PRIVACY & YOUR HEALTH INFORMATION
Notice of Privacy Practices
YOUR INFORMATION. YOUR RIGHTS. OUR RESPONSIBILITIES.
Effective Date: August 01, 2026
Last Updated: August 01, 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.
This Notice of Privacy Practices (“Notice”) applies to protected health information maintained by In Situ Counseling & Coaching, LLC (“In Situ” or “the practice”) in connection with covered health care services.
It explains your rights, our legal duties, and how we may use or disclose protected health information (“PHI”).
Illinois law may provide greater protection for mental-health records and communications than federal HIPAA rules.
When a more protective law applies, In Situ follows the more protective requirement.
On This Page
- Your Rights
- When You Can Direct How Your Information Is Shared
- How We Typically Use or Share Health Information
- Other Uses and Disclosures Permitted or Required by Law
- Special Illinois Mental-Health Confidentiality Protections
- Substance Use Disorder Records Protected by 42 CFR Part 2
- Our Responsibilities
- Changes to This Notice
- Questions, Requests, or Complaints
Your Rights
You have the rights described below, subject to the limits and procedures established by applicable federal and Illinois law.
Get an Electronic or Paper Copy of Your Record
You may ask to inspect or receive an electronic or paper copy of health information that is subject to your right of access.
We generally will act on a HIPAA access request within 30 days.
We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee when permitted by law.
Some information may be excluded from the HIPAA right of access or handled differently under Illinois law, including certain psychotherapy notes, personal notes, psychological test material, or information subject to another legal limitation.
If access is denied in whole or in part, we will provide the explanation and any review rights required by law.
Ask Us to Correct or Amend Your Record
You may ask us to amend health information that you believe is inaccurate or incomplete.
We may deny a request in circumstances permitted by law.
If we deny your request, we will explain the decision in writing within the time required by law, generally within 60 days under HIPAA.
Request Confidential Communications
You may ask us to contact you in a specific way, such as at a particular phone number, email address, or mailing address.
We will accommodate reasonable requests as required by law.
Ask Us to Restrict Certain Uses or Disclosures
You may ask us not to use or disclose certain information for treatment, payment, or health care operations.
We are not always required to agree.
If we agree, we will follow the restriction except as permitted by law, including when information is needed for emergency treatment.
If you pay out of pocket in full for a particular health care service, you may request that we not disclose information about that service to your health plan for payment or health care operations.
We will honor the request unless disclosure is required by law.
Receive an Accounting of Certain Disclosures
You may request an accounting of certain disclosures of your PHI made during the six years before your request.
The accounting generally does not include disclosures for treatment, payment, or health care operations; disclosures you authorized; and certain other disclosures excluded by law.
One accounting in a 12-month period is provided without charge.
A reasonable, cost-based fee may apply to additional requests during that period.
Receive a Copy of This Notice
You may request a paper copy of this Notice at any time, even if you previously agreed to receive it electronically.
We will provide a paper copy promptly.
Choose Someone to Act for You
A person who is legally authorized to act as your personal representative may exercise privacy rights on your behalf to the extent permitted by law.
We will verify the person's authority before allowing access or taking action.
Special rules may apply to minors and mental-health records under Illinois law.
File a Privacy Complaint
You may complain to In Situ if you believe your privacy rights have been violated.
You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights.
In Situ will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint or exercising a privacy right.
When You Can Direct How Your Information Is Shared
Family, Friends, and Others Involved in Your Care
You may authorize us to share relevant information with a family member, partner, close friend, caregiver, or another person involved in your care or payment for your care.
For mental-health information protected by Illinois law, we generally require a valid written consent unless a specific legal exception applies.
Uses and Disclosures Requiring Written Authorization
Except where a specific law permits otherwise, we will obtain your written authorization before:
• Using or disclosing PHI for marketing purposes when HIPAA requires authorization.
• Selling PHI.
• Using or disclosing psychotherapy notes in circumstances where HIPAA requires authorization.
• Making other uses or disclosures that are not described in this Notice and are not otherwise permitted or required by law.
You may revoke an authorization in writing at any time, except to the extent we already acted in reliance on it or another legal limitation applies.
Fundraising
In Situ does not currently use PHI to conduct fundraising.
How We Typically Use or Share Health Information
Treatment
We may use PHI to provide, coordinate, or manage your treatment and, when permitted by applicable Illinois and federal law, share information with other health professionals involved in your care.
Because Illinois mental-health confidentiality law can be stricter than HIPAA, we will obtain consent when Illinois law requires it.
Example: With the legally required permission, we may coordinate with a psychiatrist, primary-care provider, or another therapist involved in your treatment.
Health Care Operations
We may use or disclose PHI as permitted by law to operate the practice, manage services, conduct quality and compliance activities, maintain records, perform administrative functions, and communicate with you when necessary.
Example: We may review a record to support documentation quality, privacy compliance, or continuity of care, subject to applicable confidentiality requirements.
Payment
We may use or disclose PHI as permitted by law to bill for services, obtain payment, verify benefits, process claims, respond to payer requests, and perform related billing functions.
