Notice of Privacy Practices

Effective Date: 10/12/2026
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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.

Seaside Psychiatry is committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of your protected health information (PHI). This notice explains our legal obligations, our privacy practices, and your rights regarding your health information under federal and applicable California law.

This notice applies to psychiatric evaluations, medication management, psychotherapy, telehealth services, care coordination, and other healthcare services provided by Seaside Psychiatry. This policy applies to how we use and disclose protected health information in connection with patient care. For information about how we use information collected through our public website, please review our separate Privacy Policy.
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1. Your Rights

When it comes to your health information, you have the following rights.

Get a copy of your medical record

• You may request an electronic or paper copy of your medical record and other health information we maintain about you.
• We generally provide access or a copy within 30 days of your request, as required by law. In certain circumstances, we may extend the response period as permitted by law.
• We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee when permitted by law.

Ask us to correct your medical record

• You may ask us to correct information you believe is inaccurate or incomplete.
• We may deny your request when permitted by law. If we do, we will explain the reason in writing and inform you of any applicable options.

Request confidential communications

• You may ask us to contact you in a specific way or at a particular location, such as a different telephone number, mailing address, or other appropriate communication method.
• We will accommodate reasonable requests as required by law.

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 healthcare operations.
• We are not required to agree to every request, except where the law requires us to honor it.
• If you pay for a service or healthcare item entirely out of pocket, you may request that we not disclose information about that service to your health plan for payment or healthcare operations. We must honor this request unless disclosure is otherwise required by law.

Get a list of certain disclosures

• You may request an accounting of certain disclosures of your health information for the six years preceding your request, subject to applicable exceptions.
• The accounting generally excludes disclosures for treatment, payment, and healthcare operations, as well as other disclosures excluded by law.

Get a copy of this notice

• You may request a paper copy of this notice at any time, even if you previously agreed to receive it electronically.

Choose someone to act for you

• If someone has legal authority to act on your behalf, such as a legally authorized personal representative, that person may exercise your rights to the extent permitted by law.
• We will verify the person's authority before acting on the request.
• Special rules may apply to minors and to certain mental health services that minors may legally consent to receive independently.

File a complaint

• You may contact Seaside Psychiatry if you believe your privacy rights have been violated.
• 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 complaint.

2. Your Choices

For certain health information, you may tell us your preferences about what we share. We will follow your instructions when required by law.

People involved in your care
We may disclose relevant information to a family member, caregiver, or another person involved in your care or payment for your care when permitted by law. When you have the opportunity to agree or object, we will respect your preferences as required by law.

If you are unable to express your preference, we may disclose limited information when permitted by law and, where applicable, when we determine that doing so is in your best interest.

Mental health information
Psychiatric and psychotherapy information receives protections under federal and California law. We will obtain authorization when required before disclosing information, subject to applicable legal exceptions.

Psychotherapy notes
Psychotherapy notes maintained separately from the rest of your medical record receive special protection under HIPAA. Most uses and disclosures of these notes require your written authorization, subject to limited exceptions under federal law.

Marketing and sale of information
We do not sell your protected health information. We do not use or disclose your protected health information for marketing purposes requiring your authorization without obtaining the required authorization.

3. How We May Use and Disclose Your Health Information

We may use and disclose your health information for the purposes described below, subject to applicable federal and California privacy laws.

Treatment
We may use your information to provide, coordinate, or manage your psychiatric care.

For example, we may review your medical history, document your treatment, prescribe medication, or communicate with another healthcare provider involved in your care when permitted by law.

Healthcare operations
We may use your information to operate and improve our practice, manage clinical and administrative activities, review the quality of care, train authorized personnel, and fulfill legal and regulatory responsibilities.

Payment
We may use your information to collect payment for services, maintain billing records, and manage payment-related matters.

Seaside Psychiatry is a private-pay practice. If you request a superbill or seek out-of-network reimbursement, the information you submit to your insurer may be subject to that insurer's privacy practices. We will disclose information to third parties for payment purposes only as permitted or required by applicable law.

Appointment and treatment communications
We may contact you regarding appointments, treatment, prescriptions, follow-up care, and practice operations using the contact methods you have provided, subject to applicable law and any reasonable confidential communication requests we have agreed to honor.

Routine communications, scheduling, and refill requests should be directed through the designated patient portal when appropriate.

