Notice of Privacy Practices
THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW HEALTHCARE INFORMATION ABOUT YOU
MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS
INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.
Meeting Point Counseling LLC (the "Practice") is committed to
protecting your privacy. The Practice is required by federal
law to maintain the privacy of Protected Health Information
("PHI"), which is information that identifies or could be used
to identify you. The Practice is required to provide you with
this Notice of Privacy Practices (this "Notice"), which
explains the Practice's legal duties and privacy practices and
your rights regarding PHI that we collect and maintain.
YOUR RIGHTS
Your rights regarding PHI are explained below. To exercise
these rights, please submit a written request to the Practice
at the address noted below.
To inspect and copy PHI.
- You can ask for an electronic or paper copy of PHI. The
Practice may charge you a reasonable fee.
- The Practice may deny your request if it believes the
disclosure will endanger your life or another person's
life. You may have a right to have this decision reviewed.
To amend PHI.
- You can ask to correct PHI you believe is incorrect or
incomplete. The Practice may require you to make your request in
writing and provide a reason for the request.
- The Practice may deny your request. The Practice will send
a written explanation for the denial and allow you to submit a
written statement of disagreement.
To request confidential communications.
- You can ask the Practice to contact you in a specific
way. The Practice will say “yes” to all reasonable requests.
To limit what is used or shared.
- You can ask the Practice not to use or share PHI for
treatment, payment, or business operations. The Practice is
not required to agree if it would affect your care.
- If you pay for a service or health care item out-of-pocket
in full, you can ask the Practice not to share PHI with your
health insurer.
- You can ask for the Practice not to share your PHI with
family members or friends by stating the specific
restriction requested and to whom you want the restriction
to apply.
To obtain a list of those with whom your PHI has been shared.
- You can ask for a list, called an accounting, of the times
your health information has been shared. You can receive one
accounting every 12 months at no charge, but you may be
charged a reasonable fee if you ask for one more frequently.
To receive a copy of this Notice.
- You can ask for a paper copy of this Notice, even if you
agreed to receive the Notice electronically.
To choose someone to act for you.
- If you have given someone healthcare power of attorney or if
someone is your legal guardian, that person can exercise your
rights.
To file a complaint if you feel your rights are violated.
- You can file a complaint by contacting the Practice using
the following information:
Meeting Point Counseling LLC, 12429 Cedar Road, Suite 9,
Cleveland Heights, OH 44106
- You can file a complaint with the U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights by sending
a letter to 200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington,
D.C. 20201, calling 1-877-696-6775, or visiting
www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints/.
- The Practice will not retaliate against you for filing a
complaint.
OUR USES AND DISCLOSURES
Routine Uses and Disclosures of PHI
The Practice is permitted under federal law to use and
disclose PHI, without your written authorization, for certain
routine uses and disclosures, such as those made for
treatment, payment, and the operation of our business. The
Practice typically uses or shares your health information in
the following ways:
To treat you.
- The Practice can use and share PHI with other
professionals who are treating you.
- Example: Your primary care doctor asks about your mental
health treatment
To run the health care operations.
- The Practice can use and share PHI to run the business,
improve your care, and contact you.
- Example: The Practice uses PHI to send you appointment
reminders if you choose.
To bill for your services.
- The Practice can use and share PHI to bill and get payment
from health plans or other entities.
- Example: The Practice gives PHI to your health insurance plan so
it will pay for your services.
- Example: The Practice uses PHI to process credit card
payments.
Uses and Disclosures of PHI That May Be Made Without Your
Authorization or Opportunity to Object
The Practice may use or disclose PHI without your
authorization or an opportunity for you to object, including:
To help with public health and safety issues
- Public health: To prevent the spread of disease, assist in
product recalls, and report adverse reactions to medication.
- Required by the Secretary of Health and Human Services: We
may be required to disclose your PHI to the Secretary of
Health and Human Services to investigate or determine our
compliance with the requirements of the final rule on
Standards for Privacy of Individually Identifiable Health
Information.
