Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy for Alquimedez Mental Health Counseling, PLLC

Last Updated: January 1, 2025

Introduction

At Alquimedez Mental Health Counseling, PLLC (“We,” “Our,” “Us”), your privacy is of utmost importance. This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, disclose, and protect your personal information when you interact with our website or use our services. By accessing our website or using our services, you agree to this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with the terms, please discontinue the use of our website and services.

Scope

This Privacy Policy applies to all visitors, users, and others who interact with our website, including automated systems and bots. It also covers all personal information collected through interactions with third-party applications and services we use to conduct our business.

For purposes of this Policy and unless otherwise specified, “data” includes information that is linked to one person or household, including things like name, email address, phone numbers, device ID, third-party identifiers, contact information, and communications with Therapists using our digital communication platform to provide services (“health professional”). Some jurisdictions might consider this to be “personal data,” “personally identifiable information,” or “sensitive personal data” in certain circumstances. When you use and access our app or website, you accept and agree to the Terms and Conditions and this Privacy Policy, including the fact that we’ll share specific data with Service Providers.

Information We Collect

We may collect various types of information, including:

Personally Identifiable Information (PII)

• Contact Information: Name, email address, mailing address, phone number.
• Account Information: Username, password, security questions.
• Billing Information: Credit card numbers, billing addresses, and other payment details.
• Insurance Information: Insurance provider details, policy numbers, and related information.

Personal Health Information (PHI)

• Health Records: Medical history, treatment plans, diagnoses, therapy notes.
• Session Information: Dates and times of appointments, communication records with therapists.

Technical and Usage Information

• Device Information: IP address, browser type, operating system.
• Usage Data: Pages visited, links clicked, time spent on our website.
• Cookies and Similar Technologies: Information collected through cookies, web beacons, and other tracking technologies.

Third-Party Information

• Social Media: Information from your interactions with our social media pages.
• Third-Party Applications: Data from insurance companies, financial institutions, telecommunication providers (e.g., WhatsApp, SMS, email services), web and email hosting services.

Use of Mobile Numbers and SMS Communications

Purpose of SMS Communications

At Alquimedez Mental Health Counseling, PLLC (“We,” “Our,” “Us”), we are dedicated to maintaining effective and timely communication with our patients to enhance the quality of care we provide. By supplying your mobile phone number, you consent to receive SMS (text) messages from us for the following purposes:

• Appointment Reminders: Notifying you of upcoming appointments, confirmations, rescheduling, or cancellations.
• Follow-up communications: These involve checking in on your well-being, addressing any queries, or providing information pertinent to your treatment.
• Patient Support: Keeping you informed about treatment plans, health tips, or services that may benefit your care.

Opt-Out Option

We respect your communication preferences. You have the right to opt out of receiving SMS messages from us at any time. To opt-out:

• Reply STOP:Reply with the word “STOP” to any SMS message you receive from us.
• Contact Us Directly: You can opt out by contacting our office at 315-505-2400 or emailing us at info@alquimedez.com.

Please note that opting out of SMS communications may limit our ability to provide you with timely information regarding your care.

Data Charges

Your telephone carrier may impose charges for sending and receiving text messages, including standard messaging rates and data charges. We are not responsible for any fees or charges incurred due to receiving SMS messages from us. Please check with your mobile carrier for details on messaging rates and plans.

Privacy and Security

Confidentiality

• Protected Information: We are committed to safeguarding your personal information. SMS messages will not include sensitive personal health information. Communications via text are limited to administrative purposes, such as appointment reminders and general inquiries.
• Security Risks: While we strive to use secure communication methods, SMS messaging is not entirely secure. By opting to receive SMS messages, you acknowledge and accept the potential risks associated with this form of communication.

Compliance with Laws

Our use of SMS communications is designed to comply with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations, including:

• Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA): We handle your Protected Health Information (PHI) in compliance with HIPAA standards.
• Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA): We obtain your express consent before sending SMS messages and provide clear instructions on how to opt-out.

Changes to This SMS Communication Policy

We may update this SMS Communication Policy from time to time. Any changes will be effective immediately upon posting the revised policy on our website. We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we use SMS communications.

How We Use Your Information

We use the collected information for the following purposes:

• Service Provision: To provide mental health counseling services, including matching you with therapists.
• Communication: To send you updates, confirmations, reminders, and other information related to your account and services.
• Billing and Payments: To process transactions and manage your account, including billing and collections.
• Legal Compliance: To comply with applicable laws, regulations, and legal processes.
• Improvement of Services: To analyze usage and improve our website, services, and user experience.
• Marketing and Advertising: If you consent, to provide you with promotional materials and advertisements tailored to your interests.

Data Sharing and Disclosure

We may share your information in the following circumstances:

With Service Providers

We use third-party service providers to assist in operating our business and providing services to you. These include:

• Insurance Companies: For verifying coverage and processing claims.
• Financial Institutions: For processing payments and refunds.
• Telecommunication Providers: For sending emails, text messages, and other communications.
• Web and Email Hosting Services: For hosting our website and managing email communications.
• Social Media Platforms: For engaging with you and improving our services.
• Analytics and Advertising Partners: If you consent, to deliver relevant ads and analyze service usage.

