South Lake Tahoe Therapy

Website Terms of Use

These Terms of Use (“Terms”) govern the user’s (“you” or “your”) use of the website www.southlaketahoetherapy.com (“Website”), owned and operated by South Lake Tahoe Therapy, Licensed Clinical Social Worker Inc. dba South Lake Tahoe Therapy (“Practice,” “we,” “us”). The Terms are legally binding, and it is your responsibility to read them before you use this Website. By using this Website, you agree to these Terms. If you do not agree, please do not use the Website. This Website is intended for users age 18 and older. Use of this Website does not establish a provider-patient relationship. Therapy services are only established through formal intake and a signed services agreement.

1.     PRIVACY POLICY

Your use of this Website is also governed by our Privacy Policy (found below on this page), which explains how we collect, use, and protect personal information.

You may be able to log into or confirm subscriptions to various online third-party services, from the Website, such as, but not limited to, our third-party practice management software Jane, and social networking sites like Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, TikTok, Reddit or X, or subscriptions through Substack (“Third Party Services”). The manner in which your information is used, stored and disclosed by Third Party Services, is governed solely by the privacy policies of those third parties. Once you navigate away from the Website, the Practice has no liability or responsibility for the actions of such Third-Party Services.

2.     INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

All content on this Website, including text, graphics, logos, images, videos, audio and written materials, is the intellectual property of the Practice, and is protected by applicable copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws (the “Intellectual Property”). No ownership rights or licenses to the Intellectual Property are given or transferred to you by use of this Website and any copying, redistribution or publication by you of any of the Intellectual Property shall be prohibited. You may not use any trademarks or other Intellectual Property belonging to the Practice without the prior written consent of the Practice.

All video, audio, written, and visual content that may be published by the Practice or Marta Tuznik (including but not limited to content on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, or X) as further outlined in Section 3 below, shall also be the Intellectual Property of the Practice (to the extent permitted by use of such third-party social media platforms). This content may not be reproduced, edited, distributed, or used commercially by you without written permission of the Practice.

Notwithstanding any other provision of these Terms, in the event of a violation of this Section 2, the Practice shall be entitled to seek equitable remedies, including, but not limited to, injunctive relief, to prevent a breach or any further breach of this agreement and to secure enforcement thereof, in addition to any other relief or award to which the Practice may be entitled.

All rights not expressly granted in these Terms are reserved by the Practice.

3.     CONTENT DISCLAIMER

Marta Tuznik may publish content on third-party platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Reddit, Substack or other social media channels for general educational and entertainment purposes. These videos and posts are not clinical advice, and they are not a substitute for individualized therapy care. Engaging with content, such as commenting, liking, or sharing, does not establish a provider-patient relationship and is not confidential. Users should be aware that anything shared or engaged with publicly on these platforms may be visible to others. Users should not post or submit personal information, health disclosures, or sensitive data in public comments on any third-party platform where content is shared. No user-submitted content will be accepted through the Website.

Social media is not an appropriate or secure method for current or prospective patients to contact the Practice. If you are seeking therapy services, you must complete a formal intake process and sign a separate services agreement. Please contact us at contact@​southlake​tahoe​therapy.com or call us at (530) 494-6604 to inquire further about our services. If you are experiencing an emergency, please call 911.

4.     Website for personal use

This Website is solely for personal and non-commercial use. You may not use the content or other materials provided on or embedded in this Website for any commercial purpose or for any noncommercial or commercial public display.

5.     NO REPRODUCTION

You may not reproduce, distribute, reverse-engineer, modify, create derivative works of, republish, transmit, sell, resell, or exploit any of the material on the Website. Notwith­standing the foregoing, you may print portions of the Website for your own personal, non-commercial use.

6.     DISCLAIMER OF USE

The information provided on this Website is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical or therapeutic advice. Your use of the Website is at your own risk. We do not warrant the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information provided. We are not liable for any damages arising from your use or reliance on the Website or its content.

7.     FEES AND PAYMENTS

Initial consultations and ongoing appointments can be scheduled through our third party practice management software Jane, linked on the Website, and may require payment at the time of booking or at another time designated by the Practice. By providing payment information and submitting payment you authorize the Practice and its third-party payment processor to charge the applicable fees and any cancellation or missed appointment fees described below, using your selected payment method.