- Health oversight: For audits, investigations, and
inspections by government agencies that oversee the health
care system, government benefit programs, other government
regulatory programs, and civil rights laws.
- Serious threat to health or safety: To prevent a serious
and imminent threat.
- Abuse or Neglect: To report abuse, neglect, or domestic
violence.
To comply with law, law enforcement, or other government
requests
- Required by law: If required by federal, state or local
law.
- Judicial and administrative proceedings: To respond to a
court order, subpoena, or discovery request.
- Law enforcement: For law locate and identify you or
disclose information about a victim of a crime.
- Specialized Government Functions: For military or national
security concerns, including intelligence, protective
services for heads of state, or your security clearance.
- National security and intelligence activities: For
intelligence, counterintelligence, protection of the
President, other authorized persons or foreign heads of
state, for purpose of determining your own security
clearance and other national security activities authorized
by law.
- Workers' Compensation: To comply with workers'
compensation laws or support claims.
To comply with other requests
- Business Associates: To organizations that perform
functions, activities or services on our behalf.
Uses and Disclosures of PHI That May Be Made With Your
Authorization or Opportunity to Object
If you have given authorization and unless you object, the
Practice may disclose PHI:
- To your family, friends, or others if PHI directly relates
to that person's involvement in your care.
- If it is in your best interest because you are unable to
state your preference.
Uses and Disclosures of PHI Based Upon Your Written Authorization
The Practice must obtain your written authorization to use
and/or disclose PHI for the following purposes:
- The Practice will never share any substance abuse
treatment records without your written permission.
The Practice will never market or sell personal information.
Use and Disclosure of Substance Use Disorder Records Subject
to 42 CFR Part 2:
(A) If applicable, your substance use disorder (“SUD”) records
are protected by federal law under 42 C.F.R. Part 2 (“Part
2”). This law provides extra confidentiality protections and
requires a separate patient consent for the use and disclosure
of SUD counseling notes. Each disclosure made with patient
consent must include a copy of the consent or a clear
explanation of the scope of the consent. It must also be
accompanied by a written notice containing the language in 42
CFR Part 2.32(a). Disclosure of these records requires your
explicit written consent, except in limited circumstances such
as:
- Medical Emergencies: to the extent necessary to treat you,
- Reporting Crimes on Program Premises,
- Child Abuse Reporting: In connection with incidents of
suspected child abuse or neglect to appropriate state or
local authorities, and
- Fundraising: We will provide you with an opportunity to
decline to receive any fundraising communications prior to
making such communications.
You may revoke this consent at any time.
(B) Prohibitions on Use and Disclosure of Part 2 Records: SUD
records received from programs subject to Part 2, or testimony
relaying the content of such records, shall not be used or
disclosed in civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative
proceedings against you unless based on your written consent,
or a court order after notice and an opportunity to be heard
is provided to you or the holder of the record, as provided in
Part 2. A court order authorizing use or disclosure must be
accompanied by a subpoena or other legal requirement
compelling disclosure before the requested SUD record is used
or disclosed. If SUD records are disclosed to us or our
business associates pursuant to your written consent for
treatment, payment, and healthcare operations, we or our
business associates may further use and disclose such health
information without your written consent to the extent that
the HIPAA regulations permit such uses and disclosures,
consistent with the other provisions in this Notice regarding
PHI.
You may revoke your authorization, at any time, by contacting
the Practice in writing, using the information above. The
Practice will not use or share PHI other than as described in
Notice unless you give your permission in writing.
OUR RESPONSIBILITIES
- The Practice is required by law to maintain the privacy
and security of PHI.
- The Practice is required to abide by the terms of this
Notice currently in effect. Where more stringent state or
federal law governs PHI, the Practice will abide by the more
stringent law.
- The Practice reserves the right to amend this Notice. All
changes are applicable to PHI collected and maintained by
the Practice. Should the Practice make changes, you may
obtain a revised Notice by requesting a copy from the
Practice, using the information above, or by viewing a copy
on the practice's website at
https://meetingpointcounseling.com/.
- The Practice will inform you if PHI is compromised in a breach.
This Notice is effective on February 16, 2026.