Notice of Privacy Practices

THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW PSYCHOLOGICAL AND MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.

Our practice is required by the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) to protect the privacy of your health information and to give you this notice of our legal duties and privacy practices. We provide services to clients located in New York and Illinois. Where New York or Illinois law gives your information greater protection than HIPAA, we follow the more protective law. In particular, Illinois's Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Confidentiality Act (740 ILCS 110) applies to clients treated while they are located in Illinois, and it often requires your written consent for disclosures that HIPAA would otherwise permit.

Definitions:

  • Protected health information (PHI) is information in your health record that could identify you.

  • Use means sharing, applying, or examining your information within our practice.

  • Disclosure means releasing, transferring, or providing access to your information outside our practice.

    I. Uses and Disclosures for Treatment, Payment, and Health Care Operations

    HIPAA permits us to use and disclose PHI for the following purposes. For clients located in Illinois, and where New York law requires it, we will obtain your written consent before disclosing PHI outside our practice for these purposes, except as the law otherwise allows.

  • Treatment: providing, coordinating, or managing your care. For example, consulting with your physician or another mental health professional.

  • Payment: obtaining payment for services. We do not bill insurance companies directly. If you submit our statements to your insurer for out-of-network reimbursement, your insurer may request information such as your diagnosis, dates of service, or a treatment summary.

  • Health care operations: activities related to running our practice, such as quality assessment, audits, legal and accounting services, and administrative services. Vendors who handle PHI on our behalf, such as our telehealth and email providers, sign Business Associate Agreements requiring them to protect your information.

    II. Uses and Disclosures Requiring Your Authorization

    For purposes other than those described in this notice, we will use or disclose your PHI only with your written authorization. In particular, written authorization is required for:

  • Psychotherapy notes. These are notes your psychologist may keep about the contents of your sessions, separate from the rest of your record. They receive greater protection than other PHI.

  • Marketing. We do not use or disclose PHI for marketing.

  • Sale of PHI. We do not sell PHI.

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You may revoke an authorization at any time, in writing. Revocation does not apply to information already disclosed in reliance on the authorization, or where the authorization was obtained as a condition of obtaining insurance coverage and the law gives the insurer the right to contest a claim under the policy.

III. Uses and Disclosures Without Your Consent or Authorization

We may use or disclose PHI without your consent or authorization only in the following circumstances, and only as permitted or required by the law of the state that applies.

  • Child abuse or neglect: Psychologists are mandated reporters in both states. If we have reasonable cause to suspect that a child is being abused or neglected, we must report it to the New York Statewide Central Register of Child Abuse and Maltreatment or the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, as applicable.

  • Abuse of elderly or vulnerable adults: If we have reasonable cause to suspect abuse, neglect, or exploitation of an elderly or disabled adult, we may be required or permitted to report it to the appropriate state agency, such as Illinois Adult Protective Services.

  • Serious threat to health or safety: We may disclose PHI to protect you or others from a serious threat of harm, for example by notifying a potential victim, the police, or others who can help, or by seeking hospitalization.

  • State reporting related to firearms: New York law (Mental Hygiene Law §9.46) requires mental health professionals to report to county authorities when a client is likely to engage in conduct that would result in serious harm to self or others. Illinois law (Firearm Owners Identification Card Act) requires clinical psychologists to report to the Illinois State Police when a client is determined to pose a clear and present danger to self or others. These reports may affect a person's eligibility to possess firearms.

  • Health oversight: If there is an inquiry or complaint about our professional conduct, we may be required to provide relevant records to the New York State Education Department (Office of the Professions) or the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.

  • Judicial and administrative proceedings: Information about your treatment is privileged under New York and Illinois law. We will not release it in a legal proceeding without your written authorization or a court order, except as the law otherwise allows. This privilege may not apply when you are evaluated at the request of a third party or by court order; we will tell you in advance if that is the case.

  • Workers' compensation: If you file a workers' compensation claim and we are treating you for issues related to that claim, we may be required to provide relevant records to the state workers' compensation agency.

  • Defending the practice: If you file a lawsuit or professional complaint against our practice, we may disclose relevant information as needed to defend ourselves.

  • As otherwise required by law: for example, to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to show compliance with HIPAA.

    IV. Your Rights

  • Right to request restrictions: You may ask us to limit how we use or disclose your PHI. We are not required

    to agree, except as described in the next item.

  • Right to restrict disclosures to your health plan: If you pay for a service in full out of pocket, you may require us not to disclose information about that service to your health plan for payment or operations purposes.

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  • Right to confidential communications: You may ask us to contact you by alternative means or at an alternative location, for example only by cell phone, or by mail to a different address. We will accommodate reasonable requests.

  • Right to inspect and copy: You may inspect or obtain a copy of your PHI, including an electronic copy if it is kept electronically. Psychotherapy notes are generally not included in this right. We may deny access in limited circumstances defined by law; in some cases you may have a denial reviewed. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee for copies.

  • Right to amend: You may ask us to amend PHI you believe is incorrect or incomplete. We may deny the request, and if so, we will explain why in writing.

  • Right to an accounting: You may request a list of certain disclosures we have made of your PHI, other than for treatment, payment, health care operations, or disclosures you authorized.

  • Right to be notified of a breach: We will notify you if a breach occurs that compromises the privacy or security of your PHI.

  • Right to choose someone to act for you: If you have given someone health care power of attorney, or someone is your legal guardian, that person may exercise your rights.

  • Right to a paper copy of this notice: You may obtain a paper copy at any time, even if you agreed to receive it electronically.

    To exercise any of these rights, please contact us in writing.

    V. Our Duties

    We are required by law to maintain the privacy of your PHI, to provide you with this notice, and to follow the terms of the notice currently in effect. We reserve the right to change this notice and to make the new provisions effective for all PHI we maintain. If we revise it, we will provide active clients with the revised notice, and it will be available on request.

    VI. Questions and Complaints

    If you have questions about this notice, believe we have violated your privacy rights, or disagree with a decision we made about access to your records, you may contact us at (347) 674-3313 or hallie@drhallieweiner.com.

    You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights, 200 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20201; 1-877-696-6775; www.hhs.gov/ocr/complaints. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

    VII. Effective Date

    This notice is effective as of October 3, 2026.

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