Notice of Privacy Practices (HIPPA) | Ensure Your Privacy Today

The Calming Edge

Notice of Privacy Practices (HIPAA)

Effective Date: July 27, 2026

THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED, HOW YOU CAN ACCESS THIS INFORMATION, AND YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING YOUR HEALTH INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.

At The Calming Edge, protecting your privacy is an important part of providing quality mental health care. This Notice explains how your Protected Health Information (PHI) may be used and shared, your privacy rights, and our responsibilities under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and applicable state law.

Protected Health Information (PHI) is information about you—including demographic information—that identifies you and relates to your past, present, or future physical or mental health, the healthcare services you receive, or payment for those services.

Your Privacy Matters

Mental health treatment is personal, and protecting your confidentiality is one of my highest priorities. I only use or disclose your health information when necessary to provide your care, comply with applicable laws, process payment, operate my practice, or when you have authorized me to do so.

How We May Use and Disclose Your Health Information

For Treatment

Your PHI may be used and disclosed to provide, coordinate, or manage your care. This may include communication with other healthcare professionals involved in your treatment, such as your primary care provider, therapist, pharmacy, specialists, bariatric surgery program, or other treating providers when appropriate or when authorized by you.

Because services may be provided through secure telehealth technology, your PHI may be transmitted electronically using HIPAA-compliant platforms. Reasonable safeguards are used to protect the privacy and security of your information during telehealth visits.

For Payment

Your PHI may be used and disclosed to obtain payment for healthcare services provided. This may include billing, claims submission, prior authorization activities, or other payment-related functions.

If you are uninsured or choose not to use insurance, you have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate of expected charges in accordance with federal law.

For Healthcare Operations

Your PHI may be used for activities necessary to operate the practice, including quality improvement, licensing, accreditation, compliance, staff training, auditing, and other business operations.

Electronic Communication & Patient Portal

The Calming Edge utilizes a secure patient portal for communication, appointment scheduling, completion of forms, and the exchange of clinical information.

Messages sent through the secure patient portal become part of your medical record.

Email may be used for administrative purposes such as appointment reminders, billing notifications, portal invitations, or other non-clinical communications. Because standard email is not always secure, confidential clinical information should be communicated through the secure patient portal whenever possible.

Appointment Reminders

We may contact you regarding appointments, scheduling changes, billing matters, or other information related to your care using the communication method you have authorized.

Special Protections for Psychotherapy Notes

Psychotherapy notes are afforded additional protection under federal and applicable state law. These notes are maintained separately from your medical record and will only be disclosed with your written authorization except where disclosure is specifically permitted or required by law.

As Required by Law

We may disclose your PHI when required by applicable federal or state law.

Public Health Activities

We may disclose PHI to authorized public health agencies for activities such as preventing or controlling disease, reporting adverse events, or reporting child abuse or neglect as required by law.

To Avert a Serious Threat to Health or Safety

We may disclose PHI if we believe doing so is necessary to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to your health or safety or the health or safety of another person.

Legal and Regulatory Proceedings

We may disclose PHI in response to a court order, subpoena, or other lawful process, or when otherwise required by law.

Workers' Compensation

We may disclose PHI as authorized by laws relating to workers' compensation or similar programs.

Other Uses and Disclosures

Any use or disclosure of your PHI not described in this Notice will only occur with your written authorization.

You may revoke your authorization at any time in writing. Revocation will not apply to information already disclosed based on your previous authorization.

Your Rights Regarding Your Health Information

Right to Access

You have the right to inspect and obtain a copy of your medical record, subject to certain legal exceptions. Requests must be submitted in writing. A reasonable fee may apply.

Right to Request an Amendment

If you believe information in your medical record is incorrect or incomplete, you may request an amendment. If your request is denied, you will receive a written explanation.

Right to an Accounting of Disclosures

You may request a list of certain disclosures of your PHI made during the previous six years, excluding disclosures made for treatment, payment, healthcare operations, and certain other exceptions permitted by law.

Right to Request Restrictions

You may request restrictions on how your PHI is used or disclosed for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations.

While we are not required to agree to all requested restrictions, we will comply with a request to restrict disclosure to a health plan when you have paid for the service entirely out-of-pocket and the disclosure is not otherwise required by law.

Right to Request Confidential Communications

You may request that we communicate with you in a specific manner or at a specific location. Reasonable requests will be accommodated whenever possible.

Right to Receive a Paper 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.

Right to Be Notified of a Breach

You have the right to be notified if a breach of your unsecured PHI occurs as required by law.

Our Responsibilities

The Calming Edge is required by law to:

Maintain the privacy and security of your Protected Health Information.
Provide you with this Notice of Privacy Practices.
Follow the terms of the Notice currently in effect.
Notify you if a breach of your unsecured PHI occurs.

We reserve the right to revise this Notice at any time. Any changes will apply to information we already maintain as well as information received in the future. The current version will always be available upon request and on our website.

Oregon and New York Privacy Laws

In addition to HIPAA, Oregon and New York law may provide additional privacy protections for certain types of health information, including mental health records and substance use disorder treatment records. When state law provides greater privacy protections than federal law, we will follow the more protective requirements.

(If you are not yet practicing in New York when this goes live, simply leave "New York" out and add it when your NY practice is active.)