For Legal Reasons

• Compliance with Laws: We may disclose your information if required to do so by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities.
• Protection of Rights: To protect the rights, property, or safety of Alquimedez Mental Health Counseling, our clients, or others.

We Process your address information when you provide it as part of your emergency contact information when you start therapy on the Platform. Your contact information is required to comply with therapy regulations and ethical codes. It can be used, for example, in case your health provider believes you are in immediate danger. When filling out this field, we may process your rough location to provide autocomplete suggestions for your convenience.

Business Transfers

• Mergers and Acquisitions: If we are involved in a merger, acquisition, or asset sale, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction.

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to:

• Enhance User Experience: Remember your preferences and personalize content.
• Analyze Usage: Understand how you use our website to improve functionality.
• Marketing Purposes: With your consent, to provide tailored advertisements.

Managing Cookies

You can control the use of cookies at the individual browser level. If you reject cookies, you may still use our website, but certain features may be limited.

Your Choices and Rights

Opt-Out of Data Sharing

• Advertising and Analytics: You can opt out of data sharing with third-party advertising and analytics partners by adjusting your preferences in the Sharing Settings on our website.

Access and Correction

• Access Your Information: You have the right to request access to the personal information we hold about you.
• Correct Your Information: You can request corrections to any inaccurate or incomplete personal information.

Deletion and Erasure

• Request Deletion: You may request that we delete your personal information, subject to certain exceptions required by law.
• Data Retention: We retain your information as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy, comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements.

Withdrawal of Consent

• Marketing Communications: You can unsubscribe from marketing emails by following the instructions in those emails or by contacting us.
• Cookies and Tracking: Adjust your browser settings to refuse cookies or alert you when cookies are being sent.

Security of Your Information

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your personal information, including:

• Encryption: Data encryption during transmission and at rest.
• Access Controls: Restricting access to personal information to authorized personnel only.
• Regular Monitoring: Monitoring our systems for potential vulnerabilities and attacks.

However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to other sites that are not operated by us. We have no control over and assume no responsibility for the content or privacy practices of any third-party sites.

Do you sell my data?

We aren’t paid by anyone for any data. However, in California, the laws broadly define “sale” assharing personal information in exchange for anything of value. If you opt into our use of Advertising cookies and web beacons, this use may be considered a “sale” of personal information under that specific California law. For specific information on your data rights as a resident of California.

Are you using my data for advertising?

To reach people looking for mental health support, we advertise on some third-party web properties, such as Third-Party websites and apps. We strive to deliver relevant, engaging, and personal ads to minimize advertising costs related to this process and your downstream costs.

Therefore, if you opt into Advertising cookies and web beacons, some visitor data, excluding activity when logged in and have started a consultation with our medical professional, may be shared for advertising purposes. As a result, you may see ads for our services on some Third-Party websites.

If you use the App and have “Allowed” app to track using IOS or have opted into Advertising Cookies on Android, some data such as your mobile device identifier (IDFA and IDFV for iOS, and Android Advertising ID for Android) and data about how you use the App which is collected by our Service Provider Google (specifically GA4), and other tracking software will be used to make our Google, Microsoft, Meta, and X advertising more effective. This happens through an integration we have enabled between GA4 and Google Ads. If you do not want to enable this, Android users can navigate to “Sharing Settings” in the app and opt out of advertising. For IOS users, you can “Ask App Not to Track” when you download the app or, at a later time, go to your device’s privacy settings to see a list of apps that requested to track your activity (Go to Settings > Privacy & Security* > Tracking). From there, you can tap to turn off or turn on permission to track the Alquimedez website.

Even if you opt in, we do not engage in “retargeting” advertising. Retargeting advertising is a type of advertising whereby advertisers leverage the fact that you viewed a page or took an action on their site to advertise to you again on third-party properties in the hope that you will see the ad and return to their site.

To be clear, we don’t share any data or information you share with your health provideror with any third-party advertisers. Even if you opt in to Advertising cookies and web beacons, we still don’t share information with third-party advertisers like Member names, addresses, phone numbers, clinician diagnoses, questionnaire answers, session data, journal entries, messages, worksheets, or any other type of private communication you have with your health provider on the Platform.

Children’s Privacy

Our services are intended for individuals. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe we have collected such information, please get in touch with us to address the issue.

International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and maintained on servers outside your state, province, country, or other governmental jurisdiction where data protection laws may differ. By providing your information, you consent to such transfers.

Compliance with Laws

We comply with applicable data protection laws, including:

• Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA): Protecting the privacy of your health information.
• California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA): Providing California residents with specific rights regarding their personal information.
• General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR): For individuals in the European Economic Area (EEA), United Kingdom, and Switzerland, granting rights regarding personal data.

CCPA Notice to California Residents

California residents have the right to:

• Request Disclosure: Know what personal information we collect, use, disclose, and sell.
• Opt-Out of Sale: We do not sell your personal information. However, if this practice changes, we will update this policy accordingly.
• Non-Discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising any of your CCPA rights.

