Privacy Policy

Effective Date: January 1, 2026 (Revised 10/2026)

iCare Telecare, PLLC DBA iCare Center for Change (“iCare,” “we,” “our,” or “us”) is committed to protecting the privacy of individuals who visit our website and use our services. This Privacy Policy explains how information is collected, used, and protected when you interact with our website and services.

Notice of Privacy Practices

THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW HEALTH INFORMATION MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY. Effective Date:10-24-2026

We understand that the health information about you and your health care is personal and is a very important concern for those who come to this office. It is also complicated because of the many federal and state laws and our professional ethics. Because the rules are so complicated, some parts of this Notice are very detailed, and you may need to read them several times to understand them. If you have any questions, we are happy to help you understand our procedures and your rights.

Overall, we are committed to protecting health information about you. We create a record of the care and services you receive from us. We need this record to provide you with quality care and to comply with certain legal requirements. This Notice applies to all the records of your care generated by this mental health care practice. This Notice will tell you about the ways in which we may use and disclose health information about you. We also describe your rights with the health information we keep about you and describe certain obligations we have regarding the use and disclosure of your health information.

ABOUT THIS NOTICE

We are required to follow the terms of the Notice currently in effect. We reserve the right to change our practices and the terms of this Notice at any time and to make the new practices and notice provisions effective for all health information that we keep. Before we make these changes effective, we will make the revised Notices available in writing at the locations where we deliver care. The revised Notice will also be posted on our website. You are entitled to receive this Notice in writing at any time. For a written copy, please contact the Privacy Officer using the contact information at the end of this document. This Notice does not form a binding contract with you.

A. Introduction: To our clients

This Notice explains how we handle your medical information. It explains how we use this information in this office, how we share it with other professionals and organizations, and how you can access it. We want you to know all of this so that you can make the best decisions for yourself and your family. If you have any questions or want more information about anything in this Notice, please ask us for clarification or details.

B. What we mean by your medical information

Each time you visit us or any doctor’s office, hospital, clinic, or other health care provider, information is collected about you and your physical and mental health. It may include information about your past, present, or future health or conditions, the tests and treatments you received from us or others, or payment for health care. The information we collect from you is called “PHI,” which stands for “protected health information.” This information goes into your medical or health care records in our system/office.

In this practice, your PHI is likely to include these kinds of information:

Your history: Things that happened to you as a child; your school and work experiences; your marriage and other personal history
Reasons you came for treatment: Your problems, complaints, symptoms, or needs
Diagnoses: These are the medical terms for your problems or symptoms
A treatment plan: This is a list of the treatments and other services that we think will best help you
Progress notes: Each time you come in, we write down some things about how you are doing, what we notice about you, and what you tell us
Records we get from others who treated you or evaluated you
Psychological test scores, school records, and other reports
Information about medications you took or are taking
Legal matters
Billing and insurance information

There may also be other kinds of information that go into your health care records here.

We use PHI for many purposes. For example, we may use it:

To plan your care and treatment
To decide how well our treatments are working for you
When we talk with other health care professionals who are also treating you, such as your family doctor or the professional who referred you to us
To show that you received services from us, which we billed for you or to your health insurance company
For teaching, consultation, and training with and for other health care professionals
For medical or psychological research
For public health officials trying to improve health care in this area of the country
To improve the way, we do our job by measuring the results of our work

When you understand what is in your record and what it is used for, you can make better decisions about who, when, and why others should have this information.

Although your health care records in our office are our property, the information they contain belongs to you. You can read your records, and if you want a copy, we can make one for you, although we may charge you for copying and mailing costs if you want it mailed to you. In very rare situations, you may not be able to see everything in your records. If you find anything in your records that you think is incorrect or believe that something important is missing, you can ask us to amend, or add information to, your records, although in some rare situations we do not have to agree to do that.

Use of Artificial Intelligence and Automated Decision-Making

iCare Center for Change uses artificial intelligence (AI) and automated technology to enhance the quality and efficiency of your care. We want you to understand how these technologies interact with your protected health information (PHI).

