Near Counseling & Wellness, LLC

256 N. West Street
Doylestown, PA 18901

Effective Date: September 10, 2026

This Notice of Privacy Practices describes how health information about you may be used and disclosed and how you can obtain access to that information. 

Please review this notice carefully. If you have questions about this notice or your privacy rights, please contact Near Counseling &  Wellness, LLC.

Near Counseling & Wellness, LLC is required by law to:

·      Maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information (PHI).

·      Provide you with this notice describing our legal duties and privacy practices.

·      Follow the terms of the Notice of Privacy Practices currently in effect.

·      Notify you as required by law if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your information.

·      Provide you with a copy of this notice upon request.

We reserve the right to change our privacy practices and this notice.  If we make a material change to our privacy practices, we will promptly  revise and distribute the notice as required by law. The revised notice  will be available upon request and will be posted on our website when  applicable.

The following describes some of the ways we may use or disclose your  health information without obtaining your written authorization when  permitted or required by law.

We may use or disclose your health information to provide, coordinate, or manage your mental health treatment.

For example, we may communicate with another health care provider involved in your treatment when permitted by law.

We may use or disclose your health information as necessary to obtain or process payment for services.

Near Counseling & Wellness, LLC is a private-pay practice and  generally does not bill health insurance directly. When applicable,  information may be used or disclosed in connection with payment-related  activities.

We may use or disclose your health information as necessary for  health care operations, such as practice administration, quality  improvement, compliance activities, and other activities permitted by  law.

We may use or disclose your health information when required to do so by federal, state, or local law.

We may disclose information when permitted or required by law for  certain public health activities, including reporting certain diseases,  injuries, or conditions; reporting suspected abuse or neglect; or  addressing serious threats to health or safety.

We may disclose information when required or permitted by law to  report suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation of a child, older  adult, or dependent adult.

We may disclose information when necessary to prevent or lessen a  serious and imminent threat to the health or safety of you, another  person, or the public, as permitted by applicable law.

We may disclose health information in response to a valid court or  administrative order, subpoena, discovery request, or other lawful  process when the applicable legal requirements for disclosure have been  satisfied.

We may disclose health information to law enforcement when permitted  or required by applicable law, such as in response to a valid legal  process or in circumstances specifically authorized by law.

We may disclose health information as authorized by and to the extent  necessary to comply with laws relating to workers’ compensation and  similar programs.

We may disclose information to appropriate governmental agencies for  activities authorized by law, including audits, investigations,  inspections, licensure, disciplinary proceedings, and other health  oversight activities.

We may disclose information to a coroner or medical examiner when permitted or required by law.

We may use or disclose health information for research purposes when  permitted by applicable law and when appropriate requirements for  protecting the information have been satisfied.

We may disclose health information for certain specialized government functions when authorized by law.

To the extent that Near Counseling & Wellness, LLC creates or maintains substance use disorder patient records that are subject to 42 CFR Part 2, those records may receive additional federal confidentiality protections.

Part 2 generally provides additional protections for records  maintained in connection with federally assisted substance use disorder  treatment programs. When Part 2 applies, we will comply with the  applicable requirements governing the use and disclosure of those  records.

To the extent required by Part 2, information protected by Part 2  will not be used or disclosed for an investigation or legal proceeding  against you unless the disclosure is permitted by Part 2, including  through your written consent or a court order and subpoena when  required.

You may contact Near Counseling & Wellness, LLC with questions  about whether particular records are subject to additional  confidentiality protections.

Certain uses and disclosures of your health information generally require your written authorization.

These may include:

·      Most uses and disclosures of psychotherapy notes maintained separately from your clinical record.

·      Uses and disclosures for marketing purposes when authorization is required by law.

·      The sale of protected health information when authorization is required by law.

·      Other uses or disclosures not otherwise permitted or required by applicable law.

You may revoke an authorization in writing at any time, except to the  extent that action has already been taken in reliance on the  authorization.

Near Counseling & Wellness, LLC does not maintain psychotherapy  notes separately from the clinical record. If psychotherapy notes are  created and maintained in the future, they will be handled in accordance  with applicable federal and state privacy requirements.

We may disclose relevant health information to a family member, close  friend, or another person you identify as being involved in your care  or payment for your care when permitted by law.

