Notice of Privacy Practices

The Balance Within Counseling
Elizabeth (Beth) Reece, LPC, CAADC, SAP

Effective Date

September 21, 2026

Privacy Officer

Beth Reece | 734-735-8385 | thebalancewithincounseling@gmail.com

Practice

41100 Plymouth Road, Suite B1-215, Plymouth, Michigan 48170
www.thebalancewithincounseling.com

THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW HEALTH INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED, HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION, AND SPECIAL CONFIDENTIALITY PROTECTIONS THAT MAY APPLY TO SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER RECORDS. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.

About This Notice

The Balance Within Counseling (the “Practice”) is committed to protecting the privacy and security of your health information. This Notice explains our legal duties, our privacy practices, and your rights concerning protected health information (“PHI”) that we create or maintain in connection with your care.

The Practice provides mental health and substance use disorder (“SUD”) assessment, diagnosis, treatment, counseling, and referral services. Certain SUD patient records may be protected by 42 CFR Part 2 (“Part 2”) in addition to HIPAA and Michigan law. When Part 2 or Michigan law provides greater privacy protection than HIPAA, the Practice will follow the more protective rule.

This Notice applies to services provided in person and by telehealth. It also applies to services provided to adults and minors, subject to the special rules that determine when a parent, guardian, or other personal representative may exercise privacy rights on behalf of another person.

Your Rights

When it comes to your health information, you have important rights. Ask the Privacy Officer if you have questions about how to exercise any of these rights.

Get an electronic or paper copy of your record

  • You may ask to see or receive an electronic or paper copy of the medical, counseling, and billing information in the Practice’s designated record set about you, as provided by applicable law.

  • We will usually provide a copy or summary within 30 days of your request. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee as permitted by applicable federal and Michigan law.

  • Federal law gives certain separately maintained psychotherapy notes and SUD counseling notes special protections. Access to particular records may also be limited when a lawful ground for denial applies. If we deny a request, we will explain the basis for the denial and any right to review the decision when applicable.

Ask us to correct or amend your record

  • You may ask us to correct health information that you believe is incorrect or incomplete. We may ask that your request be in writing and explain the reason for the requested amendment.

  • We may deny the request in circumstances allowed by law. If we do, we will explain the denial in writing, generally within 60 days, and tell you about any rights you have to submit a statement of disagreement.

Request confidential communications

  • You may ask us to contact you in a specific way, such as only at a particular telephone number or email address, or to send mail to a different address. We will agree to reasonable requests.

Ask us to limit what we use or share

  • 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, but if we do agree, we will follow the restriction except as otherwise permitted by law, including in an emergency.

  • If you pay in full out of pocket for a service, you may ask us not to disclose information about that service to your health plan for payment or health care operations. We will agree unless a law requires the disclosure.

  • You may ask us to limit disclosures to family members, friends, or others involved in your care. Additional restrictions apply to Part 2 records.

Get an accounting of certain disclosures

  • You may ask for a list of certain disclosures of your health information made during the six years before your request, including who received the information and why it was disclosed.

  • The accounting does not include every disclosure, such as many disclosures for treatment, payment, health care operations, or disclosures you specifically requested. One accounting in a 12-month period is free; a reasonable, cost-based fee may apply to additional requests.

  • Part 2 provides additional accounting rights for certain electronic disclosures. Those rights will be implemented according to the federal compliance dates that apply to them.

Get a copy of this Notice

  • You may ask for a paper copy of this Notice at any time, even if you agreed to receive it electronically. A current copy is also available from the Practice and on our website.

Choose someone to act for you

  • If someone has legal authority to act as your personal representative, such as a legal guardian or an individual holding appropriate health care authority, that person may exercise rights on your behalf.

  • For minors, whether a parent, guardian, or the minor controls particular privacy rights depends on the circumstances and applicable federal and Michigan law. We will verify legal authority before acting on a request.

