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Privacy Policy

HIPAA Compliance Statement

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This website is operated by The Mind Matters- Lindsey Smith, LCSW LLC, a HIPAA-covered entity. Our website is hosted on Wix under a signed Business Associate Agreement (BAA) with Wix, and PHI Protection is activated on our site. Information submitted through secure forms on this website is encrypted in transit and stored in a HIPAA-eligible environment in accordance with our agreement with Wix.

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We are committed to protecting the privacy and security of your health information in accordance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

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Information We Collect Through This Website
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When you submit our contact form, we collect the following information:

  • Full name

  • Email address

  • Phone number

  • Reason for seeking therapy

 

We collect only the minimum information necessary to respond to your inquiry. Please do not include detailed medical history, diagnoses, medications, or other sensitive health information in the contact form.

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This website is not intended for the transmission of ongoing protected health information. Clinical services and documentation are conducted through secure, HIPAA-compliant systems separate from this website.

 
How We Use Your Information
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Information submitted through this website is used solely to:

  • Respond to your inquiry about our therapy services

  • Schedule an initial consultation

  • Provide information about services we offer

 

We do not use your information for marketing, advertising, or any purpose unrelated to your care without your explicit written authorization.

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How We Protect Your Information
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We take the security of your information seriously. Our protective measures include:

  • SSL/TLS encryption (HTTPS) across all pages of this website

  • Wix PHI Protection activated — data is stored on HIPAA-compliant servers

  • A signed Business Associate Agreement (BAA) with Wix

  • Access to submitted information is restricted to authorized staff only

  • We make reasonable efforts to use third-party tools that support HIPAA compliance and, where applicable, maintain Business Associate Agreements.

  • Email communication is conducted through a HIPAA-compliant email provider with a signed Business Associate Agreement.

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Sharing of Your Information
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We do not sell, rent, or share your personal or health information with third parties, except in the following circumstances:

  • As required by law (e.g., court order, mandatory reporting obligations)

  • With other healthcare providers involved in your treatment, with your authorization

  • With our BAA-covered vendors who support the operation of this website and practice

 

We never share your information with advertisers or unaffiliated third parties for commercial purposes.

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Communication Methods

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We use secure, HIPAA-compliant platforms to communicate with clients, including Spruce Health for messaging and phone calls, and TherapyNotes for client portal messaging and clinical documentation.

These platforms are used to protect the privacy and security of your information and are covered by Business Associate Agreements (BAAs).

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In some cases, clients may choose to communicate via standard SMS (text messaging) or email. While we take reasonable precautions, these methods are not fully secure and may carry some risk to your privacy. By choosing to communicate through these methods, you acknowledge and accept these risks.

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We recommend using secure platforms whenever possible for the transmission of sensitive information.

 
Cookies & Analytics
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This website may use cookies to improve your browsing experience. We do not use advertising cookies or third-party tracking pixels on pages where health information may be submitted. Any analytics tools used on this site are configured to avoid collecting Protected Health Information (PHI).

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Your Rights Under HIPAA
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As a patient or prospective patient, you have the right to:

  • Access your health records and request copies

  • Request corrections to your health information

  • Request restrictions on how your information is used or shared

  • Receive an accounting of disclosures of your information

  • File a complaint if you believe your privacy rights have been violated

 

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us directly using the information below. You also have the right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) at www.hhs.gov/hipaa without fear of retaliation.

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Data Breach Notification
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In the unlikely event of a data breach involving your Protected Health Information, The Mind Matters- Lindsey Smith, LCSW LLC will notify you as required under the HIPAA Breach Notification Rule, including the nature of the breach, the information involved, and steps we are taking to address it.

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Contact Us
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If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how your information is handled, please contact: Lindsey Smith, LCSW at 815-522-1582

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This policy was last reviewed on 4/17/26. We reserve the right to update this policy. Material changes will be posted on this page.

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