Notice of Privacy Practices
Beyond Capacity Therapy
Joy Hutchinson, LCSW, LLC
Effective date: October 5, 2026
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.
This notice covers identifiable health information maintained by this practice, including therapy, billing, and telehealth records. It explains your privacy rights and how to exercise them. The website privacy policy separately addresses information collected through the public website.
Privacy contact: Joy Hutchinson, LCSW
Email: joy@joyhutchinsonlcsw.com
Practice phone: (717) 318-0489
Your rights
To exercise these rights, contact Joy using the information above or your Sessions Health client portal. Submit record access, amendment, restriction, and accounting requests in writing. Ask for help if you need assistance making a request.
See or receive your records
You may inspect or obtain a paper or electronic copy of records used to make decisions about you, including clinical and billing records. We will act within 30 days, or sooner if applicable law requires. If a permitted extension is needed, we will explain the reason and completion date in writing; only one extension of up to 30 days is allowed. Any copying fee will be reasonable and cost based. Certain information, including separately maintained psychotherapy notes, may be excluded. Ordinary progress notes are not automatically psychotherapy notes. If access is denied, we will explain why and any right to an independent review.
Request a correction
You may request an amendment to information you believe is incorrect or incomplete. Include your reason in writing. We will act within 60 days, with one additional 30-day extension if permitted and explained in writing. We may deny a request for reasons allowed by law, such as when the record is accurate and complete. A written denial will explain how to submit a statement of disagreement.
Ask for private communications
You may ask us to contact you through a particular method or at a different location, such as a different phone number or mailing address. We will accommodate reasonable requests. You do not need to explain why you want this arrangement.
Your rights continued
Ask us to limit information sharing
You may request limits on information used or shared for treatment, payment, practice operations, or with people involved in your care. We generally do not have to agree, but will explain our decision. We must agree to withhold information about a service paid in full out of pocket from a health plan for payment or healthcare operations, unless disclosure is required by law. Agreed limits are subject to legally permitted exceptions, including necessary emergency treatment. These rights do not reduce protections already required by Pennsylvania law.
Receive a list of certain disclosures
You may request an accounting of disclosures made during the previous six years, or a shorter period. It identifies recipients, dates, information shared, and purposes. Disclosures for treatment, payment, and healthcare operations, those made with your authorization, and certain other legally excluded disclosures are not included. We will act within 60 days, with one permitted 30-day extension explained in writing. One accounting in a 12-month period is free. For additional requests, we may charge a reasonable fee after telling you the cost and allowing you to withdraw or narrow your request.
Receive this notice and use a representative
You may obtain a paper copy of this notice even if you accepted an electronic copy. A legally authorized personal representative may exercise rights on your behalf. We will verify their authority and follow applicable legal limits, including safeguards where abuse or endangerment is a concern.
How information is used and shared
Pennsylvania social work rules generally require informed consent before confidential information is disclosed, with limited exceptions involving applicable law, court orders, or clear and present danger. Unless an exception makes it inappropriate, we will inform you and obtain written consent before revealing confidential information. Some mental health, substance use, and other sensitive records have additional protections. When these laws are more protective than HIPAA, we follow them. The categories below do not override those protections.
Treatment
We use information to evaluate your needs, provide therapy, and plan care. For example, we use your history and symptoms to develop a treatment plan. With appropriate written permission, we may coordinate with another treating professional. We may send appointment reminders or discuss treatment options with you.
Payment
We use information to charge for services, keep billing records, and address payment issues. For example, we record the date and fee for a session and process your payment. This is a self-pay practice and does not bill insurance. If you request a superbill, we provide it to you for possible reimbursement; it may contain diagnosis and service information. Any disclosure to another party must satisfy applicable consent and confidentiality requirements.
Practice operations
We use information to maintain records, review care, and manage the practice. For example, Sessions Health supports recordkeeping and client communication. Service providers handling protected information must meet applicable confidentiality and contractual requirements. We limit access and disclosures as required by law.
Other disclosures and privacy protections
Legal and safety exceptions
When applicable law permits or requires it, and only after meeting its conditions, information may be used or disclosed for mandated abuse or neglect reporting; public health duties; preventing or reducing a serious threat to health or safety; health oversight and licensing; and required privacy compliance investigations. Other legally permitted purposes may include qualifying research, workers’ compensation, law enforcement, court or administrative proceedings, organ donation, coroners or funeral directors, and specified military, national security, or correctional functions. Pennsylvania confidentiality rules and any special record protections still apply. A request or subpoena alone does not automatically authorize release of therapy records.
Family members and others involved in care
We ordinarily obtain your written permission before sharing confidential information with a family member, friend, or another person involved in your care or payment. If you cannot communicate your wishes, disclosure is limited to circumstances permitted by applicable law, such as a qualifying safety emergency. Any legally permitted disaster relief disclosure is subject to the same confidentiality safeguards.
Substance use treatment records
If we receive records protected by 42 CFR Part 2, those records and testimony about their contents cannot be used or disclosed in civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative proceedings against you without your qualifying written consent or a court order meeting Part 2 requirements. The court-order process includes notice and an opportunity to be heard as required by that law. An authorizing court order must also be accompanied by a subpoena or other legal requirement compelling disclosure. Other Part 2 protections continue to apply.
Uses that require your written authorization
Most uses or disclosures of separately maintained psychotherapy notes, marketing uses requiring authorization, and sale of protected health information require your written authorization. Other uses or disclosures not described in this notice also require written authorization unless applicable law permits or requires otherwise. You may revoke an authorization in writing, except to the extent we have already acted in reliance on it. Receiving this notice or signing its acknowledgment does not authorize disclosure.
Information disclosed to a recipient may be shared again by that recipient and may no longer be protected by HIPAA. Other confidentiality laws, including Part 2 where applicable, may continue to restrict its use and disclosure.
Our responsibilities and changes to this notice
We must protect the privacy of your protected health information, provide notice of our legal duties and privacy practices, and follow the notice currently in effect. We will notify you of a breach of unsecured protected health information as required by law. We may revise this notice and apply lawful changes to information already held and to future records. A revised notice will show its effective date and be available on our website and upon request.
Questions or complaints
Contact Joy Hutchinson, LCSW at joy@joyhutchinsonlcsw.com or the practice phone listed on page 1 with questions or a privacy complaint. You may also complain to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights at www.hhs.gov/hipaa/filing-a-complaint/index.html, by calling 1-877-696-6775, or by writing to 200 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20201. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.