This notice describes how medical information about you may be used or disclosed and how you
can gain access to this information. Please review this notice carefully. If you have any questions
about this Notice of Privacy Practices, please contact us at (512)-298-1324

Disclosure for Treatment, Payment, and Health Care  Operations 

Begin Your Journey Counseling is required by law to maintain the privacy of protected health  information (PHI), to provide you with notice of our legal duties and privacy practices with  respect to PHI, and to notify you if there has been a breach of unsecured PHI. However, a  therapist may use or disclose your protected health information for certain treatment, payment,  and health care operations purposes without authorization. 

Begin Your Journey Counseling will follow the terms of this notice at the time of your signature.  We will not use or disclose PHI about you without your written authorization, except as  described in this notice. We reserve the right to change this notice at any time and make the new  notice effective for all PHI. However, we will provide revisions to this notice upon your request. 

• PHI - Refers to information in your health record that could identify you. 
• Treatment - Services provided to you by a therapist or healthcare provider. Examples would be a physician,  psychologist, or other medical clinician or practitioner who needs to discuss your healthcare /  treatment. 
• Payment - Obtaining reimbursement to insurance companies for your healthcare. 
• Use - Sharing, employing, applying, utilizing, examining, and analyzing information that identifies you 
• Disclosure - Releasing, transferring, or providing access to information about you to other parties Authorization – written permission for specific uses or disclosures.

Disclosing and Using PHI:

• The following identifies how your PHI may be used or disclosed and in specified circumstances.  These are circumstances requiring your authorization prior to use or disclosure. Under the law, we must make disclosures of your PHI available to you upon your request. In  addition, we must make disclosures to the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human 
• Services for the purposes of investigating or determining our compliance with the requirements  of the Privacy Rule, if required. 
• Uses and disclosures not specifically permitted by applicable law will only be made with your  written authorization, which may be revoked. Your explicit authorization is required to release  psychotherapy notes and PHI for the purposes of marketing, subsidized treatment  communication and for the sale of such information.
• Last revised: 11/16/2024 

Psychotherapy Notes

• We will not use or disclose psychotherapy notes without your written authorization, and only as  permitted by law.  

• Marketing Health-Related Services  
  • We will not use or disclose your protected health information for marketing communications  without your written authorization, and only as permitted by law.  
• Sale of PHI  
  • We will not sell your protected health information without your written authorization, and only  as permitted by law.  
• For Care or Treatment Your PHI  
  • May be used to provide, manage, and coordinate the mental health treatment and services you  receive.  
• This use may occur with a medical records team, a physician, other health care provider,  consultation with clinical supervisors and other counselors The Begin Your Journey team will  disclose or use your PHI among Begin Your Journey team members to coordinate or manage  your treatment or provide other health-related benefits / services that are necessary or may be of  interest to you.  

• For Payment  
  • Your PHI may be used and disclosed for various payment-related functions, so we can bill for  and obtain payment for treatment or services provided to you. You are allowed to restrict the  disclosure and use of your PHI, if you decide to pay for services without using insurance.  However, if you are using insurance, your insurance company may require copies of your PHI  during the course of a claim, medical record request, chart audit, or review.  
• Please understand that your insurance carrier may collect information or data (my PHI) for the  purpose of billing and payments
• Your disagreement noted in your file. In most cases, the file should be updated within 60 days.