AI Technologies We Use

Clinical Documentation AI: We may use AI-powered transcription and documentation tools to create accurate clinical notes from your therapy sessions. These tools listen to sessions, with your consent, and generate written transcripts and clinical summaries.
Clinical Decision Support: We may use AI tools that analyze treatment patterns and outcomes to help your provider identify evidence-based treatment options and track your progress.
Administrative AI: We use automated systems for appointment reminders, scheduling, billing, and insurance verification.

How AI Uses Your PHI

AI systems process your PHI only for the specific purposes described above
AI vendors operate under Business Associate Agreements and must comply with HIPAA
AI systems use encryption to protect your information during processing
AI vendors cannot use your PHI to train their models or for their own purposes without explicit consent
Audio recordings used for AI transcription are permanently deleted after transcription is complete

Important Limitations and Protections

· Human Oversight: AI does not make final clinical decisions. Your licensed provider reviews all AI-generated content and maintains full responsibility for your diagnosis and treatment.

No Automated Decision-Making: We do not use AI to make automated decisions about your care, eligibility for services, or treatment recommendations without human provider review and approval.

Accuracy: While AI transcription is highly accurate, it is not perfect. Your provider reviews and corrects all AI-generated notes before they become part of your permanent medical record.

Your Rights: You have the right to:

Know which AI tools are being used in your care
Opt out of AI-assisted documentation (manual notes will be taken instead)
Request human review of any AI-generated content
Revoke your consent for AI use at any time

Accountability: If you believe AI has been used inappropriately or inaccurately in your care, you may file a complaint using the process described at the end of this Notice.

AI Vendors We Use

We currently use the following AI-powered services (this list may be updated):

Tebra, our electronic health record (EHR) vendor, which offers AI-assisted clinical documentation technology.

All vendors have signed Business Associate Agreements and are HIPAA-compliant.

Questions About AI Use

If you have questions about how AI is used in your care, please ask your provider or contact our Privacy Officer using the contact information at the end of this Notice.

Privacy and the laws about privacy

We are required to tell you about privacy under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). HIPAA requires us to keep your PHI private, to give you this Notice about our legal duties and privacy practices, and to notify affected individuals following a breach of unsecured PHI. We will obey the rules described in this Notice. If we change our privacy practices, they will apply to all the PHI we keep. We will also post the new Notice of Privacy Practices in our office for everyone to see. You or others can obtain a copy from us at any time. A current Notice of our Privacy Practices can also be found on our website.

How your protected health information can be used and shared

Except in special circumstances, when we use your PHI in this office or disclose it to others, we share only the minimum necessary PHI to enable those people to do their jobs. The law gives you the right to know about your PHI, to know how it is used, and to have a say in how it is shared. So, we will tell you more about how we use your information.

We will mainly use and disclose your PHI for routine purposes to provide your care, and we will explain more about these below. For other uses, we must inform you and ask you to sign a written authorization form. There are also certain types of Protected Health Information that may be subject to more stringent laws and regulations, specifically highlighting HIV/AIDS, substance abuse, mental health information, and genetic information. However, the law also says that certain uses and disclosures do not require your consent or authorization.

Uses and disclosures with your consent

After you have read this Notice, you will be asked to sign a separate consent form to allow us to use and share your PHI. In almost all cases, we intend to use your PHI here or share it with other people or organizations to provide treatment to you, arrange for payment for our services, or perform other business functions called “health care operations.” In other words, we need information about you and your condition to provide you with care. You must agree to let us collect, use, and share your information to properly care for you. Therefore, you must sign the consent form before we begin to treat you. If you do not agree and consent, we cannot treat you.

The basic uses and disclosures

For treatment

We use your medical information to provide you with psychological treatments or services. These might include individual, family, or group therapy; psychological, educational, or vocational testing; treatment planning; or measuring the benefits of our services. We may share minimal information, without using identifiable information, for consultation purposes with other mental health and medical providers who are also legally bound to uphold the same confidentiality laws and restrictions as your current provider. We may also share your PHI with other providers who are involved in your care. We are likely to share your information with your personal physician.