The Website does not collect insurance information and does not calculate or collect insurance-based cost-sharing. If you intend to use Medicare or commercial insurance, your eligibility, benefits, insurance information, and any cost-sharing (such as a copayment, coinsurance, or deductible) will be verified and handled directly with the Practice through its separate intake and billing process, and not through the Website. If you are a self-pay patient, the applicable fees are the self-pay rates listed or provided by the Practice. You will receive a Good Faith Estimate of the expected charges before scheduled services are provided. The Good Faith Estimate is an estimate only and is not a contract or a guarantee of final charges.

The Practice does not directly collect or store your full payment information. Payment transactions are processed through Jane which is a HIPAA compliant and secure third-party payment processor. Your use of such payment services will be subject to the payment Jane’s terms of service and privacy policy. The Practice is not responsible for the acts, omissions, security practices, or policies of any third-party payment processor and you acknowledge and agree that the Practice shall not be liable for any loss, damage, liability, cost, or expense arising out of or relating to the acts, omissions, errors, security incidents, system failures, processing delays, unauthorized transactions, data breaches, chargebacks, or other conduct of any third-party payment processor.

All fees are listed in U.S. dollars unless otherwise indicated. The Practice reserves the right to modify its fees at any time without prior notice; however, any fee changes will not affect appointments that have already been confirmed prior to the fee change.

8.     SMS COMMUNICATIONS

If you provide your mobile telephone number to the Practice through the Website, you may receive a text message asking for your consent to opt-in to receiving text messages (“SMS”) from the Practice regarding promotions, appointment scheduling and reminders, billing matters, account notifications, and other communications related to the Practice’s services.

Message and data rates may apply based on your mobile carrier and service plan.

The frequency of messages will vary depending on whether you are a patient, your appointments, account activity, and your interactions with the Practice. You may receive recurring messages as necessary to facilitate scheduling, treatment, billing, and other communications related to the services provided by the Practice.

For assistance regarding SMS communications, contact the Practice at contact@southlaketahoetherapy.com or 530-494-6604.  

To stop receiving SMS messages from the Practice at any time, reply STOP to any text message you receive. After you send STOP, you may receive one final message confirming your opt-out request. Following confirmation, you will no longer receive SMS messages from the Practice unless you subsequently provide a new authorization or otherwise opt back in.

The Practice is not liable for any delayed or undelivered messages caused by your mobile carrier or as a result of your opting out of SMS messaging.

9.     COPYRIGHTS AND COPYRIGHT AGENT

If you believe your work has been copied in a way that constitutes copyright infringement, please provide a notice containing all of the following information to our Copyright Agent:

(a)   An electronic or physical signature of the person authorized to act on behalf of the owner of the copyright interest;

(b)   A description of the copyrighted work that You claim has been infringed;

(c)    A description of where the material that You claim is infringing is located on the Website;

(d)   Your address, telephone number, and e-mail address;

(e)   A statement by You that You have a good faith belief that the disputed use is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law; and

(f)    A statement by You, made under penalty of perjury, that the above information in Your notice is accurate and that You are the copyright owner or authorized to act on the copyright owner’s behalf.

Our Copyright Agent for notice of claims of copyright infringement on the Website is Marta Tuznik who can be reached at: 

By Mail:    2489 Lake Tahoe Blvd. Suite 24, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150

By Phone:  (530) 494-6604

By e-mail: contact@southlaketahoetherapy.com

10.  LIMITATIONS ON LIABILITY

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Practice will not be liable for any loss or damage caused by any viruses or other harmful material that may infect your computer equipment, programs, data or other proprietary material due to your use of the Website. Practice makes all efforts to ensure the technology it provides is secure and up to date but shall not be held liable for any technological failure.

You understand and agree that, to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, the Practice will not be liable for any direct, indirect or consequential loss or damage incurred by you in connection with the Website, or any information offered on the Website, including but not limited to, any liability for any loss of revenue; loss of actual or anticipated profits; loss of contracts; loss of business; loss of opportunity; loss of goodwill; loss of reputation; damage to or corruption of data; or any indirect or consequential loss, whether such loss or damage was foreseeable or in the contemplation of the parties, whether caused by negligence, breach of contract or otherwise. The foregoing does not affect any liability that cannot be excluded or limited under applicable law.

 Any claim brought against Practice must be filed within one (1) year of the alleged incident causing such claim, otherwise such claim shall be permanently barred.

11.  INDEMNITY AND RELEASE

You agree to indemnify, defend and hold Practice harmless, from and against any and all third party suits, claims, demands, causes of action, liabilities, damages, judgments, losses, costs and expenses, including reasonable legal expenses and attorney’s fees arising out of and relating to, whether directly or indirectly, your breach of these Terms, including but not limited to any use of the Website other than as expressly authorized in these Terms, or your use of any of the information obtained from the Website.

