HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices
Guiding Light ABA
Effective Date: May 1, 2025
THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW PROTECTED HEALTH INFORMATION (PHI) ABOUT YOU OR YOUR CHILD MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.
1. Our Legal Duties
We are required by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and by California law (including the Confidentiality of Medical Information Act, Cal. Civ. Code §56 et seq.) to:
- Maintain the privacy of PHI;
- Provide this Notice of our legal duties and privacy practices;
- Abide by the terms of the current Notice; and
- Notify you promptly if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your PHI.
We reserve the right to change our privacy practices and this Notice at any time. Changes will apply to all PHI we maintain and will be posted on our website and available on request.
2. How We May Use & Disclose PHI
We typically use or disclose PHI for the following purposes without your written authorization:
| Purpose | Examples |
|---|---|
| Treatment | Sharing evaluation results and behavior‑support plans with our Board‑Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs), Behavior Technicians, or consulting physicians. |
| Payment | Submitting claims to your insurance carrier or Medi‑Cal; verifying eligibility; billing and collections. |
| Healthcare Operations | Quality‑assurance reviews, staff training, accreditation, and business management. |
We may also use or disclose PHI without authorization where allowed or required by law, such as:
- Public‑health reporting;
- Abuse or neglect reporting;
- Health‑oversight activities;
- Law‑enforcement purposes;
- Judicial and administrative proceedings;
- To avert a serious threat to health or safety;
- Workers' compensation claims;
- Research that has been approved by an Institutional Review Board and is compliant with HIPAA.
California‑Specific Protections: When California law is more protective than federal law (for example, mental‑health, HIV, or substance‑use disorder records), we will follow the stricter California requirements and obtain your written authorization where required.
3. Uses & Disclosures Requiring Your Written Authorization
We will obtain your express written authorization before:
- Using or disclosing PHI for marketing purposes;
- Selling your PHI;
- Most uses or disclosures of psychotherapy notes (if created);
- Any use or disclosure not described in this Notice.
You may revoke an authorization at any time in writing, except to the extent we have already relied on it.
4. Your Rights Regarding PHI
| Right | What it Means | How to Exercise |
|---|---|---|
| Inspect & Copy | Receive an electronic or paper copy of certain records. | Submit a written request. We will respond within 30 days (California law) and may charge a reasonable cost‑based fee. |
| Amend | Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete PHI. | Write to us with the reason for the amendment. We may deny certain requests and will explain why. |
| Accounting of Disclosures | Receive a list of disclosures made in the last 6 yrs, except for treatment, payment, or operations. | Request in writing; first list in a 12‑month period is free. |
| Request Restrictions | Ask us not to use or disclose PHI for treatment, payment, or operations. | We are not required to agree, except you may restrict disclosures to your health plan for services you pay for entirely out of pocket. |
| Confidential Communications | Ask us to contact you at a specific address, phone, or by a specific method. | We will accommodate reasonable requests. |
| Paper Copy of This Notice | Receive a printed copy, even if you agreed to receive it electronically. | Request at any time. |
| File a Complaint | Complain if you believe your rights have been violated. | See § 6 below—no retaliation will occur. |
5. Our Responsibilities for Minors
Parents or legal guardians generally have the right to access PHI for minors under their custody. California law may limit parental access to certain sensitive services (e.g., emancipated minor, certain mental‑health services). We follow state requirements in those situations.
6. Questions & Complaints
If you have questions, wish to exercise your rights, or want to file a complaint, contact our Privacy Officer:
- Phone: 310‑894‑5397
- Email: contact@guidinglightaba.com
You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at hhs.gov/ocr or 1‑800‑368‑1019.
We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.
7. Effective Date & Revisions
Effective Date: May 1, 2025
This Notice remains in effect until we replace it. The current version will always be available on guidinglightaba.com/hipaa-notice and by request.
Last updated: May 1, 2025