Effective Date: March 6, 2026
THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY
At Peace of Mind Counseling & Consulting, we are committed to protecting your privacy. This page outlines how we handle information collected through our website and your rights regarding your Protected Health Information (PHI) under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and New Jersey law.
1. Website Privacy (Digital Data)
When you visit pomcc.org, we collect minimal information to improve your experience:
- Information You Provide: If you use our “Book Appointment” or “Contact” forms, we collect your name, email, and phone number.
- Warning: Please do not submit highly sensitive clinical information via web forms, as these are intended for initial inquiries and scheduling only.
- Cookies: We use basic analytics to understand site traffic. You can disable cookies in your browser settings at any time.
2. Confidentiality & Mental Health Records
As a licensed New Jersey practice, your therapy records are protected by NJ Administrative Code § 10:37-6.79. We will not disclose your information without your written electronic or paper consent, except in the following legal exceptions:
- Safety Threats: If there is an imminent threat of harm to yourself or others.
- Abuse Reporting: Legal requirements to report suspected child abuse, elder abuse, or neglect of disabled individuals.
- Court Orders: If a judge issues a legitimate court order for record disclosure.
- Insurance/Billing: Providing necessary data to third-party payers to secure payment for your services.
- Treatment: We may use your PHI to provide, coordinate, or manage your healthcare. For example, we may disclose PHI to other consultants or referral sources involved in your care.
- Healthcare Operations: We may use PHI for our internal operations, such as quality assessment, business planning, or customer service.
- Appointment Reminders: We may use and disclose PHI to contact you as a reminder that you have an appointment.
3. Your Patient Rights (HIPAA)
Under federal HIPAA guidelines, you have specific rights regarding your health information:
- Right to Access: You may request an electronic or paper copy of your medical records.
- Right to Amend: You can ask us to correct health information you believe is incorrect or incomplete.
- Right to Restrict: You can ask us not to share certain information for treatment or billing. If you pay for a service out-of-pocket in full, you have the right to restrict that information from being shared with your health insurer.
- Right to Confidential Communication: You can request that we contact you only at a specific phone number or address.
- Right to a Paper Copy: You have the right to a paper copy of this notice at any time, even if you have agreed to receive it electronically.
4. Updates & Compliance
As of February 16, 2026, federal law requires updated notices regarding substance use disorder records (Part 2). We maintain full compliance with these 2026 HIPAA updates to ensure your data remains secure. We reserve the right to change the terms of the notice, and the new notice will apply to all PHI we maintain.
5. Private Health Information
- Most uses and disclosures of psychotherapy notes, uses for marketing purposes, and disclosures that constitute a “sale of PHI” require a signed written authorization.
- The patient has the right to revoke such authorization at any time.
5. Contact Information
If you have questions about this policy or wish to exercise your rights, please contact our Privacy Officer:
- Email: Admin@pomcc.org
- Phone: (848) 300-3933
- Address: 63 W Main Street, Ste A-5, Freehold, NJ 07728
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with our Privacy Officer, Chase Girvin, or the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. You will not be penalized for filing a complaint.