If you are being treated by a team, we can share some of your PHI with team members so that the services you receive work best together. The other professionals treating you will also enter their findings, actions, and plans into your medical record, so we can all decide which treatments work best for you and develop a treatment plan. We may refer you to other professionals or consultants for services we cannot provide. When we do this, we need to provide them with only the minimum information about you and your conditions. We will get back to you with their findings and opinions, and those will be added to your records here. If you receive future treatment from other professionals, we can also share your PHI with them. These are examples to show how we use and disclose your PHI for treatment.

For payment

We may use your information to bill you, your insurance provider, or others to cover the treatments we provide. Obtaining approval for therapy services may require disclosing your relevant protected health information to the health plan. iCare Center for Change may also contract with a HIPAA-compliant cloud-based data system, a billing and payment clearinghouse, and additional office services. These entities must abide by the confidentiality, use, and disclosure laws set out in this Notice and any other applicable law, as specified in a Business Associate Agreement.

Your PHI may be disclosed to networks that manage our contracts with payer sources or to our billing clearinghouse. In addition, your PHI may be disclosed to third-party payers. Medicare or Medicaid may perform audits to ensure correct and compliant payments are received. We may also contact your insurance company to determine exactly what your policy covers. We may have to tell them about your diagnoses, what treatments you have received, and the changes we expect in your condition. We will need to tell them about when we met, your progress, and other similar things.

Collections

To collect an unsettled account, information necessary to collect such payments may be disclosed to collection agencies or small claims courts.

For health care operations

Using or disclosing your PHI for health care operations goes beyond our care and your payment. For example, we may use your PHI to identify areas where we can improve the care and services we provide. We may be required to provide information to government health agencies so they can study disorders and treatments and plan the services needed. If we do, your name and personal information will be removed from what we send.

Health Information Exchange (HIE)

Your health information may be shared through a secure electronic health information exchange system, where permitted by applicable law, that allows health care providers involved in your care to access and share patient health information for treatment, care coordination, and other permitted purposes.

Benefits of HIE

Provides your health care providers with more complete information about your health history
Reduces duplicate testing and procedures
Improves care coordination between providers
Enables faster, more informed treatment decisions, especially in emergencies

How Your Information is Shared

Only health care providers involved in your care can access your information through the exchange
Access is logged and monitored for unauthorized use
Information is transmitted using secure, encrypted connections
Participants must comply with HIPAA and applicable state privacy laws

Your Right to Opt Out

If your state permits opt-out from health information exchange participation, you may have the right to opt out.

If you opt out:

Your information may not be available to other providers through the exchange
Providers may need to obtain your information through traditional methods
This may delay care or result in less complete information being available to providers treating you
You may be able to change your opt-out decision at any time, depending on applicable law

To learn more, ask our Privacy Officer or office staff.

Other uses and disclosures in health care

Communication and appointment reminders

We may use and disclose your PHI to contact you directly, reschedule or remind you of appointments for treatment or other care through telephone, e-mail, text, answering machine, and/or voicemail. If you want us to call or write to you only at your home or your work, or if you prefer another way to reach you, please notify us in writing using the Enrollment form provided by iCare Center for Change.

Treatment alternatives

We may use and disclose your PHI to tell you about or recommend possible treatments or alternatives that may be of help to you.

Other benefits and services

We may use and disclose your PHI to tell you about health-related benefits or services that may be of interest to you.

Custody of children

Both parents shall have the legal right to information concerning or relating to the child unless otherwise ordered by a custody decree or court order. This information may include, but is not limited to, educational, law enforcement, and medical records. It is requested that a copy of court orders and/or custody decrees be provided to iCare Center for Change for documentation purposes.

Claim or defense

Your right to confidentiality of mental health records is waived when you assert your emotional or mental health conditions as a claim or defense.

