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Notice of Privacy Practices

Effective Date: October 7, 2026

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.

Bernard Counseling, LLC is committed to protecting the privacy of your health information. This notice explains how your protected health information (“PHI”) may be used or disclosed and describes your rights regarding that information.

How Your Information May Be Used or Disclosed

Treatment

Your health information is used to provide your therapy services.

Bernard Counseling does not share your health information with other health care providers for treatment coordination without written authorization. If coordination with another provider is appropriate, Bernard Counseling will obtain your written authorization before sharing identifiable information, unless disclosure is otherwise permitted or required by law.

Bernard Counseling may occasionally consult with another qualified professional regarding clinical care. Identifying information will not be shared during such consultation.

Example: With your authorization, information may be shared with your physician or another treating provider to coordinate your care.

Payment

If you use health insurance, information necessary for billing and payment may be provided to your health plan and/or billing platform. This may include identifying information, diagnosis, dates and types of services, and documentation or collaboration requested to establish coverage or medical necessity.

Bernard Counseling currently uses Headway, a third-party billing and administrative platform, for insurance clients to carry out insurance-related administrative tasks.

Example: Information about your diagnosis and therapy sessions may be provided to your health insurance plan through Headway so that your services can be billed and paid.

Health Care Operations

Your information may be used as necessary to operate the practice, including maintaining records, scheduling, billing, and meeting legal and regulatory requirements. Bernard Counseling may use vendors or business associates that are required to appropriately safeguard your health information to perform these functions when necessary.

Example: Your health information may be maintained in Bernard Counseling's electronic health record system for documentation, scheduling, and practice administration.

Other Disclosures Permitted or Required by Law

Bernard Counseling may use or disclose health information without your written authorization when permitted or required by applicable law. These situations may include:

  • reporting suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation when required by law;

  • preventing or reducing a serious and imminent threat to the health or safety of you or another person;

  • responding to a court order or other legal process when disclosure is legally required;

  • complying with workers' compensation requirements;

The following are rarely, if ever, applicable to services with Bernard Counseling, LLC. The US Department of Health and Human Services require the following be listed as other disclosures permitted by law:

  • complying with legally authorized public health or health oversight activities;

  • disclosures permitted for certain law-enforcement or specialized government purposes;

  • providing information to a coroner, medical examiner, funeral director, or other authorized official when permitted or required by law;

  • responding to organ or tissue donation requests when applicable;

  • disclosures for research when specifically permitted under HIPAA and all applicable legal requirements have been met; and

  • providing information to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services when necessary to demonstrate compliance with federal privacy laws.

These disclosures are subject to the requirements and limitations of applicable law. When appropriate and reasonably possible, Bernard Counseling will inform you of a disclosure. Information disclosed will be limited to that which is reasonably necessary or required for the purpose of the disclosure, consistent with applicable law.

Bernard Counseling does not conduct research.

Disclosures Requiring Your Authorization

Except for uses and disclosures described in this notice or otherwise permitted or required by law, Bernard Counseling will obtain your written authorization before disclosing your health information.

Your written authorization is generally required for:

  • most uses or disclosures of psychotherapy notes, as that term is defined under HIPAA;

  • uses or disclosures of your health information for marketing when authorization is required by HIPAA; and

  • the sale of your protected health information.

BERNARD COUNSELING, LLC DOES NOT USE YOUR HEALTH INFORMATION FOR MARKETING

BERNARD COUNSELING, LLC DOES NOT SELL YOUR HEALTH INFORMATION.

You may revoke an authorization in writing at any time. Revocation will not affect information already disclosed in reliance on a valid authorization.

Substance Use Disorder Information

Certain substance use disorder treatment records receive additional protection under federal law. To the extent Bernard Counseling maintains records protected by 42 CFR Part 2, those records will not be used or disclosed in civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative investigations or proceedings against you without your written consent or a court order and subpoena as required by federal law.

Your Privacy Rights

You have the right to:

Access your records. You may request to inspect or receive an electronic or paper copy of health information maintained about you, subject to limitations permitted by law.

Request a correction. You may ask Bernard Counseling to amend information you believe is incorrect or incomplete. A request may be denied in certain circumstances permitted by law.

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

Request restrictions. You may ask Bernard Counseling not to use or disclose certain health information. Bernard Counseling is not required to agree to every request. However, if you pay in full out of pocket for a service and ask that information about that service not be disclosed to your health plan for payment or health care operations, Bernard Counseling will honor that request unless disclosure is required by law.

Request an accounting of disclosures. You may request a list of certain disclosures of your health information as provided by law.

Receive a copy of this notice. You may request a paper or electronic copy of this Notice of Privacy Practices at any time.

Have someone act for you. If another person has legal authority to make health care decisions for you or otherwise exercise your privacy rights, Bernard Counseling will recognize that authority as required by law.

To exercise any of these rights, contact the Privacy Contact listed below.

Bernard Counseling's Responsibilities

Bernard Counseling is required by law to:

  • maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information;

  • provide you with notice of its legal duties and privacy practices;

  • follow the privacy practices described in the current version of this notice; and

  • notify you as required by law if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your information.

Bernard Counseling will not use or disclose your information other than as described in this notice unless you authorize the use or disclosure in writing or the use or disclosure is otherwise permitted or required by law.

Complaints

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with Bernard Counseling by contacting:

Katie Bernard, LCSW
Bernard Counseling, LLC
Phone: 941-216-5464
Email: Katie@BernardCounseling.com

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

Bernard Counseling will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

Changes to This Notice

Bernard Counseling reserves the right to change the terms of this notice and to make the revised notice effective for all health information maintained by the practice, including information created or received before the change. The current Notice of Privacy Practices will be available upon request.

Privacy Contact:
Katie Bernard, LCSW
Bernard Counseling, LLC
941-216-5464
Katie@BernardCounseling.com

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