Purpose Of This Notice

Mental Wellness University, Licensed Clinical Social Worker Inc. (MWU) is committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of your health information. Federal and California laws require MWU to maintain the privacy of protected health information, provide this notice of its legal duties and privacy practices, and follow the notice currently in effect.

Protected health information (PHI) includes information that identifies you and relates to your past, present, or future physical or mental health, the care you receive, or payment for that care. This notice applies to clinical records, billing information, electronic communications maintained in the clinical record, and other health information created or received by MWU.

How MWU May Use And Disclose Your Information

MWU may use or disclose PHI without a separate written authorization when permitted or required by law, including for:

Treatment: to provide, coordinate, or manage your care and, when appropriate, consult with or refer you to another health care professional.

Payment: to bill and collect payment from you, a health plan, an employee assistance program, or another responsible payer.

Health care operations: for quality review, supervision or consultation, compliance, credentialing, auditing, business management, and other lawful practice activities.

Business associates: to vendors or contractors that perform services for MWU and are contractually required to safeguard PHI.

Appointment and service communications: to contact you about appointments, treatment alternatives, care coordination, or health-related services, consistent with your communication preferences.

Uses And Disclosures Requiring Written Authorization

MWU will obtain your written authorization before using or disclosing PHI when an authorization is required by federal or California law. Examples may include most disclosures to employers, schools, attorneys, family members who do not otherwise have legal authority, and other third parties you designate.

Psychotherapy notes: psychotherapy notes receive additional protection and generally require a separate authorization before disclosure, except for limited uses or disclosures permitted by law.

Marketing and sale of PHI: MWU will obtain authorization when required for marketing communications or any disclosure that would constitute a sale of PHI.

Other purposes: uses or disclosures not described in this notice will be made only with your written authorization unless otherwise permitted or required by law.

You may revoke an authorization in writing at any time. Revocation will not affect actions already taken in reliance on the authorization or disclosures otherwise permitted or required by law.

Legal And Safety-Related Disclosures

MWU may use or disclose PHI without your written authorization in circumstances permitted or required by law, which may include:

When required by a valid court order, warrant, subpoena, administrative request, or other lawful process, subject to applicable legal protections and objections.

To report suspected child abuse or neglect, elder or dependent adult abuse, or other matters that a mandated reporter is legally required to report.

To prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to the health or safety of you or another person, or when California law creates a duty to take reasonable protective action.

For public health activities, health oversight, licensing or regulatory review, workers' compensation, law enforcement purposes, or other disclosures specifically authorized by law.

To defend MWU or its clinicians in a legal, licensing, payment, or professional proceeding when disclosure is legally permitted and relevant.

When a disclosure is required or permitted without authorization, MWU will limit the information disclosed to what is legally required or reasonably necessary, when the minimum-necessary standard applies.

Special Considerations For Minors And Personal Representatives

A parent, legal guardian, or other personal representative may generally exercise privacy rights on behalf of a minor or an adult who lacks legal authority to act independently. Exceptions may apply when a minor lawfully consents to care, when the law limits a representative's access, or when MWU reasonably believes that treating the person as a representative could place the client at risk.

MWU will verify the identity and authority of a person requesting access to or control over another client's PHI before acting on the request.

Your Privacy Rights

Receive a copy of this notice: You may request a paper or electronic copy at any time, even if you previously agreed to receive it electronically.

Inspect or obtain a copy of your records: You may request access to PHI maintained in a designated record set. Requests should be made in writing. MWU will respond within the time required by applicable law and may charge only a lawful, reasonable fee.

Request an amendment: You may request correction of PHI that you believe is inaccurate or incomplete. MWU may deny the request in certain circumstances and will provide a written explanation when required.

Request confidential communications: You may ask MWU to contact you in a particular way or at a particular location. Reasonable requests will be accommodated.

Request restrictions: You may ask MWU not to use or disclose certain PHI. MWU is not required to agree to every request. When you pay in full out of pocket, you may request that information about that service not be disclosed to a health plan for payment or operations, unless disclosure is required by law.

Receive an accounting of certain disclosures: You may request a list of certain disclosures made during the period allowed by law. Some routine and legally excluded disclosures will not appear on the list.

Choose someone to act for you: A legally authorized personal representative may exercise your privacy rights after MWU verifies that authority.

File a complaint without retaliation: You may raise a privacy concern or file a complaint with MWU or a government agency. MWU will not retaliate against you for exercising this right.

MWU'S Privacy Responsibilities

Maintain the privacy and security of PHI and use reasonable administrative, physical, and technical safeguards.

Provide notice if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your unsecured PHI, as required by law.

Follow the privacy practices described in the notice currently in effect.

Provide you with a revised notice when material privacy practices change and make the current notice available upon request.

Limit uses, disclosures, and requests for PHI to the minimum necessary when that standard applies.

Respect additional protections created by California law when those protections are more stringent than federal law.

Electronic Communication And Telehealth Privacy

MWU may use electronic health record systems, telehealth platforms, email, text messaging, telephone, electronic payment systems, and other technologies to support care and practice operations. MWU uses reasonable safeguards; however, no electronic communication method can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

Your separate informed-consent and communication-preference documents describe the risks, benefits, emergency procedures, and boundaries associated with telehealth, email, text messaging, voicemail, and other electronic communications.

Substance Use Disorder Information

Some substance use disorder treatment records may be protected by additional federal law, including 42 C.F.R. Part 2, when that law applies to the program or records involved. When applicable, MWU will follow those additional requirements, including restrictions on certain uses and disclosures.

Questions Or Complaints

For questions, privacy requests, or concerns about MWU's privacy practices, contact:

Lauresha Z. Hawkins, LCSW, MSW, MPH Mental Wellness University, Licensed Clinical Social Worker Inc. 11819 Foothill Blvd., Suite B #343, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730 (909) 776-7333 | care@mentalwellnessuniversityinc.com

You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights. Concerns regarding professional conduct may be submitted to the California Board of Behavioral Sciences. MWU will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.