Your Privacy, Protected

Your Privacy Matters

As a licensed clinical social worker, I am bound by federal and state law, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and California's Confidentiality of Medical Information Act (CMIA), to protect the privacy of your health information. This page explains, in plain language, how information is handled when you use this website and when you become a client.

Information Collected Through This Website

When you use the contact form on this site, I collect the information you choose to share - your name, email address, phone number, and any brief note you include. This information is used only to respond to your inquiry and, if you become a client, to begin the intake process.

Please keep initial messages short and general. Clinical details are best discussed in a confidential consultation rather than over email or a web form.

This website may use basic analytics to understand how visitors find and use the site. This data is aggregated and does not identify you personally.

How Your Health Information Is Protected

If you become a client, your records are maintained through a secure, HIPAA-compliant electronic health record system. Session notes, treatment plans, and billing records are stored with encryption and access controls.

Your information is never sold, shared with marketers, or disclosed to anyone without your written authorization, except in the limited circumstances described below.

Limits of Confidentiality

Everything we discuss in therapy is confidential, with a few important exceptions required by law -

If I believe you are at risk of harming yourself or someone else, I may need to take steps to ensure safety, which can include contacting emergency services or others who can help.

If I suspect abuse or neglect of a child, an elder, or a dependent adult, I am legally required to report it to the appropriate authorities.

If a court of law issues a valid order for your records, I may be required to comply.

These limits are reviewed together during our first session, and you are always welcome to ask questions about them.

Electronic Communication

Standard email and text messaging are not fully secure. Please use them only for scheduling and brief logistics, never for clinical content. Sessions are held over a HIPAA-compliant video platform, and clinical records are kept in a secure client portal.

Your Rights

You have the right to request a copy of your records, to ask for corrections, to request restrictions on how your information is used, and to receive a list of certain disclosures. You also have the right to file a complaint if you believe your privacy rights have been violated, without any retaliation.

Questions

If you have any questions about this policy or how your information is handled, please reach out through the contact page, by phone at (415) 335-7446, or by email at sharon@sharonmeyerstherapy.com.