Notice of Privacy Practices
Effective Date: October 8, 2026
Privacy Contact: Danielle Guido, LCSW
Email: sfts.careteam@gmail.com
Phone: (561) 320-2484
THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED, AND HOW YOU CAN ACCESS THAT INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.
1. Purpose
South Florida Therapeutic Services, LLC (“the Practice”) and Danielle Guido, LCSW (“the Therapist”) are committed to protecting the privacy and security of your protected health information (PHI).
This Notice explains:
How your PHI may be used or disclosed
Your rights concerning your PHI
The Practice's responsibilities for protecting your information
How to file a complaint if you believe your privacy rights have been violated
The Practice is required by law to protect your PHI, provide this Notice, notify affected individuals following a breach of unsecured PHI as required by law, and follow the terms of the Notice currently in effect.
2. How PHI May Be Used or Disclosed
The Practice may use or disclose PHI without your written authorization for purposes permitted by law, including:
Treatment: Providing psychotherapy, coordinating care, consulting with other treating professionals, and making referrals.
Payment: Billing, processing insurance claims, and collecting payment for services.
Healthcare Operations: Practice administration, quality improvement, professional consultation, and other permitted operational activities.
Other uses or disclosures may be permitted or required in specific circumstances, subject to applicable legal conditions, including:
Reporting suspected abuse or neglect when required or permitted by law
Preventing or reducing a serious threat to health or safety
Public health and health oversight activities
Responding to legally valid court orders, subpoenas, or other legal processes
Certain law enforcement or government requests
Workers' compensation matters
Other disclosures required by applicable law
These disclosures are not automatic. Applicable legal requirements and limitations must be satisfied.
Your choices: In certain circumstances, you may tell the Practice whether information may be shared with family members, close friends, or others involved in your care or payment for care. The Practice will consider your preferences as required by law.
Uses requiring authorization: Uses or disclosures not otherwise permitted or required by law generally require your written authorization. Most uses and disclosures of psychotherapy notes, uses of PHI for marketing, and sales of PHI require authorization, subject to applicable exceptions.
You may revoke an authorization in writing, except to the extent the Practice has already acted in reliance on it.
3. Psychotherapy Notes
Psychotherapy notes, as specifically defined under HIPAA, receive additional privacy protections and are maintained separately from the general clinical record when such notes are created.
Most uses or disclosures of psychotherapy notes require your written authorization.
HIPAA permits limited exceptions, including certain uses by the originating therapist for treatment, specified training or supervision activities, legal defense, and other narrowly defined circumstances permitted or required by law.
Not every therapy progress note qualifies as a HIPAA-defined psychotherapy note.
4. Marketing and Sale of PHI
The Practice does not sell protected health information.
The Practice does not use PHI for marketing purposes without any authorization required by law.
Uses and disclosures of PHI for marketing or sale that require written authorization will not occur without that authorization.
5. Telehealth and Electronic Communication
Telehealth sessions are part of your clinical treatment and are subject to applicable privacy and confidentiality protections.
Electronic communications, including email and text messaging, are primarily used for scheduling and administrative purposes.
The Practice takes reasonable steps to protect electronic communications, although ordinary email and text messaging may carry privacy risks.
Please do not use email or text messaging for emergencies. In an immediate emergency, call 911 or seek emergency assistance. In the United States, you may also call or text 988 for mental health crisis support.
6. Your Rights Regarding PHI
You have the following rights, subject to applicable legal requirements and exceptions:
Access your records: Request to inspect or obtain an electronic or paper copy of your health information. HIPAA provides special protections and access exceptions for psychotherapy notes.
Request corrections: Ask the Practice to amend information you believe is incorrect or incomplete. The Practice may deny certain requests as permitted by law and will explain applicable denials.
Request restrictions: Ask the Practice to limit certain uses or disclosures. The Practice is not always required to agree. However, when you pay in full out of pocket for a service, you generally have the right to restrict disclosure of that service to your health plan for payment or healthcare operations, unless disclosure is required by law.
Request confidential communications: Ask to be contacted through particular methods or at particular locations. Reasonable requests will be accommodated as required by law.
Receive an accounting of disclosures: Request an accounting of certain disclosures of your PHI, subject to applicable exceptions and time limits.
Obtain this Notice: Request a paper copy of this Notice even if you have received it electronically.
Choose a personal representative: Have an authorized personal representative exercise applicable rights on your behalf, subject to verification and legal requirements.
Receive breach notification: Be notified when required by law following a breach of unsecured PHI.
File a complaint: Raise concerns with the Practice or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services without retaliation.
To exercise these rights, contact the Practice using the information provided in Section 7.
7. Practice Responsibilities, Complaints, and Changes
Our Responsibilities
The Practice is required to maintain the privacy and security of PHI, comply with applicable privacy laws, and follow the terms of this Notice.
The Practice will not use or disclose PHI beyond what is permitted by law or authorized by you in writing.
Changes to This Notice
The Practice may revise this Notice and make the revised terms effective for PHI it maintains, as permitted by law.
Updated versions will be made available upon request and posted on the Practice's website.
Filing a Complaint
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may contact:
South Florida Therapeutic Services, LLC
Attn: Danielle Guido, LCSW
Email: sfts.careteam@gmail.com
Phone: (561) 320-2484
You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights:
https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/filing-a-complaint/index.html
You will not be retaliated against for filing a privacy complaint.