Privacy Policy Notice

Effective Date: 1/1/2026

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.

At Coyote Counseling, safeguarding your privacy and protecting your personal health information (PHI) is of paramount importance.
This Notice of Privacy Practices explains how your information may be used and disclosed, your rights under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and the commitments we uphold to maintain confidentiality and trust in our therapeutic relationship.

Coyote Counseling is required by federal law to maintain the privacy of Protected Health Information (PHI): information that identifies or could reasonably be used to identify you. This Notice describes our legal duties, privacy practices, and your rights regarding PHI that we collect and maintain.

YOUR PRIVACY RIGHTS

You have specific rights regarding your PHI. To exercise any of these rights, please submit a written request to the Practice using the contact information provided below.

To Inspect and Copy PHI
- You may request an electronic or paper copy of your PHI.
- The Practice may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee.
- Your request may be denied if disclosure would endanger your life or another person’s life. In that case, you may have a right to have the decision reviewed.
To Amend PHI
- You may request corrections to information you believe is incorrect or incomplete.
- Requests must be made in writing and include a reason for the amendment.
- If your request is denied, you will receive a written explanation and may submit a statement of disagreement.
To Request Confidential Communications
- You may request that we contact you in a specific way (e.g., by phone, at work, or at a different address).
- The Practice will honor all reasonable requests.
To Limit What Is Used or Shared
- You may request that PHI not be used or shared for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations. While the Practice will consider your request, it is not required to agree if it would affect your care.
- If you pay for a service or health item out-of-pocket in full, you may request that we not share information about that service with your health insurer.
- You may restrict disclosures to family members or others involved in your care.
To Obtain a List of Disclosures
- You may request an accounting of the times your PHI has been shared.
- One accounting per 12-month period is free; additional requests may incur a reasonable fee.
To Receive a Copy of This Notice
- You may request a paper copy of this Notice, even if you received it electronically.
To Choose Someone to Act for You
- If you have given someone medical power of attorney or if someone is your legal guardian, that person may exercise your rights and make choices about your PHI.
To File a Complaint
- You may file a complaint directly with the Practice.
- You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights (OCR):
  - Mail: 200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20201
  - Phone: 1-877-696-6775
  - Website: www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints
- Coyote Counseling will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

USES AND DISCLOSURES OF YOUR PROTECTED HEALTH INFORMATION

Your PHI is used solely to provide you with the highest standard of care. Common uses include:

1. Coyote Counseling may use or disclose PHI without written authorization for treatment, payment, and healthcare operations:

Treatment: Share information with other professionals who are treating you.
Healthcare Operations: Use PHI to manage the practice, improve your care, and contact you.
Payment: Use PHI to bill and receive payment from health plans or other payers.

2. We may disclose PHI without your authorization for:

Public Health and Safety Purposes
- To prevent disease, report abuse or neglect, or avert a serious threat to health or safety.
- To report to the Secretary of Health and Human Services for HIPAA compliance investigations.
- For oversight activities such as audits and inspections.
Law and Government Requests
- To comply with federal, state, or local law.
- In response to a court order, subpoena, or similar process.
- For law enforcement purposes.
- For specialized government functions, such as national security or military activities.
- To comply with workers’ compensation laws.
Other Required Disclosures
- To coroners, medical examiners, or funeral directors.
- For organ donation or transplantation.
- For approved research purposes.
- If PHI was created while providing care to inmates.
- To business associates performing services on our behalf under signed Business Associate Agreements (BAAs).

3. Unless you object, we may disclose PHI to family members or others involved in your care, if relevant to that involvement. Also, when you are incapacitated and disclosure is determined to be in your best interest.

4. We must obtain your written authorization for uses or disclosures involving marketing, sale of PHI, and service notes.

You may revoke authorization at any time in writing, except where action has already been taken in reliance on it.

Electronic Records and Third-Party Platforms

Your records are securely maintained in a HIPAA-compliant Electronic Health Record (EHR) system. Coyote Counseling has a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) with TherapyNotes to ensure confidentiality, integrity, and security of your PHI.

If you elect to use out-of-network reimbursement services, we partner with Mentaya and Thrizer, both of which operate under signed BAAs. These platforms only receive the minimal information necessary for billing and claims processing.

Our Responsibilities

We are required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your PHI.
We will notify you if a breach compromises the privacy or security of your information.
We must follow the terms of this Notice currently in effect and comply with more stringent state or federal laws where applicable.
We reserve the right to amend this Notice at any time. Updates will apply to all PHI we maintain and will be available on our website here.

If you have questions, concerns, or requests about your privacy, please reach out—contact us.