Contact Dr. Peoples at:
drpeoples@groundedmentalhealthcare.com
1-919-823-3515
. . . your path to
grounded mental health!
Contact Dr. Peoples at:
drpeoples@groundedmentalhealthcare.com
1-919-823-3515
. . . your path to
grounded mental health!
Join us at the beautiful E. Carroll Joyner Park for an introduction to Mindfulness*Walking*Meditation! Meet at the covered map by the trail entrance.
See you there!
I am dedicated to helping you achieve your mental wellness goals. Start your mental health journey today!
Dr. Peoples is committed to providing personalized care and innovative treatment to ensure you receive the best possible outcome. Welcome to Grounded Mental Health Care, PLLC, located at 335 S. White Street in Downtown Wake Forest, NC 27587. In-person and virtual appointments are available; reserve yours today!
While I feel rooted in knowing myself and understanding where I came from, I am moved by the existence, growth, and depth of roots within the landscape of people, plants, and the planet, as well as the systemic effect we have on each other and our environment. Grounded Mental Health Care, PLLC uses a grouping of evergreen trees as its logo, each displaying its uniqueness through outward physical appearance, size, shape, color, and density. We are the same but ever complex, as we are designed with a wide range of emotions and lived experiences, the very nature of humanity. We each have the capacity of an evergreen to sustain, despite change, where conditions may not be favorable, marked with anxiety, depression, or other adverse symptoms of illness. We are like evergreens, which have deep, strong root systems. When we bring awareness and lean into our strengths, strategies, life skills, and self-care, practice breathwork and mindfulness, and cultivate beliefs that anchor us, we can build resilience and continue on!
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Grounded Mental Health Care, PLLC
Notice of Privacy Practices
Effective Date: August 1, 2023
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.
1. Our Commitment to Your Privacy
Grounded Mental Health Care, PLLC ("we," "us," or "our Practice") is committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of your health information. This Notice of Privacy Practices ("Notice") describes how we may use and disclose your Protected Health Information ("PHI") and your rights regarding that information, in accordance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and its implementing regulations.
We are required by law to: (1) maintain the privacy of your PHI; (2) provide you with this Notice of our legal duties and privacy practices; (3) notify you following a breach of your unsecured PHI; and (4) abide by the terms of this Notice currently in effect.
2. How We May Use and Disclose Your Health Information
The following categories describe the ways we may use and disclose your PHI. Not every use or disclosure in a category will be listed, but all the ways we are permitted to use and disclose information will fall within one of these categories.
Treatment
We may use and disclose your PHI to provide, coordinate, or manage your mental health care and related services. This includes sharing information with other health care providers involved in your treatment, such as your primary care physician, psychiatrist, or other specialists, when necessary for your care. For example, your therapist may consult with another clinician regarding your treatment plan.
Payment
We may use and disclose your PHI to obtain payment for services rendered, including submitting claims to your health insurance company or other third-party payers. For example, we may send information about the services you received to your insurer so that we can be reimbursed for your care.
Health Care Operations
We may use and disclose your PHI for our internal business operations necessary to run our practice. This includes quality assessment and improvement activities, staff training and supervision, conducting or arranging for legal and auditing functions, and administrative activities that relate to your care.
Required by Law
We will disclose your PHI when required to do so by federal, state, or local law. This includes complying with court orders, subpoenas, or other legal processes.
Public Health Activities
We may disclose your PHI to public health authorities for activities such as preventing or controlling disease, injury, or disability, or reporting vital statistics as required by law.
Serious Threats to Health or Safety
We may use or disclose your PHI if we, in good faith, believe it is necessary to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to the health or safety of a person or the public, and the disclosure is to someone reasonably able to prevent or lessen the threat. This is consistent with applicable law and ethical standards.
Abuse, Neglect, and Domestic Violence
We may disclose your PHI to government authorities, including social services or protective services agencies, if we reasonably believe you are a victim of abuse, neglect, or domestic violence, to the extent permitted or required by law.
Oversight Activities
We may disclose your PHI to a health oversight agency for activities authorized by law, such as audits, investigations, inspections, and licensure. These activities are necessary for the government to monitor the health care system, government programs, and compliance with civil rights laws.
