Privacy Policies & Practices
TESSA BARROWS, LMFT 105834
2800 Pleasant Hill Rd. Suite 280
Pleasant Hill, California 94523
Phone (925) 378-2428 Fax:(925) 322-2517
NOTICE OF PRIVACY POLICIES & PRACTICES
INTRODUCTION:
The purpose of this notice of privacy policies and practices is to provide a description of how Tessa Barrows, Marriage and Family Therapist, PC, a professional corporation, collects, utilizes, and protects client information. Information collected may include basic contact information such as client name, address, phone, number, and email address which will be utilized in routine communications such as phone calls, SMS text messaging, email and written mail. This information will be utilized for the purposes of appointment scheduling to facilitate the delivery of mental health care services, and to facilitate payment of services rendered. This information may be collected both electronically through a client’s submission of electronic forms or in person in the routine delivery of care.
THE FOLLOWING DESCRIBES HOW THE HEALTH INFORMATION THAT I COLLECT MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.
BUSINESS OVERVIEW
Tessa Barrows, Marriage and Family Therapist, PC is a professional corporation operated under the laws of the State of California. I provide professional psychotherapy services specializing in working with adults, teens and families.
DATA SECURITY MEASURES
Electronic Health Records: Tessa Barrows, Marriage and Family Therapist maintains client information in an electronic health record system known as SimplePractice which adheres to strict data security standards, primarily focusing on HIPAA compliance, which means they protect patient health information with high-level encryption, secure servers, and access controls; additionally, they are HITRUST certified, considered the gold standard for healthcare data security, encompassing controls required by HIPAA, PCI, NIST CSF, ISO 27001, and ISO 27002 standards; essentially guaranteeing a robust level of data protection for client information within their platform.
Telephone and SMS Text messages communication is managed through RingCentral which provides robust security measures. Details can be found at this link: https://trust.ringcentral.com/ If you consent/opt-in to communicate with Tessa Barrows, LMFT via SMS/Text, you may receive text messages related to appointment scheduling, care coordination, or services. The phone number you provide will not be shared with any third parties or affiliate companies for marketing purposes. Please note that message and data rates may apply. You can opt-out at any time by texting “STOP”. For assistance, you can text “HELP”.
Website and Contact Form Communications are hosted by Squarespace. Squarespace contact forms are encrypted using SSL (Secure Sockets Layer), meaning all data submitted through a Squarespace form is automatically encrypted in transit between the user and the website, protecting information like email addresses and other details from being intercepted by unauthorized parties; this encryption is automatically applied to all Squarespace domains due to their built-in SSL certificates.
DATA SHARING, HEALTH INFORMATION USE and DISCLOSURE
I understand that health information about you and your health care is personal. I am committed to protecting health information about you. I create a record of the care and services you receive from me. I need this record to provide you with quality care and to comply with certain legal requirements. This notice applies to all the records of your care generated by this mental health care practice. This notice will tell you about the ways in which I may use and disclose health information about you. I also describe your rights to the health information I keep about you and describe certain obligations I have regarding the use and disclosure of your health information. I am required by law to:
Make sure that protected health information (“PHI”) that identifies you is kept private.
Give you this notice of my legal duties and privacy practices with respect to health information.
Follow the terms of the notice that is currently in effect.
I can change the terms of this Notice, and such changes will apply to all information I have about you. The new Notice will be available upon request, in my office, and on my website.
Your information will be used for scheduling, treatment, payment, and/or or Health Care Operations. Federal privacy rules (regulations) allow health care providers who have direct treatment relationship with the patient/client to use or disclose the patient/client’s personal health information without the patient’s written authorization, to carry out the health care provider’s own treatment, payment or health care operations. I may also disclose your protected health information for the treatment activities of any health care provider. This too can be done without your written authorization. For example, if a clinician were to consult with another licensed health care provider about your condition, we would be permitted to use and disclose your person health information, which is otherwise confidential, to assist the clinician in diagnosis and treatment of your mental health condition. Your personal data or health care information will never be sold, transferred, shared or distributed for any other reason than those outlined above unless required by a judge with a court order.
YOUR PATIENT PRIVACY RIGHTS IN CALIFORNIA
Please refer to the State of California consumer guide to health information privacy at this link: https://oag.ca.gov/sites/all/files/agweb/pdfs/privacy/CIS_7_Patient_Privacy_DOJ.pdf
CONTACT INFORMATION
If you have any questions or concerns about these privacy policies, please reach out to me at: Tessa Barrows, LMFT, (925) 378-2428, Tessa@tessabarrows.com