PRIVACY POLICY

Notice of Privacy Practices

Practice: Irmae Therapy, PLLC
Provider: Ermanette Diaz, LMHC
Florida License: MH24981 Indiana License: 39005778A
Privacy Contact: Ermanette Diaz, LMHC
Mailing Address: 950-23 Blanding Blvd, #131, Orange Park, Fl 32065
Phone:  1 (407) 279 -0504
Email/Secure Contact: Erma@Irmaetherapy.com
Effective Date: 9/22/2026

THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW HEALTH INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED, HOW YOU CAN ACCESS THIS INFORMATION, AND YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING YOUR HEALTH INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.

Our Commitment to Your Privacy

Irmae Therapy, PLLC (the “Practice”) is committed to protecting the privacy and security of your health information. The Practice creates and maintains records concerning the psychotherapy and related services provided to you.

Federal law, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (“HIPAA”), requires covered health care providers to protect certain health information and provide clients with notice of their privacy rights and the provider’s privacy practices. This Notice applies to protected health information (“PHI”) maintained by the Practice. PHI generally includes information that identifies you, or could reasonably be used to identify you, and relates to your health condition, treatment, health care services, or payment for health care.

The Practice is required by law to:

• maintain the privacy and security of your PHI; 

• provide you with this Notice describing our legal duties and privacy practices; 

• follow the terms of the Notice currently in effect; and 

• notify you if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your unsecured PHI. 

HIPAA requires covered providers to include these duties and individual rights in their NPP. 

How We May Use and Disclose Your Health Information Treatment

The Practice may use your PHI to provide, coordinate, and manage your treatment. When legally permitted, information may be shared with other health care professionals involved in your care for purposes such as consultation, coordination, or referral. For example, with appropriate legal authority, your therapist may communicate with another treating provider to coordinate your mental health care.

Payment

The Practice may use or disclose PHI as necessary to obtain payment for services. This may include disclosures to a health plan, billing service, payment processor, or other entity involved in processing payment. If you are paying privately and are not using insurance, disclosures for payment may be more limited.

Health Care Operations

The Practice may use or disclose PHI for activities necessary to operate the Practice, such as quality review, compliance activities, business administration, credentialing, professional consultation, and certain activities performed by service providers acting on behalf of the Practice.

The Practice may use SimplePractice or Headway for functions such as electronic health records, scheduling, client communications, forms, telehealth, billing, and related administrative activities.

Other Uses and Disclosures Permitted or Required by Law

Subject to applicable federal and Florida confidentiality protections, the Practice may use or disclose PHI without your written authorization in certain circumstances permitted or required by law.

These may include:

Required by Law - The Practice may disclose PHI when disclosure is required by applicable federal or state law.

Abuse, Neglect, or Exploitation - The Practice may make reports or disclosures required by Florida law involving suspected child abuse, abandonment, or neglect, or suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation of a vulnerable adult.

Serious Threats to Health or Safety - PHI may be disclosed when permitted or required by law to prevent or address certain serious threats to health or safety. For Florida mental health counseling records, disclosures involving threats to another person will be handled in accordance with the requirements of applicable Florida law.

Public Health Activities - PHI may be disclosed for certain legally authorized public-health activities.

 Oversight Activities - PHI may be disclosed to a health oversight agency for activities authorized by law, such as audits, investigations, inspections, credentialing, or disciplinary proceedings.

Judicial and Administrative Proceedings - The Practice may disclose PHI in response to a court order or other lawful legal process when authorized or required by applicable law. Receipt of a subpoena does not necessarily mean that treatment records will automatically be disclosed. Requests for mental health information will be evaluated under applicable HIPAA requirements, Florida confidentiality and privilege law, and any other applicable protections.

Law Enforcement - The Practice may disclose PHI for certain law-enforcement purposes when authorized or required by law.

Coroners and Medical Examiners - PHI may be disclosed to a coroner or medical examiner when legally authorized and necessary for the performance of that official’s duties.

Workers’ Compensation - PHI may be disclosed as permitted or required to comply with applicable workers’ compensation laws.

Research - PHI may be used or disclosed for research only when the requirements of applicable privacy law have been satisfied.

Specialized Government Functions - PHI may be disclosed for certain legally authorized government activities, such as military, national-security, or protective-service functions.

Uses and Disclosures Requiring Your Authorization 

Except where otherwise permitted or required by law, the Practice will obtain your written authorization before using or disclosing your PHI for purposes not described in this Notice. You may revoke an authorization in writing at any time, except to the extent that the Practice has already acted in reliance on the authorization or as otherwise limited by law.

Psychotherapy Notes - If the Practice creates or maintains psychotherapy notes as that term is specifically defined under HIPAA, most uses or disclosures of those notes require your written authorization. 

Marketing - The Practice will obtain your written authorization before using or disclosing PHI for marketing purposes when HIPAA requires authorization. The Practice does not sell your PHI.

Other Uses - Other uses and disclosures not described in this Notice will be made only with your authorization unless otherwise permitted or required by law.