12.  MODIFICATIONS AND DISCONTINUATION

The Practice reserves the right to modify or discontinue the Website, or any part thereof, temporarily or permanently, with or without notice. You agree that the Practice will not be liable if all or any part of the Website is unavailable at any time or for any period.

13.  TERMINATION

The Practice has the right in its sole discretion to terminate or suspend your access to the Website, for any or no reason including, the violation of these Terms.

14.  SEVERABILITY

If any portion of this Terms is deemed to be illegal or unenforceable, the remaining provisions of this Agreement remain in full force.

15.  ENTIRE AGREEMENT

This Agreement constitutes the full and final agreement between you and the Practice regarding the use and access of the Website. All earlier and contemporaneous agreements, negotiations, understandings, representations and warranties between you and the Practice regarding the Website whether written or oral are expressly succeeded by this Agreement.

16.  CONTACT

All feedback, comments, requests for technical support, and other communications relating to the Website should be directed to:

South Lake Tahoe Therapy

Attn: Marta Tuznik

2489 Lake Tahoe Blvd., Suite 24

South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150

Phone:  530-494-6604

e-mail: contact@southlaketahoetherapy.com

17.  GOVERNING LAW

This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California without giving effect to any choice or conflict of law provision or rule.

18.  BINDING ARBITRATION, VENUE AND CHOICE OF LAW

By agreeing to these Terms, you are waiving your right to a jury trial or class action and agree to resolve disputes through binding arbitration.

In the event of any controversy or claim arising out of or relating to the Terms or the breach thereof, you and the Practice agree to act in good faith to reasonably and promptly try to resolve, by negotiation, any dispute that may arise under or related to these Terms. If you and the Practice cannot resolve the dispute by good faith negotiation, you agree to first try and resolve such controversy or claim by mediation conducted by and in accordance with the rules of ADR Services, Inc. (“ADR”). If the controversy or claim cannot be resolved by mediation within sixty (60) days of the initial claim or controversy being brought forth, you and the Practice shall settle the dispute by binding and non-appealable arbitration conducted by and in accordance with the rules of ADR, and judgment on the award rendered by the arbitrator(s) may be entered in any court having jurisdiction thereof. The place of mediation or arbitration shall be El Dorado County, California. Where federal law is not applicable California law shall apply. Each party shall pay its own proportionate share of arbitrator and legal fees and expenses, however the prevailing party in any arbitration hereunder shall be awarded reasonable attorneys’ fees, expert and non-expert witness costs and any other expenses incurred directly or indirectly with said arbitration, including without limitation the fees and expenses of the arbitrator(s). The parties waive their right to lead or participate in any class action lawsuit.

19.  CHANGE OF TERMS

Practice reserves the right to update or change the Terms of Use at any time in its sole discretion. All changes are effective immediately once posted and apply to all access to and use of the Website thereafter. Your continued use of the Website following the posting of revised Terms constitutes your acceptance of those changes.

WEBSITE PRIVACY POLICY

Protecting your private information is our priority. This Privacy Policy applies to South Lake Tahoe Therapy, Licensed Clinical Social Worker Inc. dba South Lake Tahoe Therapy (the “Practice”) and www.southlaketahoetherapy.com (the “Website”) (sometimes referred to herein as “we” or “us”) and governs data collection and usage. For the purposes of this Privacy Policy, unless otherwise noted, all references to the Practice includes the Website. The Website is a website for a licensed clinical social worker therapy services business.

BY ENTERING, CONNECTING TO, ACCESSING OR USING THE SITE, YOU AGREE TO THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS SET FORTH IN THIS SITE PRIVACY POLICY, IN­CLUD­ING THE COLLECTION AND PROCESSING OF YOUR PERSONAL IN­FOR­MA­TION. IF YOU DISAGREE TO ANY TERM PROVIDED HEREIN, YOU MAY NOT ACCESS AND/OR USE THE SITE IN ANY MANNER WHATSOEVER.

1.     Children Under Eighteen

The Website not intended for use by children under the age of 18. The Practice does not knowingly collect personally identifiable information from children under the age of 18. If you are under the age of 18 you may only use the Website with the supervision and continued involvement of a parent or legal guardian. If we need to rely on consent for processing your information, we may require your parent’s consent before we collect and use your information.

