Federal law governs mental health providers. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) has created client protections surrounding the use of protected health information. Commonly referred to as the "medical records privacy law," HIPAA provides client protections related to the electronic transmission of data ("the transaction rules"), the keeping and use of client records ("privacy rules"), and storage and access to health care records ("the security rules"). HIPAA applies to all health care providers, and providers and health care agencies are required to provide clients a notification of their privacy rights as it relates to their health care records.

At Pastoral Counseling Center of St. Mary's, Inc. clients are informed of privacy rights by counselors in their initial session. The HIPPA Privacy Rights are posted in the waiting area and clients may request a copy for their personal files. In mental health care, confidentiality and privacy are central to the success of the therapeutic relationship and we do all we can to protect the privacy of your mental health records. If you have any questions about any of the matters discussed in this document, please do not hesitate to ask our Privacy Officer for further clarification.