, service providers that handle protected health information on our behalf operate under appropriate HIPAA business associate agreements.
8. Red Door Signature Groups™ and Psychoeducational Services
The Red Door also offers structured psychoeducational groups and educational resources.
These offerings are distinct from individual psychotherapy and do not automatically establish a therapist-client relationship.
Separate enrollment and participation documents explain the nature of each offering, expectations regarding privacy, and the limitations of confidentiality among participants.
This HIPAA notice applies to protected health information to the extent that the information and activity are subject to HIPAA.
Participation in an educational offering does not, by itself, mean that all information associated with that offering is protected health information under HIPAA.
9. Information That May Be Redisclosed
When health information is lawfully disclosed to another recipient, it may in some circumstances be redisclosed by that recipient and may no longer be protected by HIPAA.
Other federal or state confidentiality laws, contractual requirements, or professional obligations may continue to restrict its use or disclosure.
We apply applicable restrictions when determining whether information may be disclosed.
10. Our Legal Responsibilities
The Red Door is required by law to:
Maintain the privacy and security of protected health information
Provide individuals with notice of our legal duties and privacy practices
Follow the terms of the Notice of Privacy Practices currently in effect
Notify affected individuals following a breach of unsecured protected health information when required by law
Obtain written authorization for uses and disclosures when required
Respect applicable individual rights regarding protected health information
We are committed to handling health information with appropriate professional care and confidentiality.
11. Changes to This Notice
We reserve the right to revise this notice and make the revised provisions effective for all protected health information we maintain, including information created or received before the revision, as permitted by law.
The current version will be available on our website and upon request.
Material changes will be reflected in a revised notice with an updated effective date.
12. Questions, Requests, and Complaints
If you have questions about this notice, wish to exercise your privacy rights, or have a concern about how your health information is handled, please contact:
Privacy Contact: Emily MacNiven, MEd, LPC
The Red Door Therapy & Wellness Solutions
2519 S Shields Street
Suite 1K #846
Fort Collins, CO 80526
Phone: 720-204-8731
Email: emily@thereddoorcounseling.org
Website: https://thereddoortherapy.org
For requests involving sensitive clinical records, please use the designated secure communication procedures.
You may also file a complaint with:
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Office for Civil Rights
200 Independence Avenue SW
Washington, DC 20201
Phone: 1-877-696-6775
Website: https://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints/
You will not be retaliated against for submitting a privacy complaint.