2.     Collection of your Personal Information

YOU ARE NOT OBLIGATED TO PROVIDE US WITH ANY PERSONAL INFORMATION. YOU HEREBY ACKNOWLEDGE AND AGREE THAT YOU ARE PROVIDING US WITH SUCH PERSONAL INFORMATION VOLUNTARILY, FOR THE PURPOSES DESCRIBED UNDER THIS SITE PRIVACY POLICY, AND THAT WE MAY USE, PROCESS AND RETAIN SUCH PERSONAL INFORMATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS SITE PRI­VA­CY POLICY AND SUBJECT TO ANY APPLICABLE LAWS AND REGULATIONS.

A.    Information You Provide To Us. In order to better provide you with products and services offered, we may collect certain information from you. We collect the following information:

1)     The first type of information is non-identifiable and anonymous information (“Non-Personal Information”). Non-Personal Information is collected without revealing the particular identity of the applicable user and is available while the user enters and/or uses the Website. Non-Personal Information consists of technical, behavioral and aggregated information, and may contain, amongst other things, the activity of the user on our Website, type of operating system, user's ‘click-stream’ on the Website, type of browser and keyboards features, user demographics, traffic patterns, etc.

2)     The second type of information is information that identifies an individual, or may with reasonable effort, identify an individual, either alone or in combination with other information (“Personal Information”). Personal Information may be of a private or sensitive nature of a user or identify an individual. Users may be asked to provide certain Personal Information including, without limitation:

  • First and Last Name

  • E-mail Address

  • Home Address

  • Phone Number

You may be required to provide certain Personal Information to us when you elect to use certain products or services. These may include: (a) registering for a newsletter; (b) inquiring about services; or (c) sending a message through the Website. We will use your information for, but not limited to, communicating with you in relation to services and/or products you have requested from us or returning messages. We also may gather additional Personal Information or Non-Personal Information in the future.

The security of your personal data is important to us. However, no method of transmission over the internet, or method of electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your non-clinical personal data, we cannot guarantee its absolute security.

If you are a client of the Practice, please note that any personal health information you provide through clinical services, such as during therapy sessions or via intake paperwork, is governed by the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and is subject to our Notice of Privacy Practices. The Website Privacy Policy only applies to information collected through your use of the Website. Please do not use the Website to submit personal health information.

B. Cookies. The Website may use cookies and similar tracking technologies such as pixel tags, beacons, and scripts to enhance your browsing experience, analyze website traffic, and understand how users engage with our content.

Cookies are small data files placed on your device that can store user preferences, unique identifiers, or other information. Most web browsers accept cookies by default, but you may modify your browser settings to block or alert you when cookies are being used. Please note that certain site features may not function properly if cookies are disabled.

Some tracking technologies may be provided by third-party service providers (such as Google Analytics, Meta/Facebook, or Squarespace integrations) that collect and process data on our behalf. These providers may collect Personal Information about your online activities across websites over time. Social media platforms may also use tracking technologies (e.g., pixels or embedded cookies) when you interact with their content via links or embedded features on the Website. Your interaction with those services is governed by their respective privacy policies.

However, if you wish to opt out of cookie-based tracking by third-party services, you may adjust your browser settings or use third-party tools such as the Network Advertising Initiative Opt-Out Tool or YourAdChoices

To learn more about cookies generally, visit www.allaboutcookies.org.

C. Payment Information. The Practice partners with a HIPAA compliant third party practice management and electronic medical records vendor called Jane. The Website may provide links that will route users to the Jane platform. All payments and transaction information will be collected through Jane. Jane may collect information including but limited to your name, billing address, credit or debit card information, insurance details or other payment method information, transaction amounts and dates, and other information necessary to process or document payments.

When you submit payment information through a third-party payment processor, your payment information is transmitted to and processed by that processor in accordance with its own privacy practices and terms. We encourage you to review the privacy practices of Jane before providing payment information. To the extent applicable to the payment technology utilized by the Practice, the Practice does not directly receive or store your complete credit or debit card number, although we may receive limited information regarding your payment and transaction, such as the transaction amount, payment status, card type, expiration information, and the last four digits of your payment card.

The Practice may disclose information to third-party service providers that perform services on our behalf, including payment processing, website hosting, scheduling, communications, information technology, and other operational services. These third parties may access information only as necessary to provide their respective services, subject to applicable contractual and legal requirements.

We use reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect Personal Information within our control. However, no method of electronic transmission, payment processing, or electronic storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee the absolute security of information transmitted through the Website or a third-party payment service.

3. Use of your Personal Information

We collect and use your Personal Information either with your consent, where necessary to respond to your inquiry, or where we have a legitimate interest in providing and improving our services.

