Notice of Privacy Practices

1 Purpose

Apostolic Christian Counseling and Family Services (“ACCFS” or “We”) respect your privacy. We are also legally required to maintain the privacy of your protected health information (PHI) under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and other federal and state laws.

As part of our commitment and legal compliance, We are providing you with this Notice of Privacy Practices (Notice). This Notice describes:

• Our legal duties and privacy practices regarding your PHI, including our duty to notify you following a data breach of your unsecured PHI.
• Your rights regarding your PHI.
• Our permitted uses and disclosures of your PHI.

For information about our collection, use, and disclosure of personal information other than PHI please see our privacy policy at www.apostolicchristian.org/privacy-policy.

1.1 Contact

If you have any questions about this Notice, please contact [email protected].

1.2 PHI Defined

“PHI” means health information about you which someone may use to identify you and which We keep or transmit in electronic, oral or written form. It includes information such as your: (1) name; (2) contact information; (3) past, present, or future physical or mental health or medical conditions; (4) payment for health care products or services; or (5) prescriptions.

1.3 Scope

We create a record of the care and health services you receive, to provide your care, and to comply with certain legal requirements. This Notice applies to all the PHI that We generate, receive or maintain.

1.4 Changes to this Notice

We reserve the right to change the terms of this Notice at any time, as long as the changes are in compliance with applicable laws. If We change the terms of this Notice, the new terms will apply to all PHI that We maintain. We will post the new Notice on our website and will make the new Notice available upon request.  

1.5 How We Keep Your PHI Safe

The security of your PHI is very important to us and all the PHI you provide us is protected by strict security safeguards. We use administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to keep your PHI from unauthorized access, and other threats and hazards to its security and integrity. More specifically, We protect the confidentiality of your PHI in many ways including the following:

• Our databases are encrypted at both the volume layer (physical) as well as within the database columns themselves.
• Access to our databases is tightly controlled and is only allowed to a small subset of technical administrators.
• On a quarterly basis, access reviews are performed to certify staff roles are still appropriately assigned.
• Our employees are trained on an annual basis on how to maintain the privacy and security of your information.

If your unsecured PHI is disclosed to an unauthorized person, despite our security safeguards, We will notify you promptly if such disclosure may have compromised the privacy or security of the PHI.

1.6 Data Security and Breach Notification

If We discover or are notified of a data security incident involving PHI, We will investigate and respond as required by applicable law.

If We determine that notice is required, We will notify affected individuals without unreasonable delay and at no charge, consistent with any measures necessary to determine the scope of the incident and restore the integrity, security, and confidentiality of our systems. For Illinois residents, our notices will include the information required by the Illinois Personal Information Protection Act, 815 ILCS 530/1 et seq., and, where required, We will also notify the Illinois Attorney General.

1.7 Your Rights

When it comes to your PHI, you have certain rights. This section explains your rights and some of our responsibilities to help you.

You have the right to:

1. Get a copy of your PHI. You can ask to see or obtain an electronic or paper copy of the PHI that We maintain about you (right to request access). Alternatively, you may request a summary of your PHI or an explanation of your PHI.
2. Ask us to correct your medical record. You may ask us to correct or amend PHI that we maintain about you that you think is incorrect or inaccurate. You must submit your request in writing to us at [email protected]. If we deny your request, you will be permitted to submit a statement of disagreement for inclusion in your records.
3. Ask us to limit what we use or share. You have the right to ask us to limit what We use or share about your PHI (right to request restrictions). You can contact us and request us not to use or share certain PHI for treatment, payment, or operations or with certain persons involved in your care. For these requests: We are not required to agree; We may say “no” if it would affect your care; but We agree not to disclose information to a health plan for purposes of payment or health care operations if the requested restriction concerns a health care item or service for which you or another person, other than the health plan, paid in full out-of-pocket, unless it is otherwise required by law.
4. Get a list of those with whom we’ve shared your PHI. You have the right to request an accounting of certain PHI disclosures that We have made. For these requests We will respond no later than sixty (60) days after receiving the request.
5. Choose someone to act for you. If you have given someone medical power of attorney or if someone is your legal guardian, that person can exercise your rights and make choices about your PHI.
6. Request confidential communications. You have the right to request that We communicate with you about health matters in a certain way or at a certain location. For example, you can ask that We only contact you at work or at a specific address. For these requests: you must specify how or where you wish to be contacted; and We will accommodate reasonable requests.
7. Make a complaint. You have the right to complain if you feel We have violated your rights. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint. You may either file a complaint: directly with us by contacting [email protected] or with the Office for Civil Rights at the US Department of Health and Human Services (at www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints/.)