Research
Under certain limited circumstances, we may use or disclose your PHI for research purposes. We will always obtain your written authorization, or ensure the research meets strict federal privacy standards, before using your information for research.
Workers' Compensation
We may disclose your PHI to the extent authorized by and to the extent necessary to comply with workers' compensation laws or other similar programs established by law.
Specialized Government Functions
We may disclose your PHI to authorized federal officials for lawful intelligence, counterintelligence, and national security activities, and to authorized federal officials for the protection of the President and other authorized persons.
3. Uses and Disclosures Requiring Your Authorization
Certain uses and disclosures of your PHI require your written authorization, including but not limited to:
• Most uses and disclosures of psychotherapy notes (notes recorded by your clinician that document the contents of a private counseling session)
• Uses and disclosures of your PHI for marketing purposes
• Sale of your PHI
• Other uses and disclosures not described in this Notice
You may revoke any authorization you give us at any time, in writing, except to the extent that we have already taken action in reliance on the authorization.
4. Confidentiality of Mental Health and Substance Use Records
As a mental health practice, we understand the sensitive nature of your health information. The confidentiality of psychotherapy records is protected under both HIPAA and applicable state law, and in many cases, state law may provide additional protections. We comply with all applicable state privacy laws, and where state law is more protective of your privacy than HIPAA, we follow the more protective standard.
Please note that disclosure of information related to substance use disorder treatment may be subject to additional protections under federal regulations, including 42 C.F.R. Part 2, which may require your written consent prior to disclosure in most circumstances.
5. Your Rights Regarding Your Health Information
You have the following rights with respect to your PHI. To exercise any of these rights, please submit a written request to our Privacy Officer using the contact information provided at the end of this Notice.
Right to Access Your Records
You have the right to inspect and obtain a copy of your PHI that is maintained in a designated record set, such as your medical record, for as long as we maintain the PHI. We may charge a reasonable fee for copying and mailing. We will respond to your request within 30 days.
Right to Request Amendment
If you believe that PHI we have about you is incorrect or incomplete, you may request that we amend the information. We may deny your request in certain circumstances. If we deny your request, we will notify you in writing with an explanation.
Right to an Accounting of Disclosures
You have the right to request an accounting of disclosures of your PHI that we have made, other than disclosures for treatment, payment, and health care operations, and certain other disclosures (such as disclosures you authorized). The first accounting you request in any 12-month period will be free of charge.
Right to Request Restrictions
You have the right to request that we restrict how we use or disclose your PHI for treatment, payment, or health care operations. We are not required to agree to all restrictions, but if we agree, we will comply with the restriction unless the information is needed to provide emergency treatment. If you pay for a service in full out of pocket, you may request we not disclose the related information to your health plan.
Right to Request Confidential Communications
You have the right to request that we communicate with you about your health matters in a certain way or at a certain location. For example, you may ask that we contact you only by phone at your work number, or that we send correspondence to a specific address. We will accommodate all reasonable requests.
Right to a Paper Copy of This Notice
You have the right to a paper copy of this Notice at any time, even if you have agreed to receive this Notice electronically. You may request a paper copy from our office.
Right to Be Notified of a Breach
You have the right to be notified if your unsecured PHI is breached. We will notify you without unreasonable delay and no later than 60 days following the discovery of a breach.
6. Telehealth Services
Grounded Mental Health Care, PLLC may provide psychotherapy services via telehealth platforms. We use HIPAA-compliant technology for all telehealth services to protect the privacy and security of your health information during remote sessions. The same privacy protections described in this Notice apply to telehealth services.
7. Minors and Guardians
For clients who are minors, the rights described in this Notice may be exercised by the minor's parent or legal guardian, except where state law grants the minor the right to consent to and control the confidentiality of specific services. We follow applicable state law regarding the privacy rights of minors, including laws governing adolescent mental health care.
8. Changes to This Notice
We reserve the right to change this Notice and to make the revised or changed Notice effective for PHI we already have about you as well as any information we receive in the future. We will post a copy of the current Notice in our office and on our website. You may request a current copy of the Notice at any time.
