Notice of Privacy Practices

Simply Better Counseling, LLC.
Effective Date: September 3rd, 2026

Your Information. Your Rights. Our Responsibilities.

This notice describes how health information about you may be used and disclosed, how you can access that information, and the rights you have regarding your privacy. Please review it carefully.

This Notice applies to Simply Better Counseling, LLC and services provided by Sarah Bognar, LMHC.

Your Rights

You have rights regarding the health information we maintain about you.

Get a copy of your health record

You may ask to see or receive an electronic or paper copy of your health record and other health information we maintain about you.

In most cases, we will provide access within the time required by law. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee where permitted.

Ask us to correct your record

If you believe information in your health record is incorrect or incomplete, you may ask us to amend it.

We may deny certain requests, but if we do, we will explain the reason in writing as required by law.

Request confidential communications

You may ask us to contact you in a specific way or at a particular location, such as using a particular phone number or email address.

We will accommodate reasonable requests.

Ask us to limit what we use or disclose

You may ask us not to use or disclose certain health information for treatment, payment, or health care operations. We are not always required to agree to these requests.

If you pay for a service completely out of pocket, you may ask us not to disclose information about that service to your health insurer for payment or health care operations. We will honor that request unless disclosure is required by law.

Ask us to limit what we use or disclose

You may ask for a list of certain disclosures of your health information made during the six years before your request.

The accounting will not include every disclosure, such as many disclosures made for treatment, payment, or health care operations. One accounting during a 12-month period will generally be provided without charge.

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 another person has legal authority to act on your behalf, such as a legal guardian or health care agent where applicable, that person may exercise your privacy rights.

We may verify that person’s authority before acting on a request.

File a complaint

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may contact Simply Better Counseling using the information at the end of this Notice.

You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights.

We will not retaliate against you for filing a privacy complaint.

Your Choices

In certain circumstances, you may tell us how you would like your health information to be used or shared.

For example, where permitted by law, you may tell us whether we may share relevant information with a family member, close friend, or another person involved in your care.

If you are unable to communicate your wishes, we may make limited disclosures when permitted by law and when necessary to protect your interests or address a serious safety concern.

Uses Requiring Your Authorization

For uses and disclosures not otherwise permitted by law, we will obtain your written authorization.

Your authorization is generally required for:

Most uses and disclosures of psychotherapy notes
Marketing activities requiring authorization
The sale of protected health information
Other uses or disclosures not otherwise permitted by HIPAA or applicable law

Simply Better Counseling does not sell protected health information.

If you provide written authorization, you may generally revoke it in writing at any time, except to the extent that we have already acted in reliance on it.

How We Typically Use or Share Your Information

Treatment

We may use your health information to provide counseling and, when permitted, share relevant information with other health care professionals involved in your treatment.

Payment

We may use or disclose health information as necessary to obtain payment for services, including communicating with an insurance company about eligibility, claims, benefits, or reimbursement.

Health Care Operations

We may use or disclose health information as needed to operate the practice, manage services, conduct quality or compliance activities, communicate with you, and carry out other activities permitted under HIPAA.

Treatment, payment, and health care operations are among the primary uses permitted under HIPAA without a separate authorization.

Other Uses and Disclosures

We may use or disclose health information without your authorization when permitted or required by law.

Depending on the circumstances, this may include disclosures related to:

Suspected abuse or neglect
Serious threats to health or safety
Public health activities
Health oversight activities
Workers’ compensation
Certain law-enforcement activities
Judicial or administrative proceedings
Other situations required or specifically permitted by law

A request for information does not automatically mean that we are permitted to disclose it. Mental health information can receive protections beyond those that apply to ordinary medical information.

Massachusetts Mental Health Confidentiality

Massachusetts provides heightened confidentiality protections for communications between licensed mental health counselors and their clients.

Massachusetts law generally considers communications between an allied mental health professional and a client confidential and recognizes a privilege protecting communications relating to diagnosis and treatment, subject to specific legal exceptions.

Massachusetts regulations also require LMHCs to inform clients in writing about confidentiality and its legal limits and generally prohibit communication about a client to others without the client’s express written consent unless an applicable legal exception permits or requires disclosure.

When Massachusetts law provides greater privacy protection than HIPAA, Simply Better Counseling will follow the more protective requirement where applicable.

Examples of circumstances in which confidentiality may be limited include situations involving certain threats of serious harm, suspected child abuse or neglect, specific legal proceedings, or other disclosures required or authorized by law.

Psychotherapy Notes

HIPAA gives additional protection to psychotherapy notes, as specifically defined by federal law.

Most uses and disclosures of psychotherapy notes require your written authorization unless a specific legal exception applies.

Substance Use Disorder Records

Certain substance use disorder treatment records may receive additional protection under 42 CFR Part 2.

If Simply Better Counseling receives or maintains records that are protected by Part 2, those records will be handled in accordance with the additional confidentiality requirements that apply to them.

HIPAA-covered providers that create or maintain Part 2 records are now required to address those protections in their Notice of Privacy Practices.

Simply Better Counseling is not representing itself as a federally assisted Part 2 substance use disorder treatment program by including this information.

Minor Clients

Privacy rights involving minors depend on the client’s age, the type of treatment, who has legal authority to consent to treatment, and applicable Massachusetts and federal law.

A parent or legal guardian will often act as a minor client’s personal representative. However, there are circumstances in which a minor may have privacy or consent rights that limit a parent or guardian’s access to particular information.

For adolescent clients, confidentiality, parental involvement, access to records, and the limits of privacy will be discussed as part of informed consent.

Electronic Communications and Telehealth

Simply Better Counseling provides services through telehealth and may communicate with clients electronically.

We take reasonable steps to protect health information transmitted or maintained electronically and use appropriate secure systems where required.

Ordinary email or text messaging may not be appropriate for detailed or highly sensitive clinical information. Current clients should use the secure communication methods provided by the practice whenever appropriate.

Our Responsibilities

Simply Better Counseling is required by law to:

Maintain the privacy and security of protected health information
Follow the privacy practices described in the current version of this Notice
Provide you with a copy of this Notice
Notify you as required by law if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your information
Refrain from using or disclosing information in ways not described in this Notice unless you authorize us or the law permits or requires the use or disclosure

These responsibilities are part of the HIPAA Notice requirements.

Changes to This Notice

We may change the terms of this Notice.

Any revised Notice may apply to health information we already maintain as well as information received in the future.

When a material change is made, the updated Notice will be made available on our website and upon request.

Questions or Privacy Complaints

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

Sarah Bognar, LMHC
Simply Better Counseling, LLC
Email: sarah@simplybettercounseling.com
Phone: (413) 604-4496
Mailing Address: 82 Wendell Ave, Suite 100, Pittsfield, MA 01201

You may also file a complaint with:

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Office for Civil Rights
200 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20201
Phone: 1-877-696-6775

Simply Better Counseling will not retaliate against you for exercising your privacy rights or filing a complaint.

Simply Better Counseling is a telehealth practice and does not provide emergency or crisis services. If you are experiencing a mental health emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. For immediate crisis support, call or text 988, or text HOME to 741741.