4. Sharing Information with Third Parties

We do not sell, rent or lease information to third parties as those terms are defined under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA/CPRA) and we do not share mobile phone numbers or SMS opt-in consent with third parties or affiliates for marketing or promotional purposes. However, we may share data (including SMS delivery) with contractors and third parties as described above to help perform statistical analysis, provide customer support, or arrange for email or mail deliveries. All such contractors and third parties are prohibited from using your Personal Information except to provide these services to us and are required to maintain the confidentiality of your information. We use third party HIPAA compliant platforms for payment for clinical services and secure communications as described in Section 2(C) above.

5. Required and Other Disclosures

a. Legal Requirement. Under certain circumstances, we may disclose your personal data if we are required to do so by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities (e.g. a court or a government agency).

b. Good Faith Protection. We also may disclose your personal data if in good faith we believe that such action is necessary to:

  • Comply with a legal obligation;

  • Protect and defend the rights or property of the Practice;

  • Prevent or investigate possible wrongdoing in connection with our services;

  • Protect the personal safety of users of our services or the public; or

  • Protect against legal liability.

c. Merger or Acquisition. In the event we are involved in an asset sale, acquisition or merger, your personal data may be transferred. We will notify you of any such transfer before it happens and before your personal data becomes subject to a different Privacy Policy.

6. Safe Storage of Your Data

The Practice securely stores non-clinical data submitted through the Website using Squarespace’s secure infrastructure. Client health records and communications are managed separately through our HIPAA-compliant vendor Jane. There is always a risk of breach of security when information is shared on the internet or by email. Please be aware of this risk when disclosing your Personal Information.

7. Requesting Access To Information

You can request access to your Personal Information by emailing us at contact@​southlake​tahoe​therapy.com. If you are a California resident, you may also have rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (as amended by the California Privacy Rights Act), including the right to request access, correction of inaccurate data, and deletion. Requests may be submitted by email to contact@southlaketahoetherapy.com.

8. Right to Deletion

Subject to certain exceptions, upon receiving a verifiable request from you to delete your personally identifiable information, we will:

a.     Delete your personally identifiable information from our records; and

b.     Direct any third-party service providers, we have shared your information with to delete your Personal Information from their records. While we will direct this, we cannot make any guarantees that such service providers will comply.

Please note that we may not be able to comply with requests to delete your Personal Information if it is necessary for the following reasons. This list is not exhaustive:

a.    To detect security incidents, protect against malicious, deceptive, fraudulent, or illegal activity; or prosecute those responsible for that activity;

b.    To comply with the California Electronic Communications Privacy Act;

c.   To engage in public or peer-reviewed scientific, historical, or statistical research in the public interest that adheres to all other applicable ethics and privacy laws, when our deletion of the information is likely to render impossible or seriously impair the achievement of such research, provided we have obtained your informed consent;

d.    To enable solely internal uses that are reasonably aligned with your expectations based on your relationship with us;

e.    To comply with an existing legal obligation; or

f.   To otherwise use your Personal Information, internally, in a lawful manner that is compatible with the context in which you provided the information.

9. E-mail Communications

From time to time, the Practice may contact you via email for the purpose of providing announcements, promotional offers, alerts, confirmations, surveys, and/or other general com­mu­ni­cation if you sign up for a mailing list. We will only contact you via email for these purposes if you have subscribed to emails or have otherwise requested or consented to being contacted by email. If at any time you would like to stop receiving marketing or promotional communications via email you may opt out of such communications by clicking the unsubscribe button at the bottom of the email. However, we will still have the email address and name you provided to us. If you are a patient, communications relating to your therapy will be conducted through a third-party HIPAA compliant platform.

10. External Data Storage Sites

We may store your data on servers provided by third party hosting vendors with whom we have contracted. We may also have links to other websites that are not operated by us. If you click on a third-party link, you will be directed to that third party’s website. We advise you to review the privacy policy of every site you visit, and are not liable for the privacy policies or practices of any third-party sites or services.

11. Changes to this Statement

The Practice reserves the right to change this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you about significant changes in the way we treat Personal Information by sending a notice to the primary email address specified in your account, by placing a prominent notice on our website, and/or by updating any privacy information. Your continued use of the Website and/or services available after such modifications will constitute your: (a) acknowledgment of the modified Privacy Policy; and (b) agreement to abide and be bound by that Policy.