• For Business / Healthcare Operations 
  • We may use or disclose your PHI in order to support our business activities. These activities may  include but not limited to: Begin Your Journey operational activities, administrative activities,  quality assurance activities, employee review activities, licensing activities, training activities,  accreditation activities, and conducting or arranging for other Begin Your Journey business  activities. We may also use or disclose PHI when providing you with appointment reminders or  leaving messages on your phone. Verbal Permission. 
  • We may use or disclose your information to family members that are directly involved in your  receipt of services, medical care, or payment for your care with your verbal / written permission.  We may disclose your PHI to a member of your family or other person you identify if that person  is directly involved in your care. However, if you are unable to agree or object to this disclosure  in emergent situations, we may disclose such information as necessary if we determine it is in  your best interest based on our professional judgment. 
• Judicial and Administrative Proceedings  
  • If you are involved in a court proceeding, law-suit, or legal dispute and a request is made about  your treatment, your therapist must not release your information without (a) your written  authorization or the authorization of your attorney or personal representative; (b) a court order;  or (c) a subpoena duces tecum (a subpoena to produce records). Your therapist will inform you  in advance if this is the case. Research Under certain circumstances, we may use or disclose your  PHI for research purposes. However, before disclosing your PHI, the research project must be  approved by an institutional review board or privacy board that has reviewed the research  proposal and established protocols to ensure the privacy of your PHI. We will obtain your  permission to release such information.  
  • Protected Health Information In Connection With Alcohol Or Drug Services  
  • Please note that 42 C.F.R. Part 2 protects your health information if you are applying for or  receiving services (including diagnosis or treatment, or referral) for drug or alcohol abuse.  Generally, if you are applying for or receiving services for drug or alcohol abuse, we may not  acknowledge to a person outside the program that you attend the program or disclose any  information identifying you as an alcohol or drug abuser except under certain circumstances that  are listed in this notice.  
• Last revised: 11/16/2024 

Disclosures and Uses that do NOT Require Your Consent or  Authorization  

• The following identifies how your PHI may be used or disclosed and in specified circumstances.  These are circumstances that do NOT require your authorization prior to use or disclosure.  Under the law, we must make disclosures of your PHI available to you upon your request. 
• In addition, we must make disclosures to the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human  Services for the purposes of investigating or determining our compliance with the requirements  of the Privacy Rule, if required.  
• Uses and disclosures not specifically permitted by applicable law will only be made with your  written authorization, which may be revoked.  
• Your explicit authorization is required to release psychotherapy notes and PHI for the purposes  of marketing, subsidized treatment communication and for the sale of such information  
• Parents or Legal Guardians If you are a minor, we may release your PHI to your parents or legal  guardians when we are permitted or required under federal and applicable state law.  

• Child Abuse  
  • When a therapist, in his/her professional capacity, has knowledge of, observes, or suspects that a  child he/she knows has been the victim of child abuse or neglect, he/she must immediately report  such to a police department, sheriff’s department, county probation department, or county  welfare department within 24 hours. Adult and Domestic Abuse If a therapist, in his/her  professional capacity, has observed or has knowledge of an incident that reasonably appears to  be physical abuse, abandonment, abduction, isolation, financial abuse, or neglect of an elder or  dependent adult; if a therapist is told by an elder or dependent adult that he/she has experienced  these; or if a therapist reasonably suspects such, the therapist must report the known or suspected  abuse immediately to the local ombudsman or the local law enforcement agency.  
• Worker’s Compensation  
  • We may disclose your PHI to the extent authorized by and necessary to comply with laws  relating to worker’s compensation or other similar programs established by law.  
• Public Health  
  • We may disclose your PHI to federal, state, or local authorities, or other entities charged with  preventing or controlling disease, injury, or disability for public health activities. 
• Serious Threat to Health or Safety  
  • If you communicate to your therapist a serious threat of physical violence against an identifiable  victim, he/she must make reasonable efforts to communicate that information to the potential  victim and the police. If he/she has reasonable cause to believe that you are in such a condition,  as to be dangerous to yourself or others, he/she may release relevant information as necessary to  prevent the threatened danger.  
• Law Enforcement 
  • Last revised: 11/16/2024 
  • We may disclose your PHI for law enforcement purposes as required by law or in response to a  court order, subpoena, warrant, summons, or similar process; to identify or locate a suspect,  fugitive, material witness, or missing person; about a death resulting from criminal conduct;  about crimes on the premises or against a member of our workforce; and in emergency  circumstances, to report a crime, the location, victims, or the identity, description, or location of  the perpetrator of a crime.  
• Health Oversight 
  • If a complaint is filed against a therapist with the Texas State Board of Examiners of  Psychologists, the Board has the authority to subpoena confidential mental health information  from the therapist relevant to that complaint.  
• National Security, Intelligence Activities and Protective Services for the President and Others 
• We may disclose your PHI to authorized federal officials for intelligence, counterintelligence,  provision of protection to the President, other authorized persons or foreign heads of state, and  other national security activities authorized by law.  
• Coroners, Medical Examiners, and Funeral Directors  
• We may release your PHI to assist in identifying a deceased person or determine a cause of  death. 

