Still Waters Counseling and Education Center

400 Office Park Drive, Suite 230

Mountain Brook, Alabama 35223

Hello@mystillwaters.org

205-825-1423

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Date Last Modified: February 25, 2026 

 

THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY. 

 

I. Our Legal Duty 

Still Waters Counseling and Education Center is required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information (PHI). We are also required to provide you with this Notice of Privacy Practices (NPP), which explains our legal duties and privacy practices regarding your PHI. 

We must follow the terms of this Notice currently in effect. We reserve the right to change the terms of this Notice at any time, and any changes will apply to all PHI we maintain. Updated versions of this Notice will be available upon request and posted on our website when applicable. 

 

II. Uses and Disclosures of PHI for Treatment, Payment, and Healthcare Operations 

We may use and disclose your protected health information without your written authorization for purposes of treatment, payment, and healthcare operations (TPO), as permitted by law. 

Treatment 

We may use and share PHI to provide, coordinate, or manage your mental health care. This includes communication among SWCEC therapists, supervisors, and consultants involved in your care. 

Payment 

We may use and disclose PHI to obtain payment for services provided, including billing insurance companies, processing claims, determining eligibility or coverage, and responding to payer requests. 

Healthcare Operations 

We may use and disclose PHI for practice operations, including quality assurance, professional supervision and consultation, training, compliance activities, business management, and administrative functions. Authorized administrative staff may access limited information as necessary for scheduling, billing, documentation, and operational support. 

All uses and disclosures under this section are limited to the minimum necessary information and are subject to HIPAA confidentiality standards. 

 

III. Special Protections for Substance Use Disorder Records 

If you receive treatment for a Substance Use Disorder (SUD), your records may be protected under federal law, specifically 42 C.F.R. Part 2, in addition to HIPAA. 

Part 2 provides additional confidentiality protections. In general, we may not disclose information that identifies you as receiving SUD diagnosis, treatment, or referral without your specific written authorization, except in limited circumstances permitted by law, including: 

• Medical emergencies 
• Reporting suspected child abuse or neglect 
• Reporting crimes committed on program premises 
• Certain public health and safety requirements 

Federal law also restricts the use or disclosure of SUD records in civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative proceedings without your written consent or a court order that complies with Part 2 requirements. 

Federal law prohibits the recipient of substance use disorder information from using or disclosing this information in civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative proceedings against you unless based on your specific written consent or a court order permitted by 42 C.F.R. Part 2. 

Federal regulations also recognize a category called “SUD Counseling Notes,” similar to HIPAA psychotherapy notes. If maintained, these notes are kept separately from the general medical record and require specific authorization for disclosure. 

 

IV. Uses and Disclosures Requiring Written Authorization 

Any use or disclosure of your PHI not described in this Notice will be made only with your written authorization. You may revoke an authorization at any time in writing, except to the extent that action has already been taken in reliance on it. 

If your records include information protected under 42 C.F.R. Part 2, your authorization must specifically permit the disclosure of substance use disorder information. 

We will never sell your PHI or use it for marketing purposes without your explicit written authorization. 

 

V. Other Permitted or Required Disclosures Without Authorization 

Subject to certain limitations in the law, we may use or disclose your PHI without your written authorization in the following circumstances: 

• When required by state or federal law, and the disclosure complies with and is limited to the requirements of that law. 
• For public health and safety activities, including reporting suspected child abuse, elder abuse, or abuse of a dependent adult, or to prevent or reduce a serious threat to anyone’s health or safety. 
• For health oversight activities, including audits, investigations, inspections, or licensing actions conducted by authorized government agencies. 
• For judicial and administrative proceedings, including responding to a court order, legally enforceable subpoena, or other lawful process, consistent with applicable federal and state law. 
• For law enforcement purposes, such as reporting a crime on our premises or responding to lawful requests, as required by law. 
• To coroners or medical examiners, for the purpose of identifying a deceased person or determining the cause of death. 
• For specialized government functions, including military, national security, or protective services activities, as required by law. 
• For workers’ compensation purposes, when your mental health information is legally relevant to a workers’ compensation claim, strictly in compliance with Alabama law and limited to the minimum necessary information. 
• For appointment reminders and health-related benefits or services as part of our healthcare operations. 

 

VI. Your Rights Regarding Your Protected Health Information 

You have the following rights with respect to your PHI: 

• Right to Access: You may request to inspect or obtain a copy of your PHI, subject to limited exceptions. 
• Right to Request Amendment: You may request corrections or amendments to your PHI if you believe it is incorrect or incomplete. 
• Right to an Accounting of Disclosures: You may request a list of certain disclosures of your PHI made by us. 
• Right to Request Restrictions: You may request restrictions on certain uses or disclosures of your PHI. While we are not required to agree to all requested restrictions, we will consider each request carefully and comply when required by law. 
• Right to Request Confidential Communications: You may request that we communicate with you in a specific way or at a specific location. 
• Right to Receive a Paper Copy: You may request a paper copy of this Notice at any time, even if you have received it electronically. 

 

VII. Complaints 

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with Still Waters Counseling and Education Center or with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Filing a complaint will not affect your care or result in retaliation. 

To file a complaint with SWCEC, contact: 

Privacy Officer – Beverly Ward 
Still Waters Counseling and Education Center 
Admin@MyStillWaters.org 
(205) 825-1423 

 

 

VII. Acknowledgment of Receipt 

I acknowledge that I have received a copy of the Notice of Privacy Practices for Still Waters Counseling and Education Center. I understand that this acknowledgment confirms receipt of this Notice, not agreement with its terms.