Notice of Privacy Practices
Effective Date: August 28, 2026
The Interrelate Project, LLC
Sarah W. Hale, MA, MFT-LP
267 West 89th St., #3A, New York, NY 10024
917-853-6813
sarah@sarahwhale.com
This notice describes how health information about you may be used and disclosed, how you may access that information, and the rights you have regarding your protected health information. Please review it carefully.
Your Rights
You have certain rights concerning your health information.
Access your records
You may request to inspect or receive an electronic or paper copy of your medical record and other health information maintained about you.
In most circumstances, a copy or summary will be provided within 30 days. A reasonable, cost-based fee may apply. Certain information, including psychotherapy notes and information compiled for legal proceedings, may not be subject to this right of access.
Request a correction
If you believe information in your record is incorrect or incomplete, you may request that it be amended. Your request may be denied in certain circumstances, but you will ordinarily receive a written explanation within 60 days.
Request confidential communication
You may ask to be contacted in a particular way or at a particular location. For example, you may request that communications be sent to a specific email address, telephone number, or mailing address. Reasonable requests will be honored.
Request limits on uses or disclosures
You may ask that certain health information not be used or disclosed for treatment, payment, or health care operations. The Practice is not required to agree to every request.
If you pay for a service in full out of pocket, you may request that information about that service not be disclosed to your health plan for payment or health care operations. This request will be honored unless disclosure is required by law.
Receive an accounting of disclosures
You may request a list of certain disclosures of your health information made during the six years before your request. This accounting does not include every disclosure, such as disclosures made for treatment, payment, health care operations, or disclosures you authorized.
One accounting will be provided without charge during any 12-month period. A reasonable fee may apply to additional requests during that period.
Receive a copy of this notice
You may request a paper copy of this notice at any time, even if you previously agreed to receive it electronically.
Choose a personal representative
If another person has legal authority to act on your behalf, such as a legal guardian or an individual holding an applicable health care power of attorney, that person may exercise your rights after their authority has been verified.
File a complaint
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may contact:
Sarah W. Hale, Privacy Contact
917-853-6813
sarah@sarahwhale.com
You may also submit a complaint to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights:
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Office for Civil Rights
200 Independence Avenue SW
Washington, DC 20201
1-877-696-6775
https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/filing-a-complaint
You will not be retaliated against for filing a complaint.
Your Choices
In certain circumstances, you may tell the Practice how you would like your information shared. These circumstances may include:
Sharing relevant information with family members, close friends, or others involved in your care or payment for your care
Sharing information in connection with disaster-relief efforts
Communicating with someone when necessary to reduce a serious and imminent threat to health or safety
If you are unable to communicate your preferences, information may be shared when it is reasonably believed to be in your best interest or when necessary to address a serious and imminent safety concern.
Your written authorization will ordinarily be required before:
Your information is used for marketing
Your information is sold
Most psychotherapy notes are disclosed
Your information is used or disclosed for a purpose not otherwise described in this notice
The Practice does not sell protected health information.
If you provide written authorization, you may revoke it in writing at any time. Revocation will not affect uses or disclosures already made in reliance on your authorization.
How Your Information May Be Used or Disclosed
Treatment
Your information may be used and shared with other professionals involved in your care. When applicable, information may also be used or shared for clinical consultation or supervision in accordance with professional, ethical, and legal requirements.
Practice operations
Your information may be used to operate the Practice, coordinate services, improve the quality of care, maintain records, conduct administrative activities, and contact you regarding appointments or services.
Payment
Your information may be used to obtain payment for services. At your request, information may be included on a superbill that you can submit to your insurance company for possible out-of-network reimbursement.
Legal requirements
Information may be disclosed when required by federal, state, or local law. This may include disclosures to government agencies responsible for monitoring compliance with health care and privacy laws.
Public health and safety
Information may be disclosed when legally permitted or required for purposes such as:
Reporting suspected abuse, neglect, or domestic violence
Preventing or reducing a serious and imminent threat to someone’s health or safety
Reporting certain diseases or adverse events
Complying with public-health requirements
Health oversight
Information may be disclosed to health oversight agencies for legally authorized activities such as licensing, audits, inspections, investigations, and disciplinary proceedings.
Legal proceedings
Information may be disclosed in response to a valid court order, administrative order, subpoena, discovery request, or other lawful process. Additional protections applicable to mental health records and psychotherapy notes will be followed.
Law enforcement and government functions
Information may be disclosed when permitted or required for law-enforcement purposes, workers’ compensation matters, national-security activities, military functions, correctional institutions, or other government activities authorized by law.
Death and organ donation
Information may be shared with a coroner, medical examiner, funeral director, or organ-procurement organization when legally permitted or required.
Research
Health information may be used or disclosed for research only when the applicable legal and ethical requirements have been satisfied.
Additional Protections for Sensitive Information
Mental health records, psychotherapy notes, HIV-related information, genetic information, substance-use-disorder information, and other sensitive records may receive additional protection under federal or state law. When a law provides greater privacy protection than HIPAA, the Practice will follow the more protective requirement.
To the extent that the Practice maintains substance-use-disorder patient records governed by 42 C.F.R. Part 2, those records will not be used or disclosed in civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative proceedings against you without your written consent or a qualifying court order and subpoena, except as otherwise permitted by law.
The Practice’s Responsibilities
The Practice is required to:
Maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information
Follow the duties and privacy practices described in this notice
Provide you with a copy of this notice
Notify you if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your information
Refrain from using or disclosing your information except as described in this notice or as otherwise authorized or required by law
Changes to This Notice
The terms of this notice may be revised. Any revised notice may apply to health information already maintained as well as information received in the future.
The current notice will be available on this website and upon request.
Questions
For questions about this notice or the handling of your health information, contact:
Sarah W. Hale, Privacy Contact
917-853-6813
sarah@sarahwhale.com