Research

Though uncommon, we may use or share your PHI for research to improve treatments-for example, comparing two treatments for the same disorder to see which works better, faster, or costs less. In all cases, your name, address, and other personal information will be removed from the information given to researchers. If they need to know who you are, we will discuss the research project with you, and we will not send any information unless you sign a special authorization form.

Marketing and sale of your health information

We will never sell your health information for marketing purposes or any other purpose without your explicit written authorization.

What This Means

We will not sell, rent, or trade your health information to third parties
We will not receive financial compensation in exchange for your health information without your written permission
·We will not use your health information for marketing communications without your authorization

Exceptions (Not Considered “Sale”)

Disclosures for treatment, payment, and health care operations
Disclosures required by law
Disclosures to Business Associates who perform services on our behalf

Marketing Communications

We may send you appointment reminders and information about treatment alternatives or health-related services we offer
We will not send you marketing materials from other companies without your authorization
You may opt out of marketing communications at any time by contacting our office

Your Authorization Required

If we ever wish to use your health information for marketing purposes or for a “sale” under HIPAA, we will ask for your specific written authorization. You have the right to refuse, and your refusal will not affect your treatment or services.

Business associates

We hire or work with other businesses to perform certain jobs, including treatment, payment, and operational functions. In the law, they are called our “business associates.” Examples include a copy service to make copies of your health records, and a billing service to figure out, print, and mail our bills. Other examples may include businesses that share office space with us or another agency that has contracted with us to perform a specific service. These business associates may need or come in contact with your PHI. To protect your privacy, they have agreed in their contract with us to safeguard your information. All business associates must abide by the laws specified in their Business Associate Agreement and any disclosure laws set forth by this Notice.

Uses and disclosures that require your authorization

If we want to use your information for any purpose besides those described above, we need your permission on a release of information authorization form. For example, your authorization would be required for the release or disclosure of your psychotherapy notes, unless otherwise permitted or required by law.

If you do allow us to use or disclose any of your PHI, you can cancel that permission in writing at any time. A written request to revoke an authorization must be submitted directly to iCare Center for Change. We would then stop using or disclosing your information for that purpose. Of course, we cannot take back any information we have already disclosed or used with your permission.

Alcohol and drug use records: The confidentiality of alcohol and drug use records held by iCare Center for Change is protected by 42 CFR Part 2 and federal law. iCare Center for Change may not identify that you are a client or disclose PHI to anyone outside of the agency unless: a release of information form is obtained, the disclosure is court-ordered, the PHI disclosure is made during a medical emergency related to the client, or the disclosure of PHI is made on behalf of research or an audit.
Genetic testing records: Genetic information encompasses a broad range of data, including your genetic tests and those of your family members, your family medical history, any requests for or receipt of genetic services by you or your family members, participation in clinical research that includes genetic services, and genetic information about a fetus you are carrying or an embryo you have undergone assisted reproductive technology with.

Under the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA), you are afforded significant legal protections. In the context of health insurance, your genetic information cannot be used by health insurers to make decisions about your coverage, eligibility, or premiums. Regarding employment, employers with 15 or more employees are prohibited from using your genetic information in hiring, firing, promotion, or other employment decisions. However, it is important to note that GINA does not apply to life, disability, or long-term care insurance.
Idaho law may provide additional protections. Genetic testing records are confidential and cannot be disclosed without your written consent except as permitted by law. Genetic information cannot be used to discriminate against you in insurance or employment contexts, and unauthorized disclosure of genetic information is strictly prohibited.
At our practice, we are committed to protecting your genetic information with the same rigorous security protections we apply to all your health information. Your genetic information will not be disclosed without your specific written authorization, and we will not use your genetic information for underwriting, marketing, or research purposes without your explicit consent. If you have questions about how your genetic information is used or protected, please ask your provider or contact our Privacy Officer.

Uses and disclosures that do not require your consent or authorization

The law allows us to use and disclose some of your PHI without your consent or authorization in certain circumstances.

