NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES
Tru-Awareness Psychological Services Professional Corporation
Effective date: November 6, 2026  |  Privacy Officer: Regina Pinto, PhD  |  888-279-5152  |  gpinto@truawareness.org
THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW HEALTH INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED, HOW YOU CAN ACCESS THAT INFORMATION, AND HOW TO FILE A PRIVACY COMPLAINT. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.
You have a right to a paper or electronic copy of this notice and to discuss it with our Privacy Officer using the contact information above.
1. Our commitment and responsibilities
Tru-Awareness Psychological Services Professional Corporation (“Tru-Awareness,” “we,” or “our”) is committed to protecting the privacy and security of your protected health information (PHI). We are required by law to safeguard PHI, follow the practices described in this notice, provide you a copy of this notice, and notify affected individuals when a reportable breach compromises unsecured PHI. We will not use or disclose your information except as permitted or required by law or as authorized by you in writing. You may revoke an authorization in writing, subject to actions already taken in reliance on it.
2. Your rights regarding health information
Access and obtain copies
You may request to inspect or obtain an electronic or paper copy of your designated record set, subject to limited legal exceptions. We generally respond within 30 days, with extensions when permitted by law. Reasonable, cost-based fees may apply; California law may provide additional rights and shorter response periods in some circumstances.
Request corrections
You may request an amendment if you believe information in your record is incorrect or incomplete. We generally respond within 60 days, subject to a permitted extension. If we deny the request, we will explain the reason and applicable rights in writing.
Request confidential communications
You may ask us to contact you by a particular method or at a different address. We will accommodate reasonable requests.
Request restrictions
You may ask us to limit certain uses or disclosures for treatment, payment, or health care operations. We are generally not required to agree. However, if you pay in full out of pocket for a service and request that we not disclose information about that service to your health plan for payment or health care operations, we will honor the request unless disclosure is required by law.
Accounting of disclosures
You may request an accounting of certain disclosures made during the six years preceding your request, subject to exclusions under applicable law. One accounting in a 12-month period is free; reasonable fees may apply to additional requests.
Notice, representatives, and complaints
You may obtain a paper copy of this notice even if you previously agreed to electronic delivery. A legally authorized personal representative may exercise your rights, subject to applicable law and verification. You may complain to us or to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office for Civil Rights, without retaliation.
3. Your choices and uses requiring authorization
You may express preferences regarding disclosure to family members, friends, or others involved in your care or payment for care, and in disaster-relief situations. When you cannot express a preference, we may disclose limited information when legally permitted and in your best interest. We generally obtain written authorization for marketing, any sale of PHI, and most uses or disclosures of psychotherapy notes as defined by HIPAA. We do not sell patient information. We do not currently use patient PHI for fundraising; if this practice changes, applicable notice and opt-out rights will apply.
4. Routine uses and disclosures
Treatment
We may use or disclose PHI to provide, coordinate, or manage your care, including consultations with treating professionals, subject to heightened confidentiality restrictions that may apply to mental-health records and certain other information.
Payment
We may use or disclose PHI to obtain payment for services, verify insurance eligibility, submit claims, and resolve billing matters.
Health care operations
We may use or disclose PHI for lawful practice operations such as quality improvement, audits, staff training and supervision, credentialing, and administrative management. Service providers handling PHI on our behalf must be subject to appropriate safeguards and agreements when required.
5. Other uses and disclosures permitted or required by law
Subject to the conditions and limitations imposed by HIPAA, California law, and other applicable laws, we may disclose PHI for public-health reporting; reporting suspected abuse or neglect; preventing or reducing a serious threat to health or safety; health oversight; legally authorized research; workers’ compensation; certain law-enforcement or government functions; responding to a coroner or medical examiner; and complying with legal obligations. Information may also be disclosed in connection with judicial or administrative proceedings only when legally authorized. A subpoena alone does not automatically override applicable privilege, confidentiality, or special record protections.
6. Special protections for mental-health and psychotherapy records
California law, including the Confidentiality of Medical Information Act and laws governing mental-health treatment records and psychotherapist-patient privilege, may provide stronger protections than HIPAA. We follow the more protective applicable law. We generally will not disclose mental-health treatment records without appropriate authorization unless a specific law permits or requires disclosure. Separately maintained psychotherapy notes receive additional federal protections. Certain disclosures may require a specific written authorization, court order, or other legal process; requests are reviewed individually.
7. Substance-use-disorder records protected by 42 CFR Part 2
If we create, maintain, or receive records protected by the federal substance-use-disorder confidentiality rules (42 CFR Part 2), additional protections apply. In particular, Part 2 records generally cannot be used or disclosed in civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative investigations or proceedings against you without your written consent or a qualifying court order accompanied by a subpoena or similar legal mandate. Other uses and disclosures of Part 2 records are governed by the specific Part 2 requirements, including applicable consent and redisclosure rules. A Part 2 program may have separate or additional notice obligations; this document is designed as a HIPAA covered-provider notice, not a substitute for a Part 2 program’s separate notice if one is required.
8. Website, patient portal, and electronic communications
Our public website is www.truawareness.org. For secure appointment inquiries and intake-related communications, we use SimplePractice: https://regina-pinto.clientsecure.me/contact-widget. Do not send diagnoses, treatment records, medication information, or other sensitive clinical details through ordinary email or general website messaging. The website privacy policy addresses general website data practices separately from this clinical Notice of Privacy Practices.
9. Changes to this notice
We may revise this notice, and a revised notice may apply to PHI we already maintain. Updated versions will be available upon request and prominently posted on our website and at our practice as applicable.
10. Questions or complaints
Privacy Officer: Regina Pinto, PhD
Tru-Awareness Psychological Services Professional Corporation
Phone: 888-279-5152
Email: gpinto@truawareness.org
Website: www.truawareness.org
You may also file a complaint with HHS Office for Civil Rights: 200 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20201; telephone 1-877-696-6775; online at https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/filing-a-complaint/index.html. We will not retaliate against anyone for filing a complaint.
Practice review before publication
This is a customized draft based on the HHS February 2026 model notice. Before publication, confirm actual practice workflows (including fundraising, research, record-access procedures, and whether Tru-Awareness itself qualifies as a Part 2 program), review California-specific requirements with qualified counsel or a HIPAA compliance professional, and verify the effective date. Do not remove this review note until that review is completed.
Reference: U.S. HHS, Model Notice of Privacy Practices for HIPAA Covered Health Care Provider (February 2026): https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/privacy/guidance/privacy-practices-health-care-provider/index.html