Privacy policy

Privacy of your information

State and federal laws require that we keep your medical records private. We are required to provide notice of our privacy-of-information policies, your rights, and our duties, and to abide by them until they are replaced or revised. We may revise our privacy policies for all medical records, including records kept before changes were made; any changes will be made available upon request before they take place.

The contents of material disclosed to us in an evaluation, intake, or therapy session are covered by law as private information.

How we use & share information

Information about your child may be used by Animate Behavior personnel for diagnosis, treatment planning, treatment, and continuity of care. We may disclose it to health care providers who treat your child and to business associates affiliated with this clinic, such as billing, quality enhancement, training, audits, and accreditation.

Verbal information and written records cannot be shared with another party without the written consent of the client or their legal guardian or personal representative. It is our policy not to release any information without a signed release of information, except in certain emergency situations or legal exceptions — including a duty to warn and protect, public-safety and law-enforcement requirements, suspected abuse, court orders, and similar circumstances described in our Notice of Privacy Practices.

Insurance companies, managed care, and other third-party payers are given the information they request regarding services, which may include the type of services, dates and times, diagnosis, treatment plan, description of impairment, progress, and summaries. When we consult with other professionals to provide the best possible treatment, the client's name and identifying information are not disclosed.

Your rights

• Access your records by written request with an original signature (records for non-emancipated minors must be requested by custodial parents or legal guardians). The charge for this service is $0.15 per page, plus postage.
• Cancel a release of information with written notice, and direct information to a different location in writing.
• Restrict what information may be disclosed (we may decline a restriction we don't agree with).
• Request alternative communication by other means or to another location, in writing.
• Amend your records — or file a statement of disagreement that will be placed in your file.
• Know what has been disclosed, and to whom, by written request.

Communications & confidentiality

When we contact you by phone — for reminders, cancellations, or other information — we make efforts to preserve confidentiality. Please tell us in writing where we may reach you and how you'd like us to identify ourselves. Please note that text messages are not HIPAA compliant, so no confidential information should be shared by text.

Complaints & contact

If you have complaints or questions about these procedures, please contact us and we'll respond in a timely manner. You may also submit a complaint to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and/or the Behavior Analyst Certification Board. If you file a complaint, we will not retaliate in any way.