Business associates and service providers
We may share information with service providers that perform functions on our behalf, such as electronic health record, billing, technology, or administrative services, when permitted by law. When required, these providers must agree to protect your information under applicable contractual and legal requirements.

Other healthcare providers
We may coordinate care with your primary care physician, therapist, specialist, or another healthcare professional when permitted by law. Certain disclosures may require your authorization or be subject to additional California confidentiality requirements.

Public health and safety
We may disclose information for certain public health activities, reporting requirements, and to prevent or reduce a serious threat to health or safety when permitted or required by law.

Abuse, neglect, and domestic violence
We may disclose information to appropriate authorities when required or authorized by law concerning suspected abuse, neglect, or domestic violence.

Legal requirements and oversight
We may use or disclose information when required by federal or state law, including certain public health, regulatory, health oversight, or other legally authorized activities.

Law enforcement and government requests
We may disclose information to law enforcement or government officials in circumstances permitted by law. We will apply the additional protections that govern confidential mental health information and any specially protected records.

Court proceedings
We may disclose information in response to a court order or other lawful process when permitted or required by applicable law. Additional legal protections may apply to psychiatric records, psychotherapy notes, and substance-use-disorder records.

Research
We may use or disclose information for research only when the applicable legal requirements are met, including any required authorization or other permitted legal basis.

Workers' compensation and other legally authorized purposes

We may disclose information for workers' compensation or similar programs when authorized or required by law.

4. Special Protections for Mental Health and Substance-Use-Disorder Records

Seaside Psychiatry provides psychiatric and mental health services. California law may impose additional confidentiality protections on mental health records beyond the general HIPAA requirements.

We will follow applicable requirements governing the confidentiality, use, and disclosure of psychiatric records, including requirements concerning patient authorization and legally permitted exceptions.

If we maintain substance-use-disorder patient records subject to federal confidentiality regulations under 42 CFR Part 2, those records receive additional protections. We will not use or disclose Part 2 records in civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative investigations or proceedings against the patient without the consent or court order and subpoena required by applicable law.

Additional restrictions may apply to psychotherapy notes, records relating to services to which a minor independently consented, and other specially protected information.

5. Our Responsibilities

Seaside Psychiatry is required by law to:

• Maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information.
• Provide you with this notice describing our legal duties and privacy practices.
• Follow the terms of the notice currently in effect.
• Notify you as required by law if a breach compromises the privacy or security of your protected health information.
• Use or disclose your information only as described in this notice, as otherwise permitted or required by law, or with your written authorization when required.

If you authorize a use or disclosure that requires your written authorization, you may revoke that authorization in writing, except to the extent we have already acted in reliance on it or other legal exceptions apply.

6. Privacy Considerations for Minors

Seaside Psychiatry provides care to children, adolescents, and adults.

Parents and legal guardians may have rights to access a minor's health information when authorized under applicable law. However, those rights are not absolute. California law recognizes circumstances in which a minor may consent to certain healthcare services independently, and additional confidentiality protections may apply to those services and their records.

We will determine access and disclosure rights based on the applicable law, the nature of the services, the minor's legal rights, and any relevant safety or legal considerations.

7. Telehealth and Electronic Communications

Seaside Psychiatry provides telehealth services to patients located in California, as applicable.

Electronic health information may be maintained or transmitted through our electronic health record, patient portal, and other authorized systems. We use appropriate safeguards designed to protect the confidentiality and security of information.

Electronic communications may carry privacy risks. Please use the designated patient portal for routine clinical communications when appropriate. Email should not be used for emergencies.

8. Changes to This Notice

We may change the terms of this notice, and the changes may apply to all protected health information we maintain, as permitted by law.

The current notice will be available upon request and on our website. If a material change requires an updated notice or other action, we will comply with applicable legal requirements.

9. Questions, Requests, and Complaints

If you have questions about this notice, wish to exercise your privacy rights, or believe your privacy rights have been violated, please contact us.

Seaside Psychiatry
Email: contact@seaside-psychiatry.com
Telephone: 858-225-6168
Mailing Address: 191 Calle Magdalena, Suite 200, Encinitas, California 92024
You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights:
Website: https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/filing-a-complaint/index.html
Telephone: 1-877-696-6775
Mail: Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20201.
Seaside Psychiatry will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

For more information about HIPAA privacy rights, visit: https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-individuals/notice-privacy-practices/index.html