Confidentiality & HIPAA Policy

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is a federal law that establishes standards for the protection of your personal health information (PHI). Crown Counseling is committed to maintaining the privacy and security of your records in full compliance with HIPAA and applicable New York State law.

Everything you share in the course of treatment at Crown Counseling is confidential. No information, verbal or written, will be disclosed to any third party without your written authorization, except as required or permitted by law.

Your Rights

• You have the right to request access to your clinical records and to receive a copy upon written request.
• You have the right to ask Crown Counseling to limit how your information is used or shared, though we are not required to agree to every restriction if doing so would impact your care.
• You have the right to request that we contact you through a specific method or at a specific location.
• You have the right to file a complaint with Crown Counseling or with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services if you believe your privacy rights have been violated.
• No retaliation will occur as a result of filing a complaint.

Exceptions

The following are legally mandated exceptions to confidentiality. Your clinician is required to act in the following circumstances.

• Duty to Warn and Protect. If you disclose a plan or serious intent to harm yourself, your clinician is required to take protective action, which may include notifying family members and contacting emergency services. If you disclose a plan or serious intent to harm an identifiable third party, your clinician is required to warn that individual and notify the appropriate authorities.
• Mandatory Reporting of Abuse and Neglect. If there is reasonable suspicion that a child, elderly person, or other vulnerable adult is being abused or neglected, your clinician is required by New York State law to report this information to the appropriate state agency and/or law enforcement.
• Prenatal Exposure to Controlled Substances. If you disclose prenatal exposure to controlled substances that may be harmful to you or your child, your clinician is required to report this information as mandated by law.
• Court Orders. Your records may be disclosed if required by a valid court order.
• Insurance and Third-Party Payers. If you are using insurance to pay for services, your insurer may request clinical information necessary to process claims, including your diagnosis, treatment plan, session dates, and progress notes. Crown Counseling will share only the minimum information required.
• Minors. Parents or legal guardians of non-emancipated minor clients have the right to access their child's clinical records under applicable law.

You will be informed of any disclosure to the extent clinically and legally permissible.

A full Notice of Privacy Practices is available upon request and is posted in our office.

Use of AI Tools

Crown Counseling may use AI-assisted tools to support clinical documentation and administrative functions, including tools that help your clinician draft session notes and treatment records. All AI-generated content is reviewed and approved by your clinician before it is finalized. AI is not used to make clinical decisions, establish diagnoses, or determine your course of treatment. All AI vendors used by Crown Counseling are HIPAA-compliant and bound by a Business Associate Agreement (BAA). Your information will not be sold or used to train external AI models. You may opt out at any time by telling your clinician or our administrative team; declining will not affect your access to or quality of care.

Acknowledgment

Clients confirm on the intake form that they have been informed of Crown Counseling's confidentiality practices and the circumstances under which confidentiality may be limited or breached as required by law.