1.8 Your Choices

For certain health information, you can tell us your choices about what We share. If you have a clear preference for how We share your information in the situations described below, please contact [email protected] and we will make reasonable efforts to follow your instructions.

In these cases, you have both the right and choice to tell us whether to:

• Share information with your family, close friends, or others involved in your care.
• Share information in a disaster relief situation.

If you are not able to tell us your preference, for example if you are unconscious, We may share your information if We believe it is in your best interest, according to our best judgment. We may also share your information when needed to lessen a serious and imminent threat to health or safety.

In these cases, We will not share your information unless you give us your written permission:

• Marketing purposes.
• Selling or otherwise receiving compensation for disclosing your PHI.
• Certain research activities.
• Other uses and disclosures not described in this Notice.

You may revoke your authorization at any time, but it will not affect information that We already used and disclosed.

1.9 Uses and Disclosures of Your PHI

The law permits or requires us to use or disclose your PHI for various reasons. When using or disclosing PHI or requesting your PHI from another source, We will make reasonable efforts to limit our use, disclosure, or request about your PHI to the minimum We need to accomplish our intended purpose.

1.9.1 Uses and Disclosures for Treatment, Payment, or Health Care Operations

1. Treatment. We may use or disclose your PHI and share it with other professionals who are treating you, including doctors, nurses, technicians, medical students, or hospital personnel involved in your care. For example, We might disclose information about your overall health condition to physicians who are treating you for a specific injury or condition.
2. Billing and payment. We may use and disclose your PHI to bill and get payment from health plans or others. For example, We share your PHI with your health insurance plan so it will pay for the services you receive.
3. Running our organization. We may use and disclose your PHI to run our business, improve your care, and contact you when necessary. For example, We may use your PHI to manage the services and treatment you receive or to monitor the quality of our health care services.

1.9.2 Other Uses and Disclosures

We may share your information in other ways, usually for public health or research purposes or to contribute to the public good. For more information on permitted uses and disclosures, see www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/consumers/index.html. For example, these other uses and disclosures may involve:

1. Our business associates. We may use and disclose your PHI to outside persons or entities that perform services on our behalf, such as auditing, legal, or transcription (Business Associates). The law requires our business associates and their subcontractors to protect your PHI in the same way We do. We also contractually require these parties to use and disclose your PHI only as permitted and to appropriately safeguard your PHI.
2. Health Information Exchanges. We participate in health information exchanges, which support electronic information sharing among members for treatment, payment, and health care operation purposes.
3. Complying with the law. For example, We will share your PHI if the Department of Health and Human Services requires it when investigating our compliance with privacy laws.
4. Helping with public health and safety issues. For example, We may share your PHI to: (i) report injuries, births, and deaths; (ii) prevent disease; (iii) report adverse reactions to medications or medical device product defects; (iv) report suspected child neglect or abuse, or domestic violence; or (v) avert a serious threat to public health or safety.
5. Responding to legal actions. For example, We may share your PHI to respond to: (i) a court or administrative order or subpoena; (ii) discovery request; or (iii) another lawful process.
6. Research. For example, We may share your PHI for some types of health research that do not require your authorization.
7. Addressing workers’ compensation, law enforcement, or other government requests. For example, We may use and disclose your PHI for: (i) workers’ compensation claims; (ii) health oversight activities by federal or state agencies; or (iii) law enforcement purposes or with a law enforcement official.

Last modified 2026-0929