Effective Date: September 20, 2026
Your Information. Your Rights. Our Responsibilities.
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.
Your Rights
You have the right to:
- Get a copy of your paper or electronic medical record.
- Ask us to correct your medical record.
- Request confidential communications.
- Ask us to limit certain uses or disclosures of your information.
- Get a list of certain disclosures of your health information.
- Get a copy of this Notice of Privacy Practices.
- Choose someone to act for you when legally authorized.
- File a complaint if you believe your privacy rights have been violated.
You may also have additional rights under applicable federal and Florida law.
Your Choices
You may have choices regarding how we use and share certain health information, including information shared with family members or others involved in your care.
If you pay for a service or health care item completely out of pocket, you may request that information about that service not be disclosed to your health plan for payment or health care operations, unless disclosure is required by law.
How We May Use and Share Your Information
We may use and disclose your protected health information as permitted or required by law, including for:
Treatment: To provide, coordinate, or manage your mental health care.
Payment: To obtain payment for services we provide.
Health Care Operations: To operate our practice, improve services, conduct quality activities, and perform other activities permitted by law.
As Required by Law: When federal or state law requires us to use or disclose information.
We may also disclose information in other circumstances permitted by HIPAA and applicable law, including certain situations involving public health, serious threats to health or safety, judicial or administrative proceedings, law enforcement, and other legally authorized purposes.
Mental Health Information
Mental health information receives protections under federal and state law. We will use and disclose your mental health information in accordance with applicable law and the privacy practices described in this notice.
Substance Use Disorder Records
If we maintain records that are subject to the federal confidentiality protections for substance use disorder patient records under 42 CFR Part 2, those records receive additional protections. We will use and disclose Part 2 records only as permitted by applicable federal law.
Our Responsibilities
We are required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information, provide you with this notice, and follow the privacy practices described in the current notice.
We will notify you as required by law if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your information.
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 the use or disclosure.
Changes to This Notice
We may change the terms of this notice. Changes may apply to all protected health information we maintain. The current version will be available on our website and upon request.
Questions or Privacy Complaints
If you have questions about this notice or believe your privacy rights have been violated, contact:
Connections Counseling Services, LLC
Privacy Contact: Vanessa Mejias, LMHC
Email: contact@connections-counseling.org
Phone: (407) 346-4504
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 privacy complaint. HHS specifically requires the NPP to explain how individuals can exercise their rights and make complaints.