Privacy Policy

Your Privacy and Our Confidentiality Policy

Sunset Behavioral Health is committed to maintaining your confidence and trust, and accordingly maintains the following privacy policy to protect personal information that you provide. It is our policy that personal information, such as your name, address, E-Mail, telephone number, and all counseling-related, individual, couples and/or family communication is private and confidential. Accordingly, the personal information you provide is stored in a secure location and is used only for the purposes for which you provide the information (to screen for and provide counseling).

We follow the principles governing the American Medical Association Guidelines for Medical and Health Information Sites. Protection of the client’s right to confidentiality is fundamental. Sunset Behavioral Health will not track or maintain any medical information unless expressly permitted by the client.

Contents of all therapy sessions are considered to be confidential. Both verbal information and written records about a client cannot be shared with another party without the written consent of the client or the client’s legal guardian. Noted exceptions are as follows:

Duty to Warn and Protect

When a client discloses intentions or a plan to harm another person, the mental health professional is required to warn the intended victim and report this information to legal authorities. In cases in which the client discloses or implies a plan for suicide, the health care professional is required to notify legal authorities and make reasonable attempts to notify the family of the client.

Abuse of Children and Vulnerable Adults

If a client states or suggests that he or she is abusing a child (or vulnerable adult) or has recently abused a child (or vulnerable adult), or a child (or vulnerable adult) is in danger of abuse, the mental health professional is required to report this information to the appropriate social service and/or legal authorities.

Prenatal Exposure to Controlled Substances

Mental Health care professionals are required to report admitted prenatal exposure to controlled substances that are potentially harmful.

Minors/Guardianship

Parents or legal guardians of non-emancipated minor clients have the right to access the clients’ records.

Insurance Providers (when applicable)

Insurance companies and other third-party payers are given information that they request regarding services to clients. Information that may be request includes type of services, dates/times of services, diagnosis, treatment plan, and description of impairment, progress of therapy, case notes and summaries.