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Catoosa Behavioral Health and Wellness Clinic, LLC

NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES

Effective Date: February 16, 2026

This notice describes how medical information about you may be used and disclosed, how we safeguard Substance Use Disorder (SUD) treatment records, and how you can get access to this information. Please review it carefully.

Our Pledge Regarding Your Health Information

We are committed to protecting the privacy of your "protected health information" (PHI). This includes information that identifies you and relates to your past, present, or future physical or mental health condition. Where laws (such as federal rules for SUD treatment or Georgia state laws) provide stricter privacy protections than HIPAA, we follow those stricter requirements.

How We May Use and Disclose Your Health Information

1. For Treatment – We may use your health information to provide, coordinate, or manage your healthcare treatment. For example, your doctor may share information with a specialist or a therapist within our clinic to coordinate your care plan.

2. For Payment – We may use and disclose your information so that the treatment and services you receive can be billed to and payment collected from you, an insurance company, or a third party. For example, we may need to give your health plan information about a wellness checkup so they will pay us or reimburse you.

3. For Healthcare Operations – We may use your information to run the clinic and ensure all patients receive quality care. This includes quality assessment, staff reviews, and training programs.

4. Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Records – If you receive SUD treatment, federal law (42 CFR Part 2) provides additional protections. We will obtain your written consent before disclosing SUD information for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations, except in specific cases such as:

  • Medical Emergencies: To provide necessary treatment when you cannot give consent.

  • Crimes on Premises: Reporting a crime committed at the clinic or against staff.

  • Child Abuse: Reporting suspected child abuse or neglect as required by law.

  • Court Order: Responding to a specific legal mandate that meets Part 2 requirements.

5. Appointment Reminders and Communications – We may use your information to contact you via mail, phone, email, or text message regarding appointments, lab results, or billing. Please note that unencrypted email or text messages carry a risk of being intercepted by third parties. Communications will never contain sensitive information such as your diagnosis or the results of your labs. You may be asked to follow a secure link where your Personally Identifiable Information (PII) is protected and requires login credentials to be accessed.

6. Individuals Involved in Your Care – We will not share your health information with family members, relatives, or close friends unless you have specifically authorized us to do so. We will obtain your affirmative consent (Opt-In) before sharing information that is relevant to that person's involvement in your care or payment for your care.

Special Situations (No Authorization Required)

We may disclose your health information without your specific permission in these cases:

  • As Required by Law: To comply with federal, state, or local laws.

  • Public Health Risks: To prevent or control disease, report births/deaths, or report child neglect.

  • Health Oversight: For audits, investigations, or inspections by government agencies.

  • Law Enforcement: In response to a court order, subpoena, or warrant.

  • Lawsuits/Disputes: In response to a lawful process during a judicial proceeding.

  • Workers' Compensation: For programs providing benefits for work-related injuries.

Your Rights Regarding Your Health Information

  • Right to Inspect and Copy: You have the right to obtain a copy of your clinical and billing records. We may charge a reasonable fee for copying and mailing.

  • Right to Amend: If you feel the information we have is incorrect or incomplete, you may request an amendment in writing.

  • Right to an Accounting of Disclosures: You may request a list of certain disclosures we have made of your information for purposes other than treatment, payment, or operations.

  • Right to Request Restrictions: You may request that we limit how we use or disclose your info. We are not required to agree, unless you pay for a service entirely out-of-pocket and ask us not to share that info with your insurer.

  • Right to Confidential Communications: You can ask that we contact you in a specific way (e.g., only at a work number or by mail to a P.O. Box).

  • Right to a Paper Copy: You may ask for a paper copy of this notice at any time.

Complaints

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with us or with the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. You will not be penalized for filing a complaint.

To file a complaint with the Clinic or to exercise your rights, contact:

Medical Director
Catoosa Behavioral Health and Wellness Clinic, LLC
102 RBC Drive
Ringgold, Georgia 30736

Phone: (706) 952-1043

Catoosa Behavioral Health and Wellness Clinic, LLC reserves the right to change this notice. We will post the current notice in our facility and on our website.