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Privacy

Notice of Privacy Practices

THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW HEALTH INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.

Effective date: January 1, 2026

Practical Therapy of Edmonds is a solo practice. In this notice, "I" and "me" mean April S. Greninger and Practical Therapy of Edmonds. "Your health information" means information about your past, present or future mental health, the care I provide, and payment for that care, that identifies you. Federal law calls this protected health information.

My duties

I am required by law to:

  • keep your health information private and secure;
  • give you this notice of my legal duties and privacy practices;
  • follow the terms of the notice currently in effect;
  • tell you promptly if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your information.

Washington law protects mental health information more strictly than federal law in some situations, including the Uniform Health Care Information Act (chapter 70.02 RCW). When Washington law gives you more protection, I follow Washington law.

How I may use and share your information

For treatment. I use your information to provide your care. With your permission, or as the law allows, I may share it with other professionals involved in your care, such as your physician, a psychiatrist or a hospital.

For payment. I use your information to bill for services and collect payment. I do not bill insurance. If you ask for a statement (superbill) to submit to your own insurer, I will give it to you to submit yourself.

For health care operations. I may use your information to run my practice, for example to maintain records, send appointment reminders, or consult with a clinical supervisor or attorney about my own practice. I share only what is needed.

With business associates. I use outside services to help run the practice, including SimplePractice for scheduling, records, the client portal and video sessions. These companies must sign an agreement promising to protect your information as I do.

Uses and disclosures the law allows or requires without your authorization

I may share your information without your written authorization only when the law allows or requires it, including:

  • To prevent serious harm. If I believe disclosure is necessary to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to your health or safety or the safety of another person, I may share information with someone able to help prevent it.
  • Abuse and neglect. Washington law requires me to report suspected abuse or neglect of a child (chapter 26.44 RCW) or of a vulnerable adult (chapter 74.34 RCW).
  • As required by law, including to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services when it investigates my compliance with privacy law.
  • Health oversight. To agencies such as the Washington State Department of Health for licensing, audits and investigations.
  • Legal proceedings. In response to a court order, or a subpoena only when Washington law allows it. Washington limits disclosure of mental health records in legal proceedings, and I will take the steps the law requires before responding.
  • Law enforcement and public safety, only in the limited ways Washington and federal law permit.
  • Coroners and medical examiners, as allowed by law.
  • Specialized government functions and workers' compensation, as required by law.

Uses that require your written authorization

I will not share your information for any other reason without your written authorization. In particular, I need your authorization to:

  • share psychotherapy notes (my separate notes analyzing our sessions), except in the narrow cases the law allows;
  • use your information for marketing;
  • sell your information.

You may revoke an authorization in writing at any time. Revoking it does not undo anything I already did in reliance on it.

Information with extra protection

  • Mental health information. Washington law (RCW 70.02.230 and related sections) adds limits on sharing mental health information.
  • Minors. In Washington, a young person age 13 or older may consent to their own outpatient mental health treatment (RCW 71.34.530). When they do, they generally control who sees their records, and I share information with a parent or guardian only as Washington law allows (RCW 70.02.240).
  • Sexually transmitted infections, and reproductive and sexual health care. Washington law gives this information extra protection and limits its disclosure in some out-of-state legal proceedings.
  • Substance use disorder records. If I receive records about you from a substance use disorder treatment program covered by 42 CFR Part 2, I will not use or share them without your written consent except as Part 2 allows. They cannot be used against you in a civil, criminal, administrative or legislative proceeding without your consent or a court order.

Your rights

See or get a copy of your records. You can ask, in writing, to see or get a copy of your health information. I will respond within the time Washington and federal law require, and I may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee. In limited cases I may deny part of a request, and I will tell you why in writing and how to ask for a review.

Ask me to correct your records. You can ask me to amend information you think is incorrect or incomplete. I may say no, but I will tell you why in writing.

Ask for confidential communications. You can ask me to contact you in a specific way, for example at a different phone number or address. I will agree to reasonable requests.

Ask me to limit what I use or share. You can ask me not to use or share certain information. I am not required to agree, except that if you pay for a service in full out of pocket, you can ask me not to share information about it with your health plan, and I will agree unless the law requires the disclosure.

Get a list of disclosures. You can ask for a list (an accounting) of the times I shared your information in the six years before your request, with whom and why, except for treatment, payment, operations and disclosures you authorized. I will provide one list a year for free.

Get a copy of this notice. You can ask for a paper copy at any time, even if you agreed to receive it electronically.

Choose someone to act for you. If you have given someone medical power of attorney, or someone is your legal guardian, that person can exercise your rights.

File a complaint. If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you can contact me using the details below. You can also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights, at www.hhs.gov/ocr/complaints, by calling 1-800-368-1019, or by writing to 200 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20201. You may also contact the Washington State Department of Health. I will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

Email, text and video

You may choose to communicate with me by email or text. Ordinary email and text are not fully secure. I use them for scheduling and brief logistics unless you ask otherwise, and I use the SimplePractice client portal and secure video for anything clinical.

Changes to this notice

I may change this notice, and the change will apply to all information I hold. The current notice is always on this website and available in the office, and I will give you a copy on request.

Contact

April S. Greninger, Privacy Officer, Practical Therapy of Edmonds, 209 Dayton St, Suite 205, Edmonds, WA 98020 · (425) 478-3101 · info@practicaltherapyofedmonds.com