When possible, we will give you an opportunity to object to such disclosures.

We may contact you to provide appointment reminders, information  about treatment alternatives, or information about health-related  services that may be of interest to you.

We may contact you using the communication methods you have provided to us, subject to applicable law and your preferences.

We will not use or disclose your health information for marketing  purposes when HIPAA requires your written authorization without first  obtaining that authorization.

We will not sell your health information without your written authorization when HIPAA requires authorization for such a sale.

You have the following rights regarding your health information, subject to certain legal limitations.

You have the right to inspect and obtain a copy of your health information maintained by the practice, as permitted by law.

We generally will act on a request for access within 30 calendar days.  In certain circumstances, an additional 30-day extension may be  permitted. If an extension is needed, we will provide you with written  notice explaining the reason for the delay and the expected completion  date.

You may request your information in paper or electronic form when the  requested form or format is readily producible, subject to applicable  law.

Reasonable, cost-based fees may apply when permitted by law.

You have the right to request that we amend health information that  you believe is inaccurate or incomplete, subject to applicable legal  requirements.

We will generally act on an amendment request within 60 days.  If additional time is reasonably necessary, we may extend the response  period as permitted by law and will provide written notice explaining  the reason for the delay.

If we deny your request, we will provide you with a written  explanation and information about your right to submit a written  statement of disagreement when applicable.

You have the right to request restrictions or limitations on how we  use or disclose your health information for treatment, payment, or  health care operations.

We are not required to agree to every requested restriction.

However, if you pay for a health care item or service completely out  of pocket and request that the information concerning that item or  service not be disclosed to your health plan for payment or health care  operations, we will generally agree to the restriction unless disclosure  is otherwise required by law.

You have the right to request that we communicate with you about your  health information by a particular method or at a particular location.

We will consider reasonable requests and will not require you to  explain why you are making the request when the request is otherwise  permitted by law.

You have the right to request an accounting of certain disclosures of  your health information made by the practice during the six years  preceding the date of your request, subject to exclusions and  limitations provided by law.

Certain disclosures, including disclosures made for treatment,  payment, and health care operations, are generally excluded from an  accounting.

You may request one accounting in a 12-month period without charge.  Reasonable, cost-based fees may apply to additional requests during the  same period as permitted by law.

You have the right to receive a paper copy of this Notice of Privacy  Practices at any time, even if you have agreed to receive the notice  electronically.

If you have a legally authorized personal representative, that person  may exercise certain rights and make certain decisions regarding your  health information on your behalf, subject to applicable law.

We may take reasonable steps to verify the identity and authority of a  personal representative before providing access to or disclosing health  information.

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with Near Counseling & Wellness, LLC.

You may also file a complaint with the:

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Office for Civil Rights
200 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20201
Phone: 1-877-696-6775

You may submit a complaint to the Office for Civil Rights through its complaint process.

We will not retaliate against you for filing a privacy complaint.

We make reasonable efforts to protect the privacy and security of electronic communications.

You may communicate with the practice by telephone, email, client  portal, or text message for administrative purposes. Electronic  communications may carry privacy or security risks, and no electronic  communication system can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

You may request confidential communications by an alternative method or at an alternative location as permitted by law.

In an emergency, we may use or disclose health information when  permitted or required by applicable law to provide treatment or to  prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to health or safety.

When applicable law permits disclosure without prior authorization  because of an emergency or serious and imminent threat, the disclosure  will be limited to what is reasonably necessary under the circumstances.

Some information may be subject to additional protections under federal or Pennsylvania law.

Where applicable law provides greater protection for certain health  information than HIPAA, the practice will follow the more protective  requirements.

We reserve the right to change this Notice of Privacy Practices.

If we make a material change to our privacy practices or to this  notice, we will promptly revise and make the updated notice available as  required by law.

The current version of this notice will be available upon request and, when applicable, on the practice website.

If you have questions about this Notice of Privacy Practices, your  privacy rights, or how your health information is used or disclosed,  please contact:

Near Counseling & Wellness, LLC
256 N. West Street
Doylestown, PA 18901

Privacy Contact: Amanda Reichert, MS, LAPC, NCC, RYT 

Phone: 215-712-8862

Email: Amanda@nearcounseling.com