When required by law

There are some federal, state, or local laws that require us to disclose PHI. Employees of iCare Center for Change may be mandatory reporters. We may be required to report suspected child abuse and neglect or dependent adult abuse and neglect to authorities who are authorized to receive such reports. As required by law, we will disclose information necessary to report any known information related to child or dependent adult abuse and/or neglect.

If you are involved in a lawsuit or legal proceeding, and we receive a subpoena, discovery request, administrative order, or other lawful process, we may have to release some of your PHI. We will only do so after trying to inform you about the request, consulting your lawyer, or seeking a court order to protect the information requested, as permitted or required by law.

We must disclose some information to government agencies that check on us to see that we are obeying privacy laws and other legal requirements.

Disclosure of PHI may also be released to complete or initiate a civil commitment and/or provisions related to hospitalizations of a person with a mental illness when specifically authorized.

PHI will also be disclosed if a crime is committed at any iCare Center for Change location, against any employee or staff of iCare Center for Change, or if a threat of a crime has been made toward such individuals or locations.

For law enforcement purposes

We may release PHI if a court orders it, a subpoena is issued, or a law enforcement official issues a warrant to investigate a crime or criminal matter. This may include, but is not limited to, locating a fugitive, a missing person, a material witness, or a suspect; alerting law enforcement to a person’s death caused by suspected criminal conduct; or providing details to emergency personnel in connection with a crime or emergency circumstances. PHI may also be disclosed if you are a crime victim and such disclosure is permitted by law.

For public health activities

We may disclose some of your PHI to agencies that investigate diseases or injuries, reactions to products or medications, births or deaths, and to notify individuals who have been exposed to a disease and may be at risk of contracting or spreading it.

Relating to decedents

We may disclose PHI to coroners, medical examiners, funeral directors, and to organizations involved in organ, eye, or tissue donation or transplantation.

For specific government functions

We may disclose PHI of military personnel and veterans to government benefit programs for eligibility and enrollment purposes. We may also disclose PHI to military commanding authorities if you are a member of the Armed Forces, for information deemed necessary for the proper execution of military operations. We may disclose your PHI to workers’ compensation and disability programs, to correctional facilities if you are an inmate, or to other government agencies for national security reasons authorized by law.

To prevent a serious threat to health or safety

If we believe there is a serious threat to your health or safety, or to another person’s or the public’s health or safety, we may disclose some of your PHI. Such information may be disclosed to authorities qualified by law to receive such information for reports of abuse, neglect, and/or domestic violence. Such a disclosure will be limited in accordance with law and the circumstances requiring the disclosure.

Uses and disclosures where you have an opportunity to object

We can share information about you with your family, friends, close others, legal counsel, and/or employers only with your written consent. We will ask you who you want us to tell, and what information you want us to share regarding your condition or treatment. You can tell us what you want, and we will honor your wishes if it is not against the law. However, if it is an emergency and we cannot obtain your consent, we can share information needed to keep you and others safe from immediate danger and/or to provide emergency care. In limited circumstances, when a client is diagnosed with a chronic mental illness, limited information may also be released to individuals who are involved in their direct care, such as a spouse, adult child, or parent, unless such release is specifically restricted by the client, and only when permitted by law.

An accounting of disclosures we have made

When we disclose your PHI, we may keep some records of whom we sent it to, when we sent it, and what we sent. You can receive an accounting, or list, of many of these disclosures as allowed by law. All requests for such disclosure must be made in writing and use a form provided by iCare Center for Change. Disclosures to a health oversight agency or law enforcement may be suspended from such accounting in certain circumstances. We strive to meet such written requests within the timeframes required by law.

Your rights concerning your health information

You can ask us to communicate with you about your health and related issues in a particular way or at a certain place that is more private for you.
You have the right to ask us to limit what we tell people involved in your care or with payment.
You have the right to access and receive copies of your health information, subject to the limits allowed by law.
If you believe that the information in your records is incorrect or missing something important, you can ask us to amend your records.
You have the right to receive notice of any unauthorized release of your unsecured PHI.
You have the right to a copy of this Notice of Privacy Practices.
You have the right to file a complaint if you believe your privacy rights have been violated. Filing a complaint will not change the health care we provide to you.

