Effective Date: October 10, 2026
Provider and Privacy Contact: Alessandra Alvarez
Business Mailing Address: 1065 SW 8 Street #2228, Miami, Florida 33130
Phone: 786-383-3674
Fax: (417) 265-2730
Email: hello@stillbecomingmentalhealth.com
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.
Still Becoming Mental Health collects, creates, and maintains health information needed to provide care. This includes information about your physical and mental health, treatment, and payment for services.
We are required by law to maintain the privacy of your protected health information, provide you with this notice, and follow the terms of the notice currently in effect. We will notify you as required by law if a breach of your unsecured protected health information occurs.
The uses and disclosures described in this notice are subject to applicable federal and state law. When applicable law provides greater privacy protection, we follow that protection.
We may use and disclose health information to provide, coordinate, or manage your treatment. For example, we may communicate with another treating clinician or a pharmacy about your medications or care, subject to applicable confidentiality requirements.
We may use and disclose information to verify insurance eligibility, submit claims, obtain payment, and address billing questions. For example, we may provide your insurer with information needed to process a claim for your appointment.
We may use and disclose information to manage the practice, evaluate and improve care, review performance, and respond to complaints.
We may share information with service providers that support electronic records, telehealth, billing, or other practice functions when permitted by law and with required privacy protections. These providers may include Alma and other vendors used by the practice.
We may contact you about appointments, treatment alternatives, or other health-related services. You may request a different communication method or location.
When permitted by law, we may share information relevant to your care or payment with a family member, friend, or another person involved in those activities.
When you are available and able to make decisions, we will provide an opportunity to agree or object. If you are unavailable or unable to express your wishes, we may share relevant information based on professional judgment and your best interests.
Subject to applicable legal conditions and additional confidentiality protections, we may use or disclose information:
A request for records does not, by itself, authorize disclosure. We must meet applicable legal requirements before releasing information.
Limited incidental disclosures may occur in connection with otherwise permitted activities despite reasonable safeguards.
Certain information receives additional protection under federal or state law. This may include HIV-related information, genetic information, mental health records, and certain substance-use-disorder treatment records.
Most uses and disclosures of psychotherapy notes require your written authorization, except in limited circumstances permitted by law.
"Psychotherapy notes" has a specific legal meaning. These are separately maintained notes documenting or analyzing counseling conversations. They are distinct from routine clinical records, such as diagnoses, medication information, treatment plans, symptoms, and progress summaries.
If we hold substance-use-disorder records protected by 42 CFR Part 2, those records receive additional safeguards.
We may not use or disclose those records, or testimony describing their contents, in civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative investigations or proceedings against you without your written consent or a qualifying court order and subpoena, as required by law.
We follow applicable Florida and New York confidentiality laws when they provide greater protection than federal law.
In Florida, patient records are confidential. Disclosures require your authorization unless a specific legal exception applies, such as certain treatment-related disclosures or disclosures required by law.
In New York, confidential HIV-related information generally requires a specific written release unless a statutory exception applies. Mental health records covered by New York's Mental Hygiene Law receive additional protections. Other specially protected information, including certain genetic information, is handled according to applicable law.
We apply these protections before releasing information. A general permission under HIPAA does not override a more protective applicable law.
For patients under age 18, consent, parent or guardian access, and confidentiality depend on applicable law and the circumstances of treatment.
A parent or guardian does not automatically have access to every record or communication. We will verify legal authority and apply relevant confidentiality protections and exceptions.
Uses and disclosures not described in this notice or otherwise permitted by law require your written authorization.
Written authorization is required for most uses and disclosures of psychotherapy notes, marketing uses requiring authorization, and disclosures that constitute a sale of protected health information.
You may revoke an authorization in writing at any time. Revocation does not undo actions already taken in reliance on that authorization.
If we contact you for fundraising, you may opt out of further fundraising communications. Any fundraising use of Part 2-protected records must also satisfy applicable advance-notice and choice requirements.
You may request to inspect or receive a paper or electronic copy of health information maintained about you in records covered by the legal right of access.
Tell us which information you want and your preferred format. We will respond within applicable legal time limits.
Any permitted copying fee will comply with federal and state law. We will not automatically apply a flat per-page fee to all requests.
Certain information, including separately maintained psychotherapy notes, is excluded from the HIPAA right of access. If we deny access, we will explain the reason in writing and describe any available review rights.
You may request an amendment if you believe information in your record is incorrect or incomplete. Explain the requested change and why it is needed.
We may deny a request in circumstances permitted by law. If we do, we will explain the denial in writing and describe your right to submit a statement of disagreement.
You may request an accounting of certain disclosures made during the preceding six years.
The accounting generally excludes disclosures for treatment, payment, and health care operations; disclosures authorized by you; and other legally excluded disclosures.
The first accounting in a 12-month period is free. Before charging a reasonable fee for an additional accounting during that period, we will explain the fee and allow you to withdraw or modify your request.
You may ask us to limit certain uses or disclosures of your information, including disclosures to people involved in your care. We are not required to agree to every request.
If you pay for a health care item or service entirely out of pocket and request that information about that item or service not be disclosed to your health plan for payment or health care operations, we must honor the request unless disclosure is required by law.
You may ask us to contact you in a particular way or at a different location. For example, you may request that we use a particular phone number or mailing address.
We will accommodate reasonable requests.
You have the right to notification when a breach of your unsecured protected health information requires notice under applicable law.
You may request a paper copy of this notice at any time, even if you previously agreed to receive it electronically.
A legally authorized personal representative may exercise applicable rights on your behalf. We will verify that person's authority and apply any relevant legal exceptions.
To exercise your rights, ask a privacy question, or submit a privacy complaint, contact:
Alessandra Alvarez
Still Becoming Mental Health
1065 SW 8 Street #2228
Miami, Florida 33130
This is a virtual business mailing address. Patient care is provided exclusively through telehealth; appointments are not held at this location.
Phone: 786-383-3674
Fax: (417) 265-2730
Email: hello@stillbecomingmentalhealth.com
You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights by sending a letter to:
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Office for Civil Rights
200 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20201
Complaint instructions are available at:
https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/filing-a-complaint/index.html
We will not retaliate against you or penalize you for filing a complaint.
We may revise this notice as permitted by law. Revisions may apply to information we already maintain and information received in the future.
The revised notice will show its effective date and will be available upon request. We will make it available through the practice and post it on our practice website as required by law.
By electronically acknowledging this notice, I confirm that I received the Notice of Privacy Practices for Still Becoming Mental Health.
This acknowledgment confirms receipt. It does not authorize additional disclosures or waive my privacy rights.