Effective Date: September 1, 2026
THIS NOTICE EXPLAINS HOW HEALTH INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED OR DISCLOSED, YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING THAT INFORMATION, AND OUR RESPONSIBILITIES FOR PROTECTING IT. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.
This Notice applies to protected health information maintained by SteadyWay Counseling LLC that is subject to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and other applicable privacy laws.
SteadyWay Counseling uses Headway for certain clinical and administrative functions. Information processed through Headway may also be governed by Headway’s applicable Notice of Privacy Practices.
Subject to applicable law, you have rights regarding your health information. These may include the right to:
Different rules may apply to certain categories of information, including psychotherapy notes.
You may request access to health information maintained about you as permitted by applicable federal and state law.
Access to psychotherapy notes, as specifically defined under HIPAA, is governed by different rules from access to the general clinical record.
You may request an amendment or correction of health information you believe is inaccurate or incomplete.
If a request is denied, you will be provided information regarding the denial and any applicable rights.
You may ask us to communicate with you in a particular way or at a particular location.
Reasonable requests will be considered in accordance with applicable law.
You may request that certain health information not be used or disclosed for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations.
We are not required to agree to every requested restriction.
When an individual pays for a healthcare service completely out of pocket and requests that information concerning that service not be disclosed to a health plan for payment or healthcare operations, applicable HIPAA requirements will be followed.
You may request information regarding certain disclosures of your health information made during the period permitted by law.
Certain disclosures, including many disclosures for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations, are not required to appear in an accounting.
If another person has legal authority to act on your behalf regarding healthcare information, that individual may exercise applicable privacy rights after the person’s authority has been verified.
For certain uses or disclosures of your health information, you may have the right to tell us your preferences.
Written authorization will be obtained when required by law.
If you provide written authorization, you may generally revoke that authorization in writing, subject to actions already taken in reliance on it.
We may use or disclose health information as permitted by law to provide, coordinate, or manage your treatment and healthcare.
This may include appropriate communication with other healthcare professionals involved in your care.
We may use or disclose health information as permitted by law for payment-related activities.
Headway may perform certain insurance eligibility, billing, claims, payment-processing, or related functions when services are provided through the Headway platform.
We may use or disclose health information as permitted by law for activities necessary to operate the practice.
These may include:
Health information may be used or disclosed as permitted or required by applicable law for purposes that may include:
Psychotherapy notes, as defined under HIPAA, receive additional privacy protection.
When written authorization is required for the use or disclosure of psychotherapy notes, SteadyWay Counseling will obtain authorization unless an applicable legal exception permits or requires the use or disclosure.
To the extent SteadyWay Counseling maintains records that are subject to federal confidentiality requirements applicable to substance use disorder patient records under 42 CFR Part 2, those records receive additional protections.
Information from applicable Part 2 records will be used or disclosed only as permitted under applicable federal law.
SteadyWay Counseling uses Headway to support certain clinical and administrative functions, which may include electronic health records, clinical documentation, telehealth, forms, secure communications, billing, payment processing, and related operations.
Headway maintains its own Notice of Privacy Practices and privacy/security requirements that may apply to information processed through its systems.
SteadyWay Counseling may use optional AI-assisted documentation functionality offered through Headway.
When AI transcription of a telehealth session is used, applicable client consent requirements will be followed.
AI-assisted documentation does not replace professional clinical judgment. The treating clinician remains responsible for reviewing and finalizing the clinical documentation.
SteadyWay Counseling is required to follow applicable privacy laws governing protected health information.
As applicable, SteadyWay Counseling will:
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may submit a complaint directly to:
SteadyWay Counseling LLC
valerie@steadywaycounseling.com
+1 (347) 762-5889
Filing a privacy complaint will not result in retaliation.
A complaint may also be submitted to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights, 200 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20201, telephone 1-877-696-6775.
SteadyWay Counseling may change this Notice and its privacy practices as permitted by law.
A revised Notice may apply to information already maintained by the practice as well as information received in the future.
The current Notice will be available through the SteadyWay Counseling website and upon request.
