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.

Privacy contact: Harry Turner, Privacy Officer

Telephone: (225) 314-6705

Mailing address: 10065 Old Hammond Hwy., Baton Rouge, LA 70816

Effective date: October 10, 2026

Who and what this notice covers

This notice describes the clinical privacy practices of Harry Turner at Diverse Counseling Solutions (DCS), including teletherapy. Protected health information (PHI) is identifiable information about your health, care, or payment for care. It may include intake information, diagnoses, treatment plans, progress notes, billing records, and clinical communications. Website visitor information is addressed separately in the Website Privacy Policy.

Our responsibilities

We must safeguard your PHI, give you this notice, and follow the privacy practices currently in effect. We must notify you following a breach of unsecured PHI as required by law. We will not use or disclose your information beyond the purposes described here without your written authorization, unless applicable law permits or requires it.

Treatment, payment, and practice operations

Treatment: We use clinical information to assess your needs, plan care, provide counseling, and arrange services. For example, we use your intake information to develop your treatment plan. Sharing confidential clinical information with another provider outside the practice requires your written consent unless a specific legal exception applies.

Payment: With the consent required by applicable law, we use and disclose information to verify benefits, submit claims, and obtain payment. For example, a health plan may need your identifying information, diagnosis, and dates of service. Additional treatment details are disclosed only when authorized or otherwise legally permitted.

Operations: We use information to administer the practice, evaluate care, maintain records, and meet professional obligations. For example, we review treatment records to evaluate the quality of services. Service providers who handle PHI on our behalf must be subject to required privacy agreements and safeguards. We obtain any consent required by Louisiana or other applicable law before disclosing confidential information.

Your choices and confidentiality

Stronger protections under state law

Louisiana law protects information learned in the social worker-client relationship and generally requires written consent for disclosure, subject to specific legal exceptions. HIPAA permission alone does not override a more protective state law. We follow applicable confidentiality and privilege requirements before releasing clinical information. Other applicable state laws may also provide additional protection.

Your permission and your choices

We obtain your written authorization for uses and disclosures not otherwise permitted or required by law. This includes most uses or disclosures of separately maintained psychotherapy notes, marketing that requires authorization, and sale of PHI. Psychotherapy notes have special protections and are distinct from ordinary progress notes and the rest of your treatment record.

You may revoke an authorization in writing at any time. Revocation does not undo actions already taken in reliance on it. Other exceptions, such as an insurer's lawful right to contest a claim or coverage, may apply.

Sharing with family, friends, or another person involved in your care or payment is subject to your choices and the consent required by law. When a legal exception permits disclosure without consent, we limit disclosure to information appropriate for that purpose. We may contact you about appointments, care, and treatment alternatives, while honoring reasonable requests for confidential communications.

Other legally permitted or required disclosures

Subject to all applicable confidentiality restrictions, we may disclose information when required by law; to report suspected abuse or neglect; to address a serious and imminent threat; for legally authorized public health or health oversight activities; or to respond to lawful court proceedings. A subpoena or request from law enforcement does not automatically authorize release of confidential therapy records.

Other limited HIPAA categories include workers' compensation, certain government functions, and disclosures to a coroner, medical examiner, funeral director, or organ procurement organization. We use an applicable exception only when its legal conditions and any stronger state-law requirements are met. We obtain your consent or authorization before disclosing identifiable clinical information for research unless disclosure is required by law.

Substance use disorder records

If we create or receive substance use disorder records protected by 42 CFR Part 2, additional restrictions apply. Those records may not be used or disclosed in civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative investigations or proceedings against you without your specific written consent or a qualifying court order accompanied by a subpoena or similar legal mandate. Any consent for those proceedings must be separate from consent for other uses.

Your rights

Contact Harry Turner to exercise these rights. Requests may need to be made in writing, and we will verify your identity or your representative's authority. We can explain the request process and any permitted limitations.

See or obtain your records

You may inspect or obtain an electronic copy of information in your designated record set. We act on requests within 30 days. If a permitted extension is necessary, we will notify you in writing within that period and provide the reason and completion date. We may charge only a reasonable, cost-based fee allowed by law. Separately maintained psychotherapy notes and information compiled for legal proceedings are excluded from the HIPAA access right. If access is denied, we explain the reason and any right to review.

Ask for a correction

You may request an amendment of information you believe is inaccurate or incomplete. We respond within 60 days, subject to a permitted extension with written notice. If we deny the request, we explain why in writing and how you may submit a statement of disagreement.

Request confidential communications

You may ask to be contacted at a particular telephone number, address, or by another method. We accommodate reasonable requests. Tell us how you want to be contacted and, when relevant, how payment will be handled.

Request limits on use or disclosure

You may request restrictions on information used or disclosed for treatment, payment, or operations. We generally are not required to agree, but we must honor an agreed restriction except as law permits, including necessary emergency care. If you pay for a service entirely out of pocket, we must honor your request not to disclose information about that service to your health plan for payment or operations unless disclosure is required by law. An insurance-panel contract does not remove this right.

Request an accounting of disclosures

You may request a list of disclosures covered by the HIPAA accounting requirement during the preceding six years. The list generally excludes disclosures for treatment, payment, and operations, disclosures made under your authorization, and other legally excluded categories. One accounting in a 12-month period is free. We may charge a reasonable fee for additional requests after telling you the cost and allowing you to withdraw or modify the request.

Receive this notice or use a representative

You may receive a paper copy of this notice at any time, even if you previously agreed to electronic delivery. A legally authorized personal representative may exercise your privacy rights, subject to verification of authority and exceptions allowed by law.

Questions, complaints, and updates

Contact the practice

For questions about this notice, to request records, or to raise a privacy concern, contact Harry Turner, Privacy Officer, at the telephone number listed above. Written requests and complaints may be mailed to DCS, Attn: Privacy Officer, 10065 Old Hammond Hwy., Baton Rouge, LA 70816. Call if you need another secure way to submit a request. Please do not put medical details in the website's general availability form.

File a privacy complaint

You may complain to DCS or directly to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights (OCR). You do not need to complain to DCS first.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Office for Civil Rights

200 Independence Avenue, S.W.

Washington, D.C. 20201

Telephone: 1-877-696-6775

Instructions and the online complaint process are available at:

hhs.gov/hipaa/filing-a-complaint/index.html

OCR also accepts complaints about violations of 42 CFR Part 2. We will not retaliate against you, deny services, or penalize you for making a privacy complaint or exercising your privacy rights.

Professional conduct complaints

You may also contact the Louisiana State Board of Social Work Examiners (LABSWE) socialwork@labswe.org about concerns involving a social worker's professional conduct, including confidentiality. Board information and complaint instructions are available at www.labswe.org. This is a separate complaint route from OCR; a concern may fall within the authority of both agencies.

Changes to this notice

We may revise this notice and make the revised privacy practices apply to information already maintained as well as information received in the future, as allowed by law. A revised notice will show its effective date and will be available on the DCS website and upon request. You may request a paper copy without charge.

Receiving this notice

DCS provides this notice as part of the clinical intake process and makes a good-faith effort to obtain written acknowledgment of receipt as required by HIPAA. An acknowledgment confirms that you received the notice; it is not an authorization to release records. Any acknowledgment form is handled separately from this public notice.

Practice website: www.diversetherapist.com

Website Privacy Policy