Family Members, Friends, and Others Involved in Your Care - When permitted by law, you may tell the Practice whether you want certain information shared with a family member, friend, caregiver, or other person involved in your care or payment for your care. When you are available and able to make decisions, the Practice will generally follow your expressed preferences. If you are unavailable or unable to communicate your wishes, limited information may be disclosed when permitted by law and when the therapist determines that the disclosure is appropriate under the circumstances.

Substance Use Disorder Records Protected by 42 CFR Part 2 - Certain substance use disorder treatment records may receive additional confidentiality protection under federal law, including 42 CFR Part 2. To the extent that the Practice receives, creates, or maintains records that are subject to Part 2, those records will be used and disclosed in accordance with the additional protections applicable to them. Part 2 records generally may not be used or disclosed in civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative investigations or proceedings against you unless the requirements of Part 2 are satisfied, which may include your written consent or appropriate legal process.

Your Rights Regarding Your Health Information

Right to Access Your Records

You have the right to inspect or obtain an electronic or paper copy of PHI maintained in records to which HIPAA provides a right of access. Certain information may be excluded from the HIPAA right of access, including psychotherapy notes as defined by HIPAA and other information excluded by law. The Practice will respond within the time required by law and may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee when permitted. Requests may be submitted directly to the Practice or through SimplePractice or Headway in accordance with the Practice’s procedures.

Right to Request an Amendment

If you believe that PHI maintained about you is incorrect or incomplete, you may ask the Practice to amend the information. The Practice may deny the request in circumstances permitted by law. If a request is denied, you will receive an explanation as required by applicable law.

Right to Request Confidential Communications

You may ask the Practice to communicate with you in a particular way or at a particular location. For example, you may request that communications be sent through a particular telephone number, email address, mailing address, or approved secure communication method. The Practice will accommodate reasonable requests as required by law.

Right to Request Restrictions

You may ask the Practice not to use or disclose certain PHI for treatment, payment, or health care operations. The Practice is generally not required to agree to all requested restrictions. If the Practice agrees to a restriction, it will follow that restriction except where disclosure is otherwise permitted or required by law.

Right to Restrict Certain Disclosures to a Health Plan When You Pay in Full

If you pay out of pocket in full for a health care service, you may request that the Practice not disclose PHI relating solely to that service to your health plan for payment or health care operations. When HIPAA requires the Practice to honor that request, the Practice will do so. 

Right to an Accounting of Certain Disclosures

You may request an accounting of certain disclosures the Practice has made of your PHI during the period permitted by law. An accounting generally does not include every disclosure, such as certain disclosures for treatment, payment, health care operations, or disclosures you specifically authorized. The Practice will provide an accounting in accordance with HIPAA and may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee for additional accountings when permitted by law.

Right to a Paper or Electronic Copy of This Notice

You may request a copy of this Notice at any time, even if you previously received it electronically.

Right to Choose a Personal Representative

If another person has legal authority to act on your behalf regarding health care or health information, that person may exercise applicable privacy rights for you. The Practice may request documentation establishing that person’s authority before acting on the request.

Right to Breach Notification

You have the right to be notified as required by law if a breach of unsecured PHI occurs that compromises the privacy or security of your information.

Florida Mental Health Confidentiality Protections

HIPAA establishes federal privacy protections, but other laws may provide additional or more protective confidentiality requirements. Because the Practice provides mental health counseling services in Florida, certain records and communications may also be protected under applicable Florida law, including Florida law governing confidentiality and privileged communications for Chapter 491 professionals. When Florida law provides greater privacy protection than HIPAA and applies to the information or disclosure at issue, the more protective requirement may apply.

Our Responsibilities

The Practice is required to:

• maintain the privacy and security of PHI as required by law; 

• follow the privacy practices described in the Notice currently in effect; 

• provide you with a copy of this Notice upon request; 

• provide you with access to applicable rights described in this Notice; and 

• notify you of certain breaches of unsecured PHI as required by law. 

The Practice will not use or disclose your information in a manner not described in this Notice unless you provide authorization or the use or disclosure is otherwise permitted or required by law.

Changes to This Notice

The Practice may change the terms of this Notice and may make the revised Notice effective for PHI already maintained by the Practice as well as information received in the future, as permitted by law. If the Notice is materially revised, the current version will be made available through the Practice’s applicable electronic platform, website, upon request, or through another method required by law.

Questions or Complaints

If you have questions about this Notice, want to exercise a privacy right, or believe your privacy rights have been violated, contact:

Privacy Contact: Ermanette Diaz, LMHC
Irmae Therapy, PLLC
Mailing Address: 950-23 Blanding Blvd, #131, Orange Park, Fl 32065
Phone:  1 (407) 279 -0504
Email/Secure Contact: Erma@Irmaetherapy.com

You may also file a complaint with the:

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights

You may obtain current information about filing a HIPAA complaint through the HHS Office for Civil Rights.

The Practice will not retaliate against you for filing a privacy complaint or exercising your rights.