GDPR Notice to European Residents

If you are located in the EEA, UK, or Switzerland, you have the right to:

• Access and Portability: Request access to your personal data and receive it in a portable format.
• Rectification: Correct inaccurate or incomplete personal data.
• Erasure: Request deletion of your personal data under certain conditions.
• Restriction of Processing: Request restriction of processing your personal data.
• Object to Processing: Object to processing your personal data for certain purposes.
• Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent at any time where we rely on consent to process your personal data.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated effective date. We encourage you to review this policy regularly.

Limitation of Liability

By using our website and services, you agree to release Alquimedez Mental Health Counseling, PLLC from any liability arising from the use of your information in accordance with this Privacy Policy. We are not responsible for any unauthorized access or misuse of your personal information that is beyond our reasonable control.

Important Notice Regarding Emergency Situations

Alquimedez Mental Health Counseling, PLLC (“We,” “Our,” “Us”) operates as a telehealth outpatient medical office with limited hours of operation. Our platform and services are intended for routine outpatient mental health care and are not equipped to handle emergency or crisis situations.

Do Not Use This Site in an Emergency:

• Immediate Danger: If you or someone else is experiencing a medical or mental health emergency, feeling suicidal, or posing a risk to others, please do not use this website or our telehealth services.
• Contact Emergency Services: Instead, immediately call 911 or contact your nearest emergency services provider or go to the closest emergency room.

Limitations of Our Services:

• Delayed Response: Due to the nature of telehealth and our limited operating hours, we may not be able to respond promptly to urgent messages or needs.
• Not a Crisis Center: Our platform is not a substitute for in-person emergency care or crisis intervention services.

User Responsibility:

By using our site and services, you acknowledge and agree that:

• Timely Action: You will seek immediate assistance from emergency services when faced with an urgent or life-threatening situation.
• No Liability: Alquimedez Mental Health Counseling, PLLC is not responsible for any actions taken or not taken based on the information provided on this site in emergency situations.

RPM for Mental Health Privacy Policy

At Alquimedez Mental Health Counseling, PLLC, we are committed to maintaining the highest standards of confidentiality and data protection, especially when utilizing Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) systems for mental health care. This section outlines our specific privacy policies for RPM systems, ensuring strict adherence to laws and regulations, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

Key Points of the RPM for Mental Health Privacy Policy

Data Collection:

1. Types of Data Collected:

• Mood logs and emotional well-being reports.
• Symptom tracking for anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions.
• Sleep patterns and activity levels.
• Other relevant data directly provided by the patient or collected through the RPM system.

1. Purpose:

• To improve patient care by tracking and analyzing mental health indicators in real-time.
• To enable timely intervention by authorized healthcare providers.

Informed Consent:

1. Patient Consent:

• Prior to data collection, explicit informed consent is obtained from the patient.
• Patients are provided with a clear explanation of:
• The purpose of data collection.
• How the data will be used.
• Who will have access to their information.

1. Withdrawal of Consent:

• Patients may withdraw their consent at any time, which will halt further data collection.

Data Security Measures:

1. Safeguards:

• Encryption of all data during transmission and storage.
• Access controls to ensure only authorized personnel can view patient data.
• Regular audits and updates to security protocols.

1. Secure Storage:

• Data is stored in secure, HIPAA-compliant systems with multi-layer protection to prevent unauthorized access.

Data Sharing:

1. Limited Sharing Circumstances:

• Patient data may be shared with other healthcare providers only with the patient’s explicit consent.
• Data may also be disclosed when legally required (e.g., court orders or mandatory reporting obligations).

1. Third-Party Access:

• If third-party applications or services are utilized within the RPM system, these entities must also comply with HIPAA regulations and our privacy standards.

Patient Access and Control:

1. Access to Data:

• Patients can view their collected data through the RPM platform or by request.

1. Data Correction:

• Patients have the right to request corrections to any inaccurate or incomplete information.

1. Consent Management:

• Patients may update their consent preferences, including withdrawing consent, at any time.

Compliance with HIPAA:

1. Adherence:

• The RPM system is designed and operated in strict compliance with HIPAA standards.
• Ensures the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of Protected Health Information (PHI).

1. Data De-identification:

• When sharing aggregated data for research or analytics purposes, all data will be de-identified to protect individual patient privacy.

Important Considerations:

Specific Mental Health Data:

1. Sensitive Data Handling:

• Special safeguards are in place for handling highly sensitive mental health data, such as suicidal ideation or detailed descriptions of traumatic experiences.

Third-Party Compliance:

1. Vetting of Vendors:

• Third-party service providers are thoroughly vetted to ensure compliance with HIPAA and our internal data protection policies.

Regular Review and Updates:

1. Policy Updates:

• This privacy policy will be reviewed and updated regularly to reflect changes in technology, regulations, and best practices.

Contact Information:

For non-emergency inquiries or to schedule routine appointments during our operating hours, please contact us:

Contact Us

If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us at:

Alquimedez Mental Health Counseling, PLLC
Email: info@alquimedez.com
Phone: 315-505-2400

Acknowledgment

By using our website or services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy and agree to be bound by its terms.

By participating in our RPM for Mental Health program, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this policy and agree to its terms.