Social Media

• In the global technological environment, your information needs to be protected so that it does  not get into the wrong hands. It is so important that Begin Your Journey does everything to  protect you from harm and your information from being exposed or getting into the wrong hands. 
• Such harm can come in the form of identity theft, hacking, scamming, phishing, revealing key  information, and more. 
• We also work hard to protect your privacy and maintain confidentiality regarding the services we  provide to you. What we discuss in session is strictly confidential and should NEVER be  discussed, posted or shared in any format, including social media, outside of sessions with your  provider. 
• Privacy should be your expectation and right. 
• It is our duty to safeguard patient information at all times and treat you (our patient) with dignity  and respect. 
• You may always follow us on social media, however, to protect your information we may not  follow or engage with you on social media for your protection.
• Last revised: 11/16/2024 
• Where you choose to follow us, view our images, like our images, or repost our images, know  that your interaction with these programs typically allows the social media company to collect  some information about you through digital cookies and other tracking mechanisms they place  on your device. To control this sharing of information, please review the privacy policy of the  relevant social media platform. 
• Please be very careful about what is shared or discussed. 

Patient's Rights Regarding PHI 

• If you give us an authorization, you may revoke your authorization at any time by submitting a  written notice to your Begin Your Journey Therapist. Your revocation will become effective  upon our receipt of your written notice. If you revoke your authorization, we will no longer use  or disclose health information about you for the reasons covered by the written authorization.  Your revocation will not affect any use or disclosures permitted by your authorization while it  was in effect. Unless you give us a written authorization, we cannot use or disclose your health  information for any reason except those described in this Notice.

• Right to Request Restrictions. 
  • You have the right to request restrictions on certain uses and disclosures of your PHI. However,  your therapist is not required to agree to a restriction you request. 
• Right to Request and Receive Confidential Communications. 
  • You have the right to request and receive confidential communications of PHI by alternative  means. (e.g., telephone, email, postal mail, etc.) 
• Right to Access, Inspect and Receive a Copy. 
  • You have the right to request, inspect or obtain a copy of your PHI used to make decisions about  you for as long as the PHI is maintained in the record. You may not be able to obtain all of your  information in special circumstances. In accordance with Texas law, you have the right to obtain  
  • A copy of your PHI in electronic form for records that we maintain using an Electronic Health  Records (EHR) system capable of fulfilling the request. Where applicable, we must provide  those records to you or your legally authorized representative in electronic form within fifteen  (15) days of receipt of your written request and a valid authorization for electronic disclosure of  PHI. You may request a copy of an authorization from the Privacy Office at the address below 

• Right to Amend. 
  • You have the right to request an amendment of PHI for as long as the PHI is maintained in the  record. Requests must identify: (i) which information you seek to amend, (ii) what corrections  you would like to make, and (iii) why the information needs to be amended. We will respond to  your request in writing within 60 days (with a possible 30-day extension). In our response, we  will either: (i) agree to make the amendment, or (ii) inform you of our denial, explain our reason,  and outline appeal procedures. Your therapist is not required to agree to the amendment. If  denied, you have the right to file a statement of disagreement with the decision. We will provide  a rebuttal to your statement and maintain appropriate records of your disagreement and our  rebuttal. 
• Right to an Accounting of Disclosures.
  • Last revised: 11/16/2024 
  • You have the right to receive an accounting of disclosures of your PHI for which you have  neither provided consent nor authorization (as described in Section III of this Notice). Your  request must state a time period. The time period for the accounting of disclosures must be  
  • Limited to less than 7 years from the date of the request. We will respond in writing within 60  days of receipt of your request (with a possible 30-day extension). We will provide an  accounting per 12-month period free of charge, but you may be charged for the cost of any  subsequent accountings. We will notify you in advance of the cost involved, and you may choose  to withdraw or modify your request at that time. 
• Right to a Paper Copy. 
  • You have the right to obtain a paper copy of this notice upon request, even if you have agreed to  receive the notice electronically. Even if you have agreed to receive the Notice electronically,  you are still entitled to a paper copy. You may obtain a paper copy from the Privacy Office at the  address below. A reasonable fee may be charged for the costs of copying, mailing or other  supplies associated with your request. 
• Breaches. 
  • You have a right to be notified of an impermissible use or disclosure that compromises the  security or privacy of your PHI. We will provide notice to you as soon as is reasonably possible  and no later than sixty (60) calendar days after discovery of the breach and in accordance with  federal and state law. 
• Alcohol and Drug Abuse Patient Records. 
  • Violation of federal law and regulations on Confidentiality of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Patient  Records is a crime and suspected violations of 42 CFR Part 2 may be reported to the United  States Attorney in the district where the violation occurs 
• Plan for Practice / Records In Case Of Death Or Disability of Your Therapist. 
  • In the event of your therapist’s death, incapacity or disability, arrangements have been made for  another mental health provider to take over my practice, meet with clients, make appropriate  referrals to other providers, if necessary, and take all reasonable steps to manage the practice for  the benefit of my clients. By your signature below, you authorize my designee to contact you  directly, and use and disclose your confidential mental health information and records for the  stated purposes.