Discuss this Notice or file a complaint

  • You may contact Beth Reece, Privacy Officer, at 734-735-8385 or thebalancewithincounseling@gmail.com with questions, concerns, or complaints about our privacy practices.

  • You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights, by calling 1-877-696-6775, writing to 200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20201, or using the complaint information available at www.hhs.gov/hipaa/filing-a-complaint/.

  • We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint or exercising a privacy right.

Your Choices About Certain Uses and Disclosures

For certain health information, you may tell us your preferences about what we share. When a choice is available, tell us what you want us to do and we will follow your instructions as required by law.

Family, friends, and others involved in your care

  • For general PHI, we may share information directly relevant to a family member’s, friend’s, or other person’s involvement in your care or payment for your care when HIPAA permits it and when doing so is consistent with Michigan confidentiality law.

  • If you are unable to tell us your preference, we may share information when permitted by law and when we determine that disclosure is in your best interest. Part 2 records will not be disclosed in this manner unless Part 2 permits the disclosure or you provide the required consent.

Marketing, sale of information, psychotherapy notes, and SUD counseling notes

  • We will obtain written authorization for uses and disclosures that require authorization under HIPAA, including most uses or disclosures of psychotherapy notes, marketing, and any sale of PHI.

  • We do not sell your health information.

  • Part 2 requires separate consent for the use or disclosure of SUD counseling notes that are maintained separately from the rest of the SUD treatment and medical record. A broad consent for treatment, payment, and health care operations does not authorize disclosure of those separately maintained SUD counseling notes.

  • We do not currently use PHI or Part 2 records for fundraising. If that changes, we will provide the notice and choice required by applicable law.

How We May Use and Disclose Your Health Information

HIPAA permits certain uses and disclosures of general PHI without your written authorization. Michigan law and Part 2 may impose greater limits on disclosure of counseling and SUD records. We will follow the law that provides the greater protection when it applies.

Treatment

  • We may use your health information to provide, coordinate, and manage your care.

  • When disclosure to another provider is permitted, we may share information relevant to your treatment. Michigan counselor-client confidentiality and Part 2 may require your consent before particular counseling or SUD information is disclosed.

Payment

  • We may use and disclose information as permitted by law to bill health plans, Medicaid programs, or other responsible payers and to obtain payment for services.

  • When consent is required by Michigan law or Part 2, we will obtain the appropriate consent before making the disclosure.

Health care operations

  • We may use and disclose information as permitted by law to operate the Practice, improve quality, conduct administrative functions, obtain professional services, and contact you about your care.

  • We may disclose information to business associates or qualified service organizations that perform services for us when appropriate agreements and safeguards are in place.

Appointment reminders and communications

  • We may contact you regarding appointments, scheduling, treatment, billing, or other matters related to your care using the communication methods you have provided or authorized, subject to your confidential communication preferences.

Public health, abuse and neglect, and safety

  • We may use or disclose information when permitted or required for public health activities, health oversight, or other purposes authorized by law.

  • Michigan law requires licensed professional counselors and other mandated reporters to report suspected child abuse or neglect as required by the Michigan Child Protection Law.

  • Michigan law also requires certain professionals, including counselors and other mental health providers, to report suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation of a vulnerable adult.

  • We may disclose information when permitted or required to prevent or lessen a serious threat to health or safety. Michigan law also creates specific duties when a patient communicates a threat of physical violence toward a reasonably identifiable third person and the statutory requirements are met.

  • When Part 2 applies, we will disclose only the information that Part 2 permits or requires in these circumstances.

Legal, law enforcement, oversight, and government requests

  • We may disclose information when required by federal or Michigan law, including to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for privacy-law compliance activities.

  • We may disclose information for health oversight activities, workers’ compensation matters, and certain law-enforcement or government functions when applicable law permits or requires the disclosure.

  • We may respond to a court or administrative order, subpoena, discovery request, or other legal process only to the extent permitted or required by HIPAA, Michigan counselor-client privilege and confidentiality law, Part 2 when applicable, and other governing law. A subpoena does not automatically authorize unrestricted disclosure of counseling records.

