Notice of Privacy Practices
Effective Date: October 3, 2026
Your Information. Your Rights. Our Responsibilities.
This Notice describes how medical and mental health information about you may be used and disclosed and how you can access this information. Please review it carefully.
This Notice applies to protected health information maintained by A Place Along the Way LLC in connection with psychotherapy and related clinical services provided in Colorado.
Your Rights
You have the right to:
Get a copy of your health record.
You may ask to inspect or receive an electronic or paper copy of your health record and other health information we maintain about you. We will provide access within the time required by law and may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee when permitted.
Ask us to correct your health record.
You may ask us to correct health information that you believe is incorrect or incomplete. We may deny your request in certain circumstances, but we will explain the reason in writing when required.
Request confidential communications.
You may ask us to contact you in a particular way or at a particular location. We will accommodate reasonable requests.
Ask us to limit what we use or share.
You may ask us not to use or disclose certain health information for treatment, payment, or health care operations. We are not always required to agree to these requests.
If you pay for a service completely out of pocket, you may ask us not to share information about that service with your health plan for payment or health care operations purposes. We will honor that request unless disclosure is required by law.
Get a list of certain disclosures.
You may ask for an accounting of certain disclosures of your protected health information made during the six years before the date of your request. Some disclosures, including many disclosures made for treatment, payment, health care operations, or at your request, are not included.
Get a copy of this Notice.
You may request a paper copy of this Notice at any time, even if you previously agreed to receive it electronically.
Choose someone to act for you.
If another person has legal authority to act on your behalf, such as a legal guardian or health care agent, that person may exercise your privacy rights as permitted by law.
File a complaint if you believe your privacy rights have been violated.
You may contact A Place Along the Way LLC using the information at the end of this Notice.
You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights.
We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.
Your Choices
For certain health information, you may tell us how you would like your information shared.
When appropriate and permitted by law, you may choose whether we:
Share relevant information with family members, friends, or others involved in your care or payment for your care.
Share information in a disaster-relief situation.
If you are unable to communicate your preference, we may share information when permitted by law if we believe doing so is in your best interest or is necessary to reduce a serious and imminent threat to health or safety.
Uses and Disclosures Requiring Your Authorization
We generally will not use or disclose your protected health information for the following purposes without your written authorization:
Marketing purposes.
Sale of your protected health information.
Most uses and disclosures of psychotherapy notes.
Psychotherapy notes receive special protection under HIPAA. In most circumstances, your written authorization is required before psychotherapy notes may be disclosed to another person or organization. Psychotherapy notes are distinct from the clinical record and do not include items such as diagnosis, treatment plans, progress summaries, session times, or information maintained in your regular medical record. HHS.gov
If you provide written authorization for a use or disclosure, you may revoke that authorization in writing at any time, except to the extent that we have already acted in reliance on it.
How We May Use and Share Your Information
We may use or disclose your protected health information without your written authorization when HIPAA or other applicable law permits or requires us to do so.
Treatment
We may use and share your health information to provide, coordinate, or manage your treatment and related services.
For example, with appropriate permissions and as permitted by law, information may be shared with another health care professional involved in your care.
Payment
We may use and disclose health information to bill for services and obtain payment from you, your health insurance plan, or another responsible party.
For example, information may be provided to an insurance company to process a claim or determine eligibility or benefits.
Health Care Operations
We may use and share health information for activities necessary to operate our practice, such as quality assessment, professional consultation, credentialing, compliance activities, administrative functions, and business operations.
Business Associates
We may share protected health information with outside individuals or companies that perform services on our behalf, such as billing, electronic health record, technology, or administrative providers, when permitted by law.
When required by HIPAA, those vendors must enter into agreements requiring them to appropriately safeguard protected health information.
When Required by Law
We may use or disclose protected health information when required to do so by federal, state, or local law.
Health and Safety
We may disclose information when permitted or required by law to prevent or reduce a serious and imminent threat to the health or safety of you or another person.
Abuse, Neglect, or Exploitation
We may disclose protected health information when required or permitted by law concerning suspected abuse, neglect, exploitation, or other circumstances involving mandatory reporting obligations.
Public Health and Government Activities
We may disclose information for certain legally authorized public health, health oversight, law enforcement, judicial, administrative, workers' compensation, or other governmental purposes when permitted or required by law.
Judicial and Administrative Proceedings
We may disclose protected health information in response to a valid court order, subpoena, or other lawful legal process when the requirements of applicable law have been met.
Mental Health Information and Colorado Law
Mental health information is treated as confidential, and A Place Along the Way LLC will comply with applicable Colorado and federal laws governing the privacy and disclosure of mental health records.
Where Colorado law provides greater privacy protection than HIPAA, we will follow the law that provides greater protection.
Substance Use Disorder Records
Certain records relating to substance use disorder treatment may receive additional protections under federal law, including 42 U.S.C. § 290dd-2 and 42 C.F.R. Part 2, when those laws apply.
If A Place Along the Way LLC maintains records that are subject to those requirements, such records will be handled in accordance with applicable federal law.
HHS's February 2026 model notice specifically requires covered entities to address Part 2-protected substance-use-disorder records in their Notice of Privacy Practices where applicable. HHS.gov
Electronic Communications
Electronic communication, including email and text messaging, can carry privacy risks.
We take reasonable steps to protect your information but cannot guarantee the security of ordinary electronic communications outside secure systems.
Please avoid sending highly sensitive clinical information through general website contact forms, social media messages, or other non-secure communication methods.
Our Responsibilities
We are required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information.
We will notify you as required by law if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your information.
We must follow the privacy practices described in the current version of this Notice.
We will not use or disclose your information other than as described in this Notice unless you provide written authorization or the law otherwise permits or requires us to do so.
Changes to This Notice
We may change the terms of this Notice and apply those changes to health information we already maintain as well as information we receive in the future.
If we make material changes, an updated Notice will be available on our website and upon request.
Questions or Complaints
If you have questions about this Notice, want to exercise your privacy rights, or believe your privacy rights have been violated, please contact:
A Place Along the Way LLC
Golden, Colorado
Email: uttleym@wholeheartedhealingtherapies.com
You may also file a complaint with:
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Office for Civil Rights
HHS provides instructions for filing a privacy complaint online and by mail. Filing a complaint will not affect your care, and A Place Along the Way LLC will not retaliate against you for doing so.