Privacy policy
This Statement describes the way your health information may be used and disclosed by Growth and Guidance ABA and Wellness, LLC, and describes your rights and our obligations concerning your confidentiality. This Statement covers the services provided by Growth and Guidance ABA and Wellness, LLC and our employees.
There are a number of regulations that govern the non-disclosure and disclosure of client information (this list is NOT exhaustive):
a. Pennsylvania Mental Health Procedures Act, 50 P.S. §§ 7101–7503
b. Pennsylvania Early Intervention Services System Act, 11 P.S. § 875-101 et seq.
c. HIPAA Administrative Simplification Regulations, 45 CFR Parts 160, 162), and 164m Act Regulations:)
d. The Pennsylvania Child Protective Services Law, 23 Pa.C.S. Chapter 63
e. Pennsylvania Adult Protective Services Act, 35 P.S. §§ 10210.101-10210.704
f. Pennsylvania Older Adults Protective Services Act (OAPSA), 35 P.S. §§ 10225.101— 10225.5102
g. Including but not limited to applicable provisions of the Pennsylvania Drug and Alcohol Abuse Control Act, Pennsylvania Confidentiality of HIV-Related Information Act, applicable breach notification laws, and other state and federal confidentiality regulations
In addition to the above laws, the Behavior Analyst Certification Board and the National Board of Health and Wellness Coaching generally provide that unprofessional or unethical conduct (such as breaching patient privacy or confidentiality) may be grounds for disciplinary action, and the specifically reference the provider’s duty to maintain the confidentiality of client information.
How We Collect Information About You: Growth and Guidance ABA and Wellness, LLC and its employees collect information through a variety of means including but not necessarily limited to letters, phone calls, emails, voice mails, and from the submission of applications that are either required by law, or necessary to process applications or other requests for assistance from our organization.
What we do with the information: Information about your financial situation and needs and care that you provide to us in writing, via email, on the phone (including information left on voice mails), contained in or attached to applications, or directly or indirectly given to us, is held in strictest confidence.
Information that is considered confidential is only used as is reasonably necessary to process your application or to provide you with services which may require communication between Growth and Guidance ABA and Wellness, LLC, other providers, and to bill for services. Growth and Guidance ABA and Wellness, LLC may use or disclose your health information in order to provide you treatment, to obtain payment for such treatment, and for activities related to the provision of Growth and Guidance ABA and Wellness, LLC, such as supervision or peer consultation.
If you apply or attempt to apply to receive assistance through us and provide information with the intent or purpose of fraud or that results in either an actual crime of fraud for any reason including willful or un-willful acts of negligence whether intended or not, or in any way demonstrates or indicates attempted fraud, your non-medical information can be given to legal authorities including police, investigators, courts, and/or attorneys or other legal professionals, as well as any other information as permitted by law.
What we don’t do with the information: We do not give out, exchange, barter, rent, sell, lend, or disseminate any information about applicants or clients who apply for or actually receive our services that is considered confidential, is restricted by law, or has been specifically restricted by a client in a signed HIPAA consent form.
Information We Do Not Collect: We do not use cookies on our website to collect data from our site visitors. We do not collect information about site visitors except for one hit counter on the main index page (www.growthandguidanceaba.com) that simply records the number of visitors and no other data. We do use some affiliate programs that may or may not capture traffic data through our site.
Limited Right to Use Non-Identifying Personal Information from Biographies, Letters, Notes, and Other Sources: Any pictures, stories, letters, biographies, correspondence, or thank you notes sent to us become the exclusive property of Growth and Guidance ABA and Wellness, LLC. We reserve the right to use non-identifying information about our clients (those who receive services or goods from or through us) for fundraising and promotional purposes that are directly related to our mission. Clients will not be compensated for use of this information and no identifying information (photos, addresses, phone numbers, contact information, last names or uniquely identifiable names) will be used without client’s express advance permission. You may specifically request that NO information be used whatsoever for promotional purposes, but you must identify any requested restrictions in writing. We respect your right to privacy and assure you no identifying information or photos that you send to us will ever be publicly used without your direct or indirect consent.
Limitation to confidentiality: In some situations, the law requires that information is disclosed without your consent.
There are exceptions under circumstances when the law requires us to share information without your consent.
A. When there is risk of imminent danger to myself or to another person, the Growth and Guidance ABA and Wellness, LLC consultant is ethically bound to take necessary steps to prevent such danger.
B. When there is suspicion that a child, adult with a disability or elder is being sexually or physically abused or is at risk of such abuse, the consultant is legally required to take steps to protect the child, adult with a disability or elder, and to inform the proper authorities.
C. When a valid court order is issued for medical records, the consultant and Growth and Guidance ABA and Wellness, LLC are bound by law to comply with such requests.
If you chose to receive information via email, text or fax, the confidentiality of the information cannot be guaranteed.
Information posted on the Growth and Guidance ABA and Wellness, LLC social media pages is public content. Due to the inherent nature of a social networking site such as Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn, there are risks to confidentiality should you become a “fan” of the site.
Additional disclosures will be made only with your written authorization. If you sign a Release of Information, you have the ability to later revoke it in writing with certain exceptions such as if and to the extent that we have already relied on the original Release of Information.
You have the right to ask that Growth and Guidance ABA and Wellness, LLC restrict certain types of uses and disclosures of your confidential information. To make a request, contact the Privacy Information Officer of Growth and Guidance ABA and Wellness, LLC.
You have the right to ask that we communicate with you in a confidential manner. Your consent to communicate via means such as mail, text, phone, fax and email is assumed unless you specifically request an alternative means to communicate. These forms of communication have inherent risks to confidentiality although Growth and Guidance ABA and Wellness, LLC takes precautions to limit the risks, if you agree to communicate via mails, text, fax and email, you agree to hold harmless Growth and Guidance ABA and Wellness, LLC for possible disclosures.
You have the right to request access to inspect and obtain a copy of your records. To request a copy of your records, send a written request to the Privacy Information Officer. You may be charged a fee for providing the requested copies. There may be some situations where we may deny your request. If your request is denied, will notify you of the reasons and advise you of further steps you may take concerning further review or complaint.
You have the right to ask that we amend your record. Such a request must be made in writing and may be made by contacting the Privacy Information Officer. If we accept your request, we will append and link such additional or clarifying information to your records. If we do not accept your request, we will notify you of the reasons, and advise you of further steps you may take concerning the disputed information.
You have the right to know to whom your personal information has been disclosed. This excludes routine related disclosures such as those related to treatment or payment for treatment. Requests for disclosures should be made in writing to the Privacy Information Officers.
You have a right to request and receive a paper copy of our Statement of Privacy Practices.
If you are concerned that your privacy rights have been violated, please contact the Privacy Information Officer at 610-991-7090.
You may also send a written complaint to the Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services if you believe that your privacy rights have been violated. You will not be penalized or retaliated against for making such inquiries or complaints.
Should you have any questions about your privacy rights, please contact the Growth and Guidance ABA and Wellness, LLC Privacy Information Officer at 610-991-7090.