Only information permitted by applicable federal and Illinois law will be disclosed.
Example: We may provide information required by a health plan or billing platform to process a claim for a covered counseling service.
Other Uses and Disclosures Permitted or Required by Law
HIPAA permits or requires certain additional uses and disclosures.
Illinois mental-health confidentiality law may prohibit or narrow a disclosure that HIPAA would otherwise permit.
In Situ will disclose only the information authorized by the law that applies.
Public Health and Safety
We may use or disclose information for legally authorized public-health or safety purposes, including required reporting and actions necessary to prevent or reduce a serious threat, but only to the extent permitted or required by applicable law.
Abuse, Neglect, or Exploitation
We may make reports or disclosures when required or authorized by laws governing suspected child abuse or neglect, abuse or neglect of certain adults, or other legally mandated protective reporting.
Clear and Imminent Risk or Emergency Protection
Illinois law permits certain disclosures when, in the therapist's professional judgment and to the extent permitted by law, disclosure is necessary to protect the client or another person against a clear, imminent risk of serious physical or mental injury, disease, or death, or for other emergency circumstances specified by law.
Health Oversight
We may disclose information to a health oversight agency for activities authorized by law, such as licensing, audits, investigations, inspections, or compliance reviews, subject to applicable mental-health confidentiality protections.
Workers' Compensation and Similar Programs
We may disclose information when and to the extent authorized by laws governing workers' compensation or similar programs, subject to applicable Illinois confidentiality limits.
Law Enforcement and Government Functions
We may disclose information to law enforcement or government officials only when a specific legal authority permits or requires the disclosure and all applicable federal and Illinois conditions have been satisfied.
A general request from law enforcement does not by itself override mental-health confidentiality protections.
Lawsuits, Court Orders, Subpoenas, and Legal Proceedings
Mental-health records are specially protected in Illinois.
A subpoena alone does not necessarily authorize disclosure.
In Situ will not release protected mental-health records or communications merely because a subpoena has been served when Illinois law requires additional authorization.
Disclosure will occur only when supported by valid written consent, a qualifying court order, or another specific legal basis that satisfies the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Confidentiality Act and other applicable law.
Organ and Tissue Donation
We may disclose health information to organ-procurement organizations or other entities involved in organ, eye, or tissue donation and transplantation when permitted by applicable law.
Any more protective Illinois mental-health confidentiality requirement continues to apply.
Coroners, Medical Examiners, and Funeral Directors
We may disclose information after a person's death when and to the extent permitted or required by law, including disclosures to a coroner or medical examiner authorized by law.
Research
We do not currently use PHI for independent research activities as part of ordinary clinical care.
If PHI is ever used or disclosed for research, it will occur only as permitted by HIPAA, Illinois law, and any other applicable requirements.
Required by Law and HHS Compliance
We will disclose information when federal or Illinois law requires disclosure and may disclose information to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services when necessary for HIPAA compliance or enforcement, while applying any more protective law that remains controlling.
Special Illinois Mental-Health Confidentiality Protections
Illinois' Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Confidentiality Act generally provides enhanced confidentiality for records and communications created or maintained in connection with mental-health services.
In Situ will follow those requirements when they are more protective than HIPAA.
• Mental-health records and communications generally will not be disclosed to third parties without valid written consent unless a specific statutory exception permits or requires disclosure.
• The amount of information disclosed will be limited to what the applicable law permits and what is reasonably necessary for the authorized purpose.
• Mental-health records generally will not be produced solely in response to a subpoena when Illinois law requires written consent or a qualifying court order.
• Special rules may apply to records involving minors, personal notes, psychological test materials, legal proceedings, emergencies, and post-death disclosures.
Substance Use Disorder Records Protected by 42 CFR Part 2
To the extent In Situ receives or maintains substance use disorder patient records that are protected by 42 CFR Part 2, those records receive additional federal confidentiality protection.
Part 2 records, or testimony describing the contents of Part 2 records, generally may not be used or disclosed in civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative investigations or proceedings against the individual unless the use or disclosure is authorized by the individual's written consent or by a court order that satisfies Part 2, together with the legal process required to compel disclosure.
Information disclosed under HIPAA may sometimes be redisclosed by the recipient and may no longer be protected by HIPAA.
Additional federal or Illinois laws, including Part 2 and Illinois mental-health confidentiality law, may continue to restrict redisclosure.
Our Responsibilities
- We are required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information.
- We will let you know promptly if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your 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.
Changes to This Notice
We reserve the right to change the terms of this Notice and make the revised Notice effective for PHI we already maintain as well as information we create or receive in the future, as permitted by law.
When a material change is made, the revised Notice will be available on request, posted on our website, and made available at our physical service location.
Questions, Requests, or Complaints
Privacy Officer: Ron Henson
In Situ Counseling & Coaching
2710 College Avenue, Alton, Illinois 62002
Phone: 618-539-2149
Email: ron@insitucounseling.com
Website: www.insitucounseling.com
You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights:
200 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20201
Phone: 1-877-696-6775
You may also use the HHS Office for Civil Rights complaint process.
In Situ will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.