9. Complaints
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with our Practice or with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office for Civil Rights. To file a complaint with HHS, visit www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints/ or call 1-800-368-1019.
We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint. All complaints should be submitted in writing to the Privacy Officer at the contact information listed below.
10. Privacy of Information Collected Through Digital Channels
Grounded Mental Health Care, PLLC collects certain information through our website, online contact forms, chat tools, and telephone communications. This section describes how we handle information received through these channels.
Website
When you visit our website, we may automatically collect certain technical data, including your IP address, browser type, operating system, referring URLs, pages visited, and the date and time of your visit. This information is collected through standard web server logs and may use cookies or similar tracking technologies solely for the purpose of improving website functionality and user experience.
We do not use third-party advertising trackers on our website. Any analytics tools we use are configured to minimize the collection of personally identifiable information. You may configure your browser to decline cookies; however, some website features may not function properly if cookies are disabled.
Our website may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those external sites and encourage you to review their privacy policies independently.
Online Contact and Scheduling Forms
If you submit information through a contact form, intake questionnaire, or appointment request on our website, the information you provide — such as your name, contact details, reason for inquiry, and insurance information — will be used solely to respond to your inquiry or to facilitate the scheduling of services. This information is treated as PHI if it relates to your health or potential treatment, and is protected accordingly under HIPAA.
Please be aware that internet-based communications, including web forms, carry some inherent security risks. We use industry-standard encryption (SSL/TLS) on our website to reduce this risk, but we cannot guarantee complete security during transmission. We encourage you to avoid including highly sensitive clinical details in initial website contact forms.
Chat and Messaging Tools
If our website or patient portal offers a live chat or secure messaging feature, any information you share through those channels is treated with the same level of confidentiality as other communications with our Practice. We use only HIPAA-compliant messaging platforms that employ end-to-end encryption and business associate agreements (BAAs) where required.
Please note that general consumer messaging applications (such as standard SMS text messaging, or non-HIPAA-compliant email platforms) are not considered secure for the transmission of PHI. If you initiate contact with our Practice through such channels, we will respond using a secure method and ask that you do the same for ongoing communications involving your health information.
Telephone Communications
When you contact us by phone, we may collect and retain your name, callback number, and the nature of your inquiry. Telephone calls may be recorded for quality assurance, training, or documentation purposes. If calls are recorded, you will be notified at the start of the call in accordance with applicable law.
Voicemails left with our office are treated as confidential communications. Please be mindful of the information you leave in voicemails, including in messages left after business hours, as we cannot guarantee the security of all telecommunications systems through which your call may be routed.
We will make reasonable efforts to reach you through your preferred contact method. If you have specific instructions about how or where we may contact you — for example, if you do not wish to receive calls at a certain number — please notify us in writing so we can update your confidential communications preferences.
Security Safeguards for Digital Communications
We maintain administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect PHI collected through all digital channels, including our website, chat tools, and telephone systems, in compliance with the HIPAA Security Rule. These measures include encryption of data in transit and at rest, access controls, audit logging, and periodic security risk assessments. We require any third-party vendors who handle PHI on our behalf to execute Business Associate Agreements (BAAs) and comply with HIPAA requirements.
Retention of Digital Communications
Information collected through digital channels that constitutes PHI will be retained as part of your medical record in accordance with applicable federal and state record retention requirements. Non-clinical technical data (such as website log data) is retained only as long as necessary for operational purposes and is not linked to your health record.
11. Contact Information
For questions about this Notice, to exercise your rights, or to file a complaint, please contact:
Grounded Mental Health Care, PLLC
Dr. Catherine Grant Peoples, Executive Director
335 South White Street
Wake Forest, NC 27587
Phone: 919-823-3515
Email: groundedmentalhealthcare@gmail.com
Website: www.groundedmentalhealthcare.com
This Notice is effective as of August 1, 2023. Grounded Mental Health Care, PLLC is committed to protecting your health information and upholding your privacy rights.
Grounded Mental Health Care, PLLC
335 S White St, Wake Forest, North Carolina, United States
Copyright © 2023 Grounded Mental Health Care, PLLC - All Rights Reserved.
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