Privacy Policy
NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES
Vine & Branch Counseling
Katie Graham, M.Ed., LPC
Licensed Professional Counselor, Texas
Effective Date: August 16, 2026
THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW HEALTH INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED, HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION, AND YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING YOUR HEALTH INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.
If you have questions about this Notice or your privacy rights, please contact:
Katie Graham, M.Ed., LPC
Vine & Branch Counseling
Phone: (430) 207-1067
Email: katie@vine-and-branch-counseling.com
Your Rights
You have rights regarding your protected health information. These rights may be subject to certain legal limitations.
Get an Electronic or Paper Copy of Your Health Record
You may ask to inspect or receive an electronic or paper copy of health information maintained about you.
Vine & Branch Counseling will generally provide access or a copy within the time required by law. A reasonable, cost-based fee may be charged when permitted by law.
Access to certain information, including psychotherapy notes as defined by HIPAA, may be subject to additional restrictions.
Ask Us to Correct Your Health Record
You may ask Vine & Branch Counseling to correct health information that you believe is incorrect or incomplete.
Your request may be denied in certain circumstances permitted by law. If your request is denied, you will be provided information regarding the denial and any rights you may have to submit a statement of disagreement.
Request Confidential Communications
You may ask Vine & Branch Counseling to contact you in a specific way or at a specific location. For example, you may request that communication occur through a particular telephone number or email address.
Reasonable requests will be accommodated as required by law.
Ask Us to Limit What We Use or Share
You may ask Vine & Branch Counseling not to use or disclose certain health information for treatment, payment, or health care operations.
Vine & Branch Counseling is generally not required to agree to all requested restrictions. However, when you pay for a health care service or item in full out of pocket and ask that information concerning that service or item not be disclosed to your health plan for payment or health care operations, Vine & Branch Counseling will honor that request when required by law.
Get a List of Certain Disclosures
You may request an accounting of certain disclosures of your health information.
The accounting generally identifies certain disclosures made during the applicable period, to whom the information was disclosed, and the reason for the disclosure. Some disclosures, including certain disclosures for treatment, payment, or health care operations, may not be included as permitted by law.
Get a Copy of This Notice
You may request a paper or electronic copy of this Notice at any time, even if you previously agreed to receive it electronically.
Choose Someone to Act for You
If you have given another person legal authority to act on your behalf, such as through a medical power of attorney or legal guardianship, that person may exercise your privacy rights as permitted by law.
Vine & Branch Counseling may verify the person's authority before taking action.
File a Complaint
You may file a complaint if you believe your privacy rights have been violated.
You may contact:
Vine & Branch Counseling
Katie Graham, M.Ed., LPC
Email: katie@vine-and-branch-counseling.com
You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights.
Vine & Branch Counseling will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.
Your Choices
For certain health information, you may tell Vine & Branch Counseling your preferences regarding what information is shared.
When permitted by law and applicable to your circumstances, you may provide instructions regarding sharing information with family members, friends, or others involved in your care or payment for your care.
If you are unable to communicate your preference, information may be disclosed when legally permitted and when the disclosure is determined to be in your best interest or necessary to lessen a serious and imminent threat to health or safety.
Marketing and Sale of Information
Vine & Branch Counseling does not sell your protected health information.
Your authorization will be obtained before protected health information is used or disclosed for purposes requiring authorization under HIPAA, including certain marketing activities and the sale of protected health information.
Psychotherapy Notes
Most uses and disclosures of psychotherapy notes, as specifically defined by HIPAA, require your written authorization unless an exception under applicable law permits the use or disclosure.
How We May Use and Disclose Your Health Information
Vine & Branch Counseling may use or disclose your protected health information as permitted or required by federal and Texas law. Because mental-health information may receive additional protection under Texas law, some disclosures that HIPAA would otherwise permit may be subject to additional restrictions.
Treatment
Health information may be used and disclosed as legally permitted to provide, coordinate, or manage your treatment and care.
Payment
Health information may be used and disclosed as legally permitted for payment-related activities, including collecting payment for services and providing documentation requested by you for possible reimbursement.
Vine & Branch Counseling is a private-pay practice and does not bill health insurance directly.
Health Care Operations
Health information may be used and disclosed as legally permitted for health care operations, such as practice administration, quality assessment and improvement, compliance activities, and other activities necessary to operate the practice.
When Required or Permitted by Law
Health information may be used or disclosed when required or permitted by applicable law. Examples may include:
Reporting suspected abuse or neglect as required by law;
Reporting suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation of an elderly or disabled person as required by law;
Responding to serious and imminent threats to health or safety when disclosure is legally permitted;
Responding to certain judicial, administrative, or legal proceedings;
Complying with lawful government oversight or regulatory activities;
Certain public-health activities;
Certain law-enforcement purposes when legally authorized;
Workers' compensation matters when applicable and legally authorized; and
Other circumstances in which disclosure is required or expressly permitted by applicable law.
Texas law provides additional confidentiality protections for mental-health communications and records. Vine & Branch Counseling will not disclose confidential mental-health information except as authorized or required by applicable Texas and federal law.
Business Associates
Vine & Branch Counseling may use outside individuals or companies to perform services that involve protected health information, such as electronic health-record, payment-processing, technology, or other administrative services.
When required by HIPAA, these business associates must appropriately safeguard protected health information and may use or disclose it only as permitted by law and applicable agreements.
Other Uses and Disclosures
Uses or disclosures of protected health information not described in this Notice will be made only with your written authorization when authorization is required.
If you provide written authorization, you may revoke that authorization in writing at any time, except to the extent Vine & Branch Counseling has already acted in reliance on it or as otherwise provided by law.
Our Responsibilities
Vine & Branch Counseling is required by law to:
Maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information;
Follow the duties and privacy practices described in the Notice currently in effect;
Provide you with this Notice describing legal duties and privacy practices;
Notify you following a breach of unsecured protected health information when notification is required by law; and
Refrain from retaliating against you for exercising your privacy rights or filing a complaint.
Vine & Branch Counseling will not use or disclose your protected health information other than as described in this Notice unless you provide written authorization or the use or disclosure is otherwise permitted or required by law.
Changes to This Notice
Vine & Branch Counseling may change the terms of this Notice and its privacy practices.
Changes may apply to health information already maintained by the practice as well as information received or created in the future.
When this Notice is materially revised, the updated Notice will be made available as required by law. The current Notice will be available upon request and through Vine & Branch Counseling's website.
Questions or Additional Information
For questions about this Notice, your privacy rights, or Vine & Branch Counseling's privacy practices, contact:
Katie Graham, M.Ed., LPC
Vine & Branch Counseling
Phone: (430) 207-1067
Email: katie@vine-and-branch-counseling.com