Rights and Privacy

Rights and Privacy

Client Rights and Privacy Notices:

These policies are provided to every client or client’s legal guardian, is posted in our office, and is available on our website:
www.wholejourneywellness.com.

1. You have the right to be treated with dignity and respect.
2. You have the right to ask questions about the process and course of therapy and services.
3. You have the right to participate in developing an individual plan or service or treatment.
4. You have the right to voice any concerns or complaints about our work together and to have them resolved.
5. You have the right to decide not to receive therapeutic assistance from your assigned clinician/service provider. If you wish, we will
provide you with the names of other qualified professionals whose services you might prefer. You also have the right to a second
opinion by a professional of your choosing at any time.
6. You have the right to expect that your clinician/service provider will maintain professional and ethical boundaries by not entering into
other personal, financial, or other professional relationships with you, all of which would greatly compromise our work together.
7. You have the right to receive services without discrimination and to ensure equal treatment without discrimination or harassment on the
basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, marital status, citizenship, genetic
information, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Uses and Disclosure of Protected Health Information:

We are committed to protecting the privacy of your health and mental health information.Information regarding your health and mental health will be recorded and maintained in our office. We may, under certain circumstances, use or disclose information without your authorization. Subject to certain requirements, we may use information for: public health purposes, health
oversight activities, suspected abuse or neglect, workers’ compensation purposes, research purposes, mental health examiners, judicial and administrative proceedings. We may disclose your health and information when otherwise required by law, such as for law enforcement purposes under certain circumstances. Other disclosures will require your written authorization.

Rights Related to Your Protected Health Information:

You have the right to access, review and copy Protected Health Information (PHI),including a copy in an electronic format. There may be a fee for medical records. In most cases, you have the right to correct, update, ask for limits on uses and a list of disclosures of PHI. You have the right to amend the health and mental health information we have regarding you, if you believe that information is incorrect or incomplete. You also have a right to receive a list of the instances in which your health and mental health was disclosed for reasons other than treatment, payment, or quality improvement and utilization management operations. You have the right to request how we communicate with you regarding your health and mental health information, for example by mail sent to your office. You have the right to request in writing that we not use or disclose your health and mental health information for treatment, payment, or our quality improvement and utilization management operations purposes, or to other persons involved in your care except when specifically authorized by you, except when required by law or in an emergency. We will consider your written request, but are not required to accept such a request. You may revoke a written authorization for the use or disclosure of your health and mental health information at any time. We will respond to requests for amendments within 60 days of receiving the written request. Denials to requests will be provided in writing with explanations and information regarding the process will be provided to you in writing.

We reserve the right to change the terms of this notice and to make the new notice provisions in effect for all health and mental health information that we maintain. We will post a copy of current practice and will include the effective date of the notice. You may also request a copy of the notice at any time by contacting your clinician.

Complaints:

If you believe your rights have been violated, you may contact the persons listed below. You may also file a written complaint with the
Virginia Board of Social Work or Virginia Board of Counseling. We truly welcome your feedback directly and under no circumstances will
retaliatory action be taken against you.