12. Contact Information

The Practice welcomes your questions or comments regarding this Privacy Policy. If you believe that we have failed to adhere to this Policy, please contact us at:

South Lake Tahoe Therapy

Attn: Marta Tuznik

Phone: (530) 494-6604

e-mail: contact@southlaketahoetherapy.com

Effective as of  September 22, 2026

NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES

 

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.

General Information: This notice is effective as of  October 1, 2026. The purpose of this notice is to inform you of the privacy practices of South Lake Tahoe Therapy (the “Practice”). The Practice is a Covered Entity as defined and regulated under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA).  We are required by law to protect the privacy of your protected health information (PHI). This Notice describes how we may use and disclose your PHI and your rights to access, change and manage your information according to both federal and state laws.

If you have any questions about this notice, if you need more information, or would like to request your records please contact:

Name: South Lake Tahoe Therapy

Attention: Marta Tuznik, LCSW

Title: Privacy Officer

Telephone: (530) 494-6604

Email: contact@southlaketahoetherapy.com

1.     WHAT IS PROTECTED HEALTH INFORMATION? (PHI)

PHI is information that individually identifies you that we get from you or from another health care provider, health plan, your employer, or a health care clearinghouse that relates to:

  • Your past, present or future physical or mental health or conditions;

  • The provision of health care to you; or

  • The past, present, or future payment for your health care.

2.     YOUR RIGHTS

When it comes to your health information, you have certain rights. This section explains your rights and some of our responsibilities to help you.

a.      Get a copy of your health and claims records-

  • You can ask to see or get a copy of your health and claims records and other health information we have about you.

  • We will provide a copy or a summary of your health and claims records within thirty (30) days of your request.  We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee.

    • Examples of disclosure that may require a fee include insurance claim processing and patient billing.

  • You can only direct us in writing to submit your PHI to a third party not covered in this notice.

  • We may not charge you a fee if you need the information for a claim for benefits under the Social Security Act or any other state or federal needs-based benefit program.

  • If your PHI is maintained in an electronic format you have the right to request that an electronic copy of your record be given to you or transmitted to another individual or entity. If the PHI is not readily producible in the form or format you request your record will be provided in a readable hard copy form.

b.     Ask us to correct health and claims records-

  • You can ask us to correct your health and claims records if you think they are incorrect or incomplete.

  • A request for an amendment must be made in writing to the Privacy Officer at the address provided at the beginning of this notice and it must provide the reason for your request. 

  • We may say “no” to your request, but we will tell you why in writing within sixty (60) days.

c.      Request confidential communications-

  • You can ask us to contact you in a specific way (for example, home or office phone) or to send mail to a different address.

  • We will say yes to all reasonable requests, and must say “yes” if you tell us you would be in danger if we did not.

  • You must make any request in writing and you must specify how or where we are to contact you.

d.     Ask us to limit what we use or share-

  • You can ask us not to use or share certain health information for treatment, payment or our operations.

    • We are not required to agree to your request, and we may say “no” if it would affect your care (unless it relates to Section e below).

  • If you pay for a service or health care item out of-pocket in full, you can ask us not to share that information for the purpose of payment or our operations with your health insurer.

    • We will say “yes” unless a law requires us to share that information.

  • To request restrictions, you must make your request in writing to the Privacy Officer.  Your request must state the specific restriction requested, whether you want to limit our use and/or disclosure; and to whom you want the restriction to apply.

e.      Prohibition on Certain Disclosures Related to Reproductive Health Care-

  • We are prohibited from using or disclosing your PHI related to reproductive health care for the purpose of investigating or imposing liability on individuals, healthcare providers, or others involved in reproductive health care services, unless such care was unlawful under the circumstances in which it was provided.

  • Before we disclose PHI potentially related to reproductive health care for the following purposes, we must first obtain a valid attestation:

    • Health oversight activities

    • Judicial and administrative proceedings

    • Law enforcement purposes

    • Disclosures to coroners and medical examiners

The attestation must confirm that the PHI is not sought for the purpose of investigating or imposing liability related to lawful reproductive health care.

If you have questions about this prohibition, please contact the Privacy Officer using the information provided in this notice.

f.      Prohibitions on Disclosures Relating to Psychotherapy Notes

  • Psychotherapy notes are notes recorded by a mental health professional documenting or analyzing the contents of conversations during private counseling sessions. These notes are kept separate from your medical record and receive special protection under HIPAA.