Filing Complaints 

• If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with Begin Your  Journey Counseling's privacy officer Karimah Rose, LMFT-S, LPC-S by using the following  contact information: (254) 278-4995. 
  • You may also file a complaint directly with any or all of the following federal and state agencies: 
  • Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services Office: 
  • Contact information available immediately upon request
  • Last revised: 11/16/2024 
• Office of the Attorney General of Texas: 
  • Contact information available immediately upon request. 
  • Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council (TBHEC). 
  • The Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council investigates and prosecutes professional  misconduct committed by marriage and family therapists, professional counselors, psychologists,  psychological associates, social workers, and licensed specialists in school psychology. Although  not every complaint against or dispute with a licensee involves professional misconduct, the  Executive Council will provide you with information about how to file a complaint. Please call  1-800-821-3205 for more information. 

• Mailing Address of TBHEC: 333 Guadalupe St., 3-900 Austin, Texas 78701 Telephone Number: (512) 305-7700 or (800) 821-3205 (24 hours, toll-free complaint system) Email: Enforcement@bhec.texas.gov 

• The Council is open Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5 p.m., but closed on state holidays. Providers for Begin Your Journey Counseling is as follows: 

• Karimah Rose, LMFT-S (license #202254), LPC-S (license #73205) 
• Florida License - Karimah Rose, LMFT (license # MT4103) 
• Cheryl Moorehead, LMFT (license # 204338) 
• Elisa Chamberlain, LMFT (license # 204449) 
• Zubeena Catania, LMSW (license # 107739) 
• Randall Webster, LMFT-Associate (license # 205151) 
• Perla Abeyta, LMFT-Associate (license # 205394) 
• Lakeisha Miller, LPC-Associate (license # 94872) 
• Anthony Almas, LPC-Associate (license # 94539) 

• Effective Date, Restrictions and Changes to Privacy Policy 
• This notice will go into effect on April 25, 2021. Begin Your Journey Counseling reserves the  right to change the terms of this notice and to make the new notice provisions effective for all  PHI that Begin Your Journey Counseling therapists maintain. Begin Your Journey Counseling  will make public any changes to this notice and provide you with a copy of the revised notice.

Effective Date, Restrictions and Changes to Privacy Policy

• This notice will go into effect on April 25, 2021. Begin Your Journey Counseling reserves the
  right to change the terms of this notice and to make the new notice provisions effective for all
  PHI that Begin Your Journey Counseling therapists maintain. Begin Your Journey Counseling
  will make public any changes to this notice and provide you with a copy of the revised notice.
  If you want more information about our privacy practices or have questions or concerns, please
  contact us:

‍
Begin Your Journey Counseling
Karimah Rose
2631 Gattis School, Rd. Ste, 135
Round Rock, Texas 78664
(254) 278-4995 or 512-298-1324
‍

OR

Last revised: 11/16/2024

• You may visit: https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-individuals/guidance-materials-for-consumers/index.html
• ‍

To view our privacy practices document click the link below::