Research, organ donation, and decedents

  • We may use or disclose information for approved research when applicable legal requirements are satisfied.

  • We may share information with organ procurement organizations, coroners, medical examiners, or funeral directors when permitted or required by law.

Michigan Counselor-Client Confidentiality and Privilege

Michigan law recognizes confidential relations and communications between a licensed professional counselor and a client as privileged communications. The Practice will not disclose confidential counseling information without the client’s consent except when disclosure is otherwise permitted or required by law. This includes applicable mandatory reporting and safety duties, lawful disclosures authorized by the client, and other exceptions created by Michigan or federal law.

Special Protections for Substance Use Disorder Records - 42 CFR Part 2

When records are subject to 42 CFR Part 2, they receive additional federal confidentiality protections. These protections apply in addition to HIPAA and applicable Michigan law.

Consent for most Part 2 uses and disclosures

  • Part 2 generally requires your consent for most uses and disclosures that identify you as having or having had a substance use disorder, unless a specific Part 2 exception applies.

  • You may provide a single consent for future uses and disclosures of Part 2 records for treatment, payment, and health care operations. You may also provide more limited consent when appropriate.

  • If a Part 2 disclosure is made with your consent, the disclosure will include a copy of the consent or a clear explanation of the scope of the consent as required by law.

  • A separate consent is required for use or disclosure of separately maintained SUD counseling notes.

Uses and disclosures allowed without Part 2 consent

Part 2 permits certain limited uses and disclosures without patient consent when its requirements are satisfied. Examples may include:

  • communications within the Part 2 program and with qualified service organizations or contractors as permitted by Part 2;

  • bona fide medical emergencies;

  • certain de-identified public health disclosures;

  • certain research, audits, and evaluations;

  • reports of suspected child abuse or neglect as required by law;

  • reports of crimes or threats of crimes on program premises or against program personnel;

  • certain cause-of-death inquiries; and

  • disclosures authorized by a qualifying Part 2 court order and any additional legal process required by Part 2.

Legal proceedings and redisclosure of Part 2 records

  • Part 2 records and testimony describing those records generally may not be used or disclosed in a civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative investigation or proceeding against you unless you provide the specific written consent required by Part 2 or a qualifying Part 2 court order and subpoena (or similar legal mandate) authorizes the use or disclosure.

  • When you provide a qualifying consent for treatment, payment, and health care operations and a HIPAA-covered entity or business associate receives the Part 2 record, that recipient may redisclose the information as HIPAA permits, except that Part 2 restrictions on using the information in legal proceedings against you continue to apply.

  • Segregating or maintaining Part 2 information in a completely separate record system is not required by current federal law; however, the Practice will apply the required protections to Part 2 records wherever they are maintained.

Our Responsibilities

  • We are required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your PHI and, when applicable, your Part 2 records.

  • We will notify you as required by law if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your information.

  • We must follow the duties and privacy practices described in the Notice that is currently in effect.

  • We will not use or disclose your information other than as described in this Notice unless you give us written permission or another law permits or requires the use or disclosure. You may revoke an authorization or consent in writing as allowed by law, but revocation does not undo actions already taken in reliance on it.

  • Where Michigan law, HIPAA, Part 2, or another applicable law provides greater confidentiality protection, we will follow the more protective requirement.

Changes to This Notice

We may change the terms of this Notice, and the revised terms may apply to all information we maintain about you. When the Notice is revised, the current version will be available upon request, at our office, through the client portal as appropriate, and on our website at www.thebalancewithincounseling.com.

Privacy Contact

Beth Reece, Privacy Officer
The Balance Within Counseling
41100 Plymouth Road, Suite B1-215, Plymouth, Michigan 48170
734-735-8385 | thebalancewithincounseling@gmail.com
www.thebalancewithincounseling.com