  • We will not use or disclose your psychotherapy notes without your explicit, written authorization except in limited situations, such as:

    • When required by law;

    • To avert a serious threat to health or safety;

    • For use by the originator of the notes for treatment;

    • For our own training purposes under supervision.

g.     Protection of Substance Abuse Treatment Information:

  • Information related to substance use disorder (SUD) treatment is protected under federal law (42 CFR Part 2). If we provide such services, we cannot disclose any information identifying you as receiving SUD treatment without your specific, written consent, except in certain circumstances such as:

    • Medical emergencies;

    • Court orders that meet specific criteria;

    • Reporting crimes on our premises.

  • If you have questions about the confidentiality of psychotherapy notes or substance use disorder treatment records, please contact the Privacy Officer.

h.     Get a list of those with whom we’ve shared information-

  • You can ask for a list (an accounting) of the times we’ve shared your health information within the last six (6) years prior to the date you ask, who we’ve shared it with, and why.

  • We will include all the disclosures except for those about treatment, payment, and health care operations, and certain other disclosures (such as any you asked us to make). 

  • To request this list or accounting of disclosures, you must submit your request in writing to the Privacy Officer.

  • We will provide one accounting a year for free but will charge a reasonable, cost-based fee if you ask for another one within twelve (12) months.

i.       Get a copy of this privacy notice-

  • You can ask for a paper copy of this notice at any time, even if you have agreed to receive the notice electronically. We will provide you with a paper copy promptly.

j.       Choose someone to act for you-

  • If you have given someone medical power of attorney or if someone is your legal guardian, that person can exercise your rights and make choices about your health information.

  • We will make sure the person has this authority and can act for you before we take any action.

k.     File a complaint if you feel your rights are violated-

  • You can complain if you feel we have violated your rights by contacting our Privacy/Security Officer:

Name: South Lake Tahoe Therapy

Attention: Marta Tuznik, LCSW

Title: Privacy Officer

Telephone: (530) 494-6604

Email: contact@southlaketahoetherapy.com

  • You can also 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/.

  • We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

3.     YOUR CHOICES

For certain health information, you can tell us your choices about what we share. If you have a clear preference for how we share your information in the situations described below, talk to us. Tell us what you want us to do, and we will follow your instructions.

a.      In these cases, you have both the right and choice to tell us to:

  • Share information with your family, close friends or others involved in payment for your care.

  • Share information in a disaster relief situation to coordinate your care or notify family and friends of your location.

  • Include your information in a hospital directory.

If you are not able to tell us your preference, for example if you are unconscious, we may go ahead and share your information if we believe it is in your best interest.  We may also share your information when needed to lessen a serious and imminent threat to health or safety.

b.     In these cases, we never share your information unless you give us written permission:

  • Marketing purposes;

  • Sale of your information.

c.      We must obtain your authorization prior to receiving direct or indirect remuneration in exchange for your health information. However, such authorization is not required where the purpose of the exchange is for:  

  • Public health activities;

  • Research purposes, provided that we receive only a reasonable, cost-based fee to cover the cost to prepare and transmit the information for research purposes;

  • Treatment and payment purposes;

  • Health care operations involving the sale, transfer, merger or consolidation of all or part of our business and for related due diligence;

  • Payment we provide to a business associate for activities involving the exchange of PHI that the business associate undertakes on our behalf (or the subcontractor undertakes on behalf of a business associate) and the only remuneration provided is for the performance of such activities;

  • Providing you with a copy of your health information or an accounting of disclosures;

  • Disclosures required by law;

  • Disclosures of your health information for any other purpose permitted by and in accordance with the Privacy Rule of HIPAA, as long as the only remuneration we receive is a reasonable, cost-based fee to cover the cost to prepare and transmit your health information for such purpose or is a fee otherwise expressly permitted by other law; or

  • Any other exceptions allowed by the Department of Health and Human Services.

d.     In the case of fundraising:

  • We may contact you for fundraising efforts, but you can tell us not to contact you again.

4.     OUR USES AND DISCLOSURES

How do we typically use or share your health information?  We typically use or share your health information in the following ways:

a.      Help manage the health care treatment you receive-

  • We can use your PHI and share it with professionals who are treating you at this Practice or at a facility where you may be referred for other medical treatment that cannot be completed at this Practice.

    • Example: A doctor sends us information about your diagnosis and treatment plan so we can arrange additional services.

b.     Health care operations-

  • We can use and disclose your information to run our practice, improve your care and contact you when necessary.

