This notice describes how health information about you may be used or disclosed, how you can access this information, and your rights regarding your information. Please review it carefully.
YOUR PRIVACY RIGHTS
You have the right to:
These rights and the process for exercising them are explained below.
OBTAIN AN ELECTRONIC OR PAPER COPY OF YOUR RECORD
You may ask to inspect or obtain an electronic or paper copy of your health record and other health information maintained about you.
Sunshine Psychiatry & Wellness, PLLC will ordinarily provide the requested information or a summary within the period required by applicable law. A reasonable, cost-based fee may apply when permitted by law.
Certain information may be withheld or subject to a different access process when permitted or required by law. If a request is denied, you will receive an explanation and information about any available review rights.
ASK THE PRACTICE TO CORRECT YOUR RECORD
You may ask Sunshine Psychiatry & Wellness, PLLC to correct health information you believe is inaccurate or incomplete.
The practice may deny the request in circumstances permitted by law. If the request is denied, the practice will provide a written explanation within the legally required period.
You may have the right to submit a written statement of disagreement for inclusion in your record.
REQUEST CONFIDENTIAL COMMUNICATIONS
You may ask the practice to contact you in a particular way or at a particular location. For example, you may request that the practice use a specific telephone number or mailing address.
Sunshine Psychiatry & Wellness, PLLC will accommodate reasonable requests. You are responsible for providing accurate contact information and promptly reporting changes.
ASK THE PRACTICE TO LIMIT USES OR DISCLOSURES
You may ask Sunshine Psychiatry & Wellness, PLLC not to use or disclose certain health information for treatment, payment, or health care operations.
The practice is not generally required to agree to the request and may decline when the restriction could affect your care or cannot reasonably be implemented. If the practice agrees, it will follow the restriction except when information is needed for emergency treatment or another disclosure is required by law.
If you pay in full out of pocket for a particular service or health care item, you may ask the practice not to disclose information about that service or item to a health plan for payment or health care operations. The practice will honor the request unless disclosure is required by law.
RECEIVE AN ACCOUNTING OF DISCLOSURES
You may request an accounting of certain disclosures of your health information made during the six years before the date of your request.
The accounting will not include every use or disclosure. For example, it generally will not include disclosures:
One accounting during a 12-month period will be provided without charge. A reasonable, cost-based fee may apply to additional requests during the same period. The practice will notify you of the fee before completing the request.
OBTAIN 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.
The current notice may also be available through the practice website or SimplePractice Client Portal.
CHOOSE SOMEONE TO ACT FOR YOU
If someone has legal authority to act on your behalf, that person may exercise applicable privacy rights and make choices about your health information.
Sunshine Psychiatry & Wellness, PLLC may require documentation and will verify the person’s authority before taking action.
YOUR CHOICES
In certain situations, you may tell Sunshine Psychiatry & Wellness, PLLC how you want your information used or disclosed.
Family, Friends, & Others Involved in Your Care
You may authorize the practice to share relevant information with a family member, friend, caregiver, or another person involved in your care or payment for your care.
When you are present and able to make decisions, the practice may ask for your permission or provide an opportunity to object.
If you are unable to communicate your preference, the psychiatrist may disclose limited relevant information when permitted by law and when the psychiatrist determines that disclosure is in your best interest.
A separate written authorization may be required for ongoing communication or access to more detailed psychiatric information.
Disaster Relief
The practice may disclose limited information to an organization assisting with disaster-relief efforts so that family members or others responsible for your care can be notified of your location, condition, or status when permitted by law.
You may tell the practice not to make this disclosure when you are able to communicate your preference.
Psychotherapy Notes
Most uses and disclosures of separately maintained psychotherapy notes require your written authorization.
Psychotherapy notes receive additional protection and are distinct from general clinical notes, medication-management documentation, diagnoses, treatment plans, laboratory results, appointment information, and other information maintained in your health record.
The practice may use or disclose psychotherapy notes without authorization only in circumstances specifically permitted or required by law.
Marketing & Sale of Information
Sunshine Psychiatry & Wellness, PLLC will not use your health information for marketing or sell your health information without your written authorization when authorization is required by law.
The practice does not sell client lists or health information.
Fundraising
Sunshine Psychiatry & Wellness, PLLC does not use client health information for fundraising. If this practice changes, you will receive any notice and opportunity to opt out required by law.
WRITTEN AUTHORIZATION
Uses and disclosures not described in this notice will ordinarily require your written authorization.
You may revoke an authorization in writing at any time. Revocation will not affect actions already taken in reliance on the authorization.
Information disclosed under a valid authorization may no longer be protected by HIPAA if the recipient is not subject to applicable privacy laws.
HOW SUNSHINE PSYCHIATRY & WELLNESS, PLLC MAY USE OR DISCLOSE YOUR INFORMATION
Sunshine Psychiatry & Wellness, PLLC may use or disclose health information without written authorization for treatment, payment, health care operations, and other purposes permitted or required by law.
Treatment
The practice may use your health information to evaluate and treat you.
The practice may disclose relevant information to another professional involved in your care, such as a primary-care professional, therapist, psychiatrist, pharmacy, laboratory, hospital, or other treating professional, when permitted by law.
Because psychiatric information may receive additional protection under state or federal law, the practice may request your written authorization before making certain disclosures.