Special Protection for Psychotherapy Notes

Psychotherapy notes are protected by additional privacy protections under federal law. It is important to understand what psychotherapy notes are and how they differ from your regular medical record.

What Are Psychotherapy Notes?

Psychotherapy notes are notes recorded by your mental health provider documenting or analyzing the contents of a conversation during a private counseling session or group, joint, or family counseling session. These notes:

Are kept separate from your medical record
Are used only by the provider who created them
Contain the provider’s personal observations and analysis
Are not required for treatment, payment, or health care operations

What Are Not Psychotherapy Notes

The following are part of your regular medical record and do not have the extra protections of psychotherapy notes:

Medication prescription and monitoring
Counseling session start and stop times
Modalities and frequencies of treatment
Results of clinical tests
Diagnoses
Treatment plans
Symptoms
Prognosis
Progress to date

Your Rights Regarding Psychotherapy Notes

You may request access to psychotherapy notes, but access may be denied if permitted by law
Psychotherapy notes cannot be released to anyone without your specific written authorization unless disclosure is otherwise permitted or required by law
Insurance companies cannot require psychotherapy notes to process claims
You cannot be required to authorize the release of psychotherapy notes as a condition of treatment, payment, or eligibility for benefits

If you have questions about psychotherapy notes or what is included in your medical record, please ask your provider or contact our Privacy Officer.

If you have questions or concerns

If you need more information or have questions about the Privacy Practices described above, please contact us using the information below. If you have a problem with how your PHI has been handled or believe your privacy rights have been violated, contact us. As stated above, you have the right to file a complaint with us and with the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and/or the appropriate STATE agency. We promise that we will not in any way limit your care here or take any action against you if you file a complaint.

iCare Center for Change

Attention: Privacy Officer

529 Broadway Ave South

Buhl Idaho 83316

Phone: (208)918-2473

Website: www.icarecfc.com

Email: admin@icarecfc.com

Effective Date and Updates

Original Effective Date: 10-24-2026

*We review this Notice at least annually to ensure compliance with current laws and regulations.

We reserve the right to revise this Notice at any time. If we make material changes, we will:

Post the new Notice in our office where it is clearly visible
Post the new Notice on our website
Provide you with a copy of the new Notice at your next visit or upon request
Make the new Notice effective for all health information we maintain, including information created or received before the changes
You can always obtain the current Notice by:
Visiting our website
Calling our office to request a copy by mail
Picking up a copy at our office
·Requesting an electronic copy by email

Acknowledgment and Consent

If you do not sign this form agreeing to our Notice of Privacy Practices, we may not be able to treat you to the extent permitted by law and organizational policy.

In the future, we may change how we use and share your information, and we may update our Notice of Privacy Practices accordingly. If we do change it, you can get a copy from our website or by calling our office. If you are concerned about your PHI, you have the right to ask us not to use or share some of it for treatment, payment, or administrative purposes. You will have to tell us in writing what you want. Although we will try to respect your wishes, we are not required to accept these limitations. However, if we do agree, we promise to do as you asked. After you have signed this consent, you have the right to revoke it in writing. We will then stop using or sharing your PHI for future purposes covered by the revocation, but we may already have used or shared some of it, and we cannot change that.

By signing below, I affirm that I have the legal right to sign for myself as the noted client or I hold the legal right to sign on the listed client’s behalf under federal and Idaho law regulations. I agree that iCare Center for Change staff has clarified any items that were unclear to me. I understand the information that was presented to me in the Notice of Privacy Practices. With this knowledge, I voluntarily consent to participate in the services with iCare Center for Change, including but not limited to any care, treatment, and services deemed necessary and advisable, under the terms described herein. I agree that an electronic signature is acceptable and valid as an original signature. I agree that a photocopy of this form is acceptable and is considered valid as the original, but it must be individually signed by me, the releaser, and a witness, if necessary.