    • Example: We use health information about you to manage your treatment and services.

c.      Appointment reminders and treatment options-

  • We may use and disclose PHI to contact you to remind you that you have an appointment for medical care, or to contact you to tell you about possible treatment options or alternatives or health related benefits and services that may be of interest to you.

d.     Pay for your health services-

  • We can use and disclose your health information to bill and obtain payment from health plans or other entities for your health care services. This use and disclosure may include certain activities that your health insurance plan may undertake before it approves or pays for the health care services we recommend for you, such as making a determination of eligibility, or coverage for insurance benefits, reviewing services provided to you for medical necessity and undertaking utilization review activities.

    • Example: We give information about you to your health insurance plan so it will pay for your services.

e.      Business associates-

  • We may use and disclose your PHI to our business associates who perform functions on our behalf or provide us with services if the PHI is necessary for those functions or services.

    • Example: We use another company to do our billing or to provide transcription or consulting services for us and give them your PHI in order to complete this service.

How else can we use or share your health information? We are allowed or required to share your information in other ways-usually in ways that contribute to the public good, such as public health and research.  We have to meet many conditions in the law before we can share your information for these purposes.  For more information see: https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-individuals/guidance-materials-for-consumers/index.html.

f.      Help with public health and safety issues-

  • We can share health information about you for certain situations such as:

    • Preventing disease, injury or disability;

    • Helping with product recalls;

    • Reporting adverse reactions to medications;

    • Reporting suspected abuse, neglect, or domestic violence; and

    • Preventing or reducing a serious threat to your health and safety or to the health or safety of others.

We will only disclose the information to someone who may be able to help with these situations.

g.     Do Research-

  • We can use or share your information for health research.  We will only do this if the research has been specially approved by an authorized institutional review board or a privacy board that has reviewed the research proposal and has set up protocols to ensure the privacy of your PHI.

h.     Comply with the law-

  • We will share information about you if local, state, federal or international laws require it, including with the Department of Health and Human Services if it wants to see that we’re complying with federal privacy law.

i.       Respond to organ and tissue donation requests-

  • We can share information about you with organ procurement organizations.

j.       Work with a medical examiner or funeral director-

  • We can share health information with a coroner, medical examiner, or funeral director when an individual dies.

k.     Address workers’ compensation, law enforcement, and other government requests-

  • We can use or share health information about you:

    • For worker’s compensation claims;

    • For law enforcement purposes or with a law enforcement official;

    • With health oversight agencies for activities authorized by law, including audits, investigations, inspections, licensure, and similar activities that are necessary for the government to monitor the health care system, government programs and compliance with civil rights laws; and

    • For special government functions such as military, national security, and presidential protective services.

l.       Respond to lawsuits and legal actions-

  • We can share health information about you in response to a court or administrative order, or in response to a subpoena, discovery request, or other legal process from someone else involved in the dispute, but only if efforts have been made to tell you about the request or to get an order protecting the information requested.

m.   Conduct outreach, enrollment, care coordination and case management-

  • We can share your information with other government benefits programs like Covered California for reasons such as outreach, enrollment, care coordination, and case management.

n.     Appeal a California Department of Health Care Services Decision (DHCS)-

  • We can share your information if you or your provider appeal a DHCS decision about your health care.

o.     Apply for full scope Medi-Cal-

  • If you are applying for full scope Medi-Cal benefits, we must check your immigration status with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

p.     Join a managed care plan-

  • If you are joining a new managed care plan, we can share your information with that plan for reasons such as care coordination and to make sure that you can get services on time.

q.     Administer our programs-

  • We can share your information with our contractors and agents who help us administer our programs.

r.     Comply with special laws-

  • There are special laws that protect some types of health information such as mental health services, treatment for substance use disorders, and HIV/AIDS testing and treatment. We will obey these laws when they are stricter than this notice.

We will let you know promptly if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of this information. Notification will be provided without unreasonable delay and no later than sixty (60) days after we discover the breach. 

5.     OUR RESPONSIBILITIES  

  • We are required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your PHI and to provide you with notice of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to PHI.

  • We will let you know promptly if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of this information.

  • We must follow the duties and privacy practices described in this notice and give you a copy of it.

  • We will not use or share your information other than as described here unless you tell us we can in writing. If you tell us we can, you may change your mind at any time. Let us know in writing if you change your mind.

For more information see: https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-individuals/guidance-materials-for-consumers/index.html

Changes to the Terms of This Notice- We can change the terms of this Notice, and the changes will apply to all the PHI we have about you. The new notice will be available upon request, on our website, and we will mail a copy to you.

This Notice of Privacy Practices applies to the following organization(s):

South Lake Tahoe Therapy

For More Information- Please contact us to request a copy of this Notice in other languages or to get a copy in another format, such as large print or Braille.