Payment
The practice may use or disclose information to:
Sunshine Psychiatry & Wellness, PLLC is a self-pay practice and does not submit claims to
commercial insurance plans.
If you request a superbill or ask the practice to communicate with a health plan, the document or communication may include diagnostic, service, and other health information.
Health Care Operations
The practice may use or disclose health information to operate the practice and support the quality of care.
Examples include:
Business associates that receive protected health information on behalf of the practice must agree to safeguard it as required by law.
Appointment Reminders and Service Communications
The practice may use your contact information for:
Electronic communications may carry privacy risks. You may request a reasonable alternative communication method.
Public Health and Safety Activities
The practice may disclose health information for legally authorized public-health and safety activities, including:
Required by Law
Sunshine Psychiatry & Wellness, PLLC will disclose health information when federal or state law requires it.
The practice may disclose information to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services when requested for an investigation, compliance review, or enforcement proceeding concerning federal privacy law.
Health Oversight Activities
The practice may disclose health information to legally authorized health-oversight agencies for activities such as:
Judicial and Administrative Proceedings
The practice may disclose health information in response to a valid court or administrative order.
Information may also be disclosed in response to a subpoena, discovery request, or other lawful process when applicable legal requirements and protections have been satisfied.
Psychiatric records, psychotherapy notes, and substance-use-disorder information may be subject to additional restrictions.
Law Enforcement
The practice may disclose information for law-enforcement purposes when permitted or required by law, including:
Serious & Imminent Threat to Health or Safety
The practice may use or disclose information when the psychiatrist believes disclosure is necessary to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to the health or safety of a person or the public, consistent with applicable law and professional standards.
Abuse, Neglect, or Exploitation
The practice may report suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation when permitted or required by law.
This may include concerns involving a child, vulnerable adult, older adult, or another person protected by mandatory-reporting requirements.
Medical Examiners & Funeral Directors
The practice may disclose health information to a coroner, medical examiner, or funeral director when permitted by law.
Organ & Tissue Donation
The practice may disclose relevant information to an organ-procurement organization or another entity involved in organ, eye, or tissue donation when permitted by law.
Workers’ Compensation
The practice may disclose information as authorized by and necessary to comply with workers’ compensation laws or similar programs.
Specialized Government Functions
The practice may disclose information for legally authorized government functions, including:
The practice may use or disclose health information for research only when applicable legal requirements have been satisfied. This may include your written authorization or approval of an authorization waiver by an authorized review body.
Sunshine Psychiatry & Wellness, PLLC does not currently conduct research using client health information. If this practice changes, applicable consent, authorization, and oversight requirements will be followed.
SPECIAL PROTECTIONS FOR MENTAL HEALTH INFORMATION
Psychiatric and mental health information may receive protections beyond the general requirements of HIPAA.
Sunshine Psychiatry & Wellness, PLLC will follow applicable federal and state laws that provide greater privacy protection. When a more protective law applies, the practice will obtain written authorization before using or disclosing information unless the law permits or requires disclosure without authorization.
Information that may receive additional protection includes:
SUBSTANCE-USE-DISORDER RECORDS
To the extent Sunshine Psychiatry & Wellness, PLLC creates, receives, or maintains substance-use- disorder records protected by 42 C.F.R. Part 2, those records receive additional federal protection.
Part 2 records generally may not be used or disclosed in a civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative investigation or proceeding against you unless:
The practice will not use or disclose Part 2 records for fundraising without providing any notice and choice required by law.
Certain disclosures of Part 2 records may be subject to restrictions on redisclosure or further use.
ELECTRONIC RECORDS, TELEHEALTH, AND COMMUNICATIONS
Sunshine Psychiatry & Wellness, PLLC is a telehealth-only practice and maintains health information electronically.
The practice may use approved systems for:
Electronic systems involve privacy and security risks despite reasonable safeguards. The practice uses administrative, physical, and technical measures intended to protect electronic health information.
Email is intended only for non-urgent administrative or privacy-related communication. Email is not approved for:
Clients should follow the communication instructions provided in the practice’s agreements and should not send sensitive information through unapproved channels.
OUR RESPONSIBILITIES
Sunshine Psychiatry & Wellness, PLLC is required to:
The practice will not use or disclose your information in a manner not described in this notice unless you authorize it in writing or another legal basis permits or requires the use or disclosure.
CHANGES TO THIS NOTICE
Sunshine Psychiatry & Wellness, PLLC may change the terms of this notice.
A revised notice may apply to all health information maintained by the practice, including information created or received before the revision.
The current notice will be available upon request and through the practice’s website or electronic systems, as applicable.
PRIVACY QUESTIONS & COMPLAINTS
For questions about this notice, requests involving your privacy rights, or complaints about the privacy of your health information, contact:
Kristi Mae Wragg, MD, MSW
Privacy Official
Sunshine Psychiatry & Wellness, PLLC
You may also file a complaint directly with:
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights
200 Independence Avenue SW
Washington, DC 20201
Complaint line: 1-877-696-6775
Online: www.hhs.gov/hipaa/filing-a-complaint
Sunshine Psychiatry & Wellness, PLLC will not retaliate against you for exercising a privacy right or filing a complaint.
Copyright © 2026 Sunshine Psychiatry & Wellness, PLLC
All Rights Reserved.