Privacy Policy for Virtual Therapy Clients

At New Steps Care, we are committed to protecting your privacy and maintaining the confidentiality of your personal and health information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website and use our services.

1. Information We Collect

Personal Information

We may collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us when you:

• Schedule a consultation or appointment
• Fill out intake forms or assessments
• Communicate with us via email, phone, or our website
• Submit insurance information for billing purposes

This information may include:

• Name, email address, phone number, and mailing address
• Date of birth and demographic information
• Insurance information and payment details
• Health information relevant to treatment

Protected Health Information (PHI)

When you become a client, we collect Protected Health Information (PHI) as defined by HIPAA, including:

• Medical and mental health history
• Treatment records and clinical notes
• Diagnoses and treatment plans
• Information about your therapy sessions

Automatically Collected Information

When you visit our website, we may automatically collect certain information about your device, including:

• IP address and browser type
• Operating system and device information
• Pages visited and time spent on our site
• Referring website addresses

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

• To provide, maintain, and improve our therapeutic services
• To communicate with you about appointments, treatment, and administrative matters
• To process payments and manage billing
• To comply with legal obligations and professional standards
• To verify insurance coverage and submit claims
• To improve our website and user experience
• To send appointment reminders and service-related communications

3. HIPAA Compliance

New Steps Care is committed to full compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). We maintain appropriate administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect your Protected Health Information (PHI).

You will receive a separate Notice of Privacy Practices (NPP) that provides detailed information about how your PHI may be used and disclosed, as well as your rights regarding your health information.

4. Information Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. We may share your information only in the following limited circumstances:

With Your Consent

We may share information when you have given us explicit permission to do so.

For Treatment, Payment, and Healthcare Operations

• With insurance companies for billing and claims processing
• With billing and payment processing services
• With other healthcare providers involved in your care (with your authorization)

As Required by Law

We may disclose information when required by law, such as:

• In response to court orders or legal processes
• To report suspected child, elder, or dependent adult abuse
• When there is a serious threat to health or safety
• For public health activities or oversight activities

Service Providers

We may share information with trusted third-party service providers who assist us in operating our practice, such as our telehealth platform, electronic health records system, and billing services. These providers are contractually obligated to maintain the confidentiality and security of your information.

5. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical, administrative, and physical security measures to protect your information from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures include:

• Encryption of data in transit and at rest
• Secure, HIPAA-compliant telehealth platforms
• Regular security assessments and updates
• Limited access to PHI on a need-to-know basis
• Staff training on privacy and security practices

However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

6. Your Rights and Choices

You have certain rights regarding your personal and health information:

• Right to access and obtain a copy of your health records
• Right to request amendments to your health information
• Right to request restrictions on certain uses and disclosures
• Right to receive confidential communications
• Right to an accounting of disclosures of your PHI
• Right to a paper copy of our Notice of Privacy Practices
• Right to file a complaint if you believe your privacy rights have been violated

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the information provided at the end of this policy.

7. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

New Steps Care uses CookieYes, a consent management platform, to manage cookies on our website. When you visit our site, you will be presented with a cookie banner that allows you to accept or decline non-essential cookies.

Types of Cookies We Use

Strictly Necessary Cookies — Required for the website to function properly. These cannot be disabled as they are essential for basic functionality such as page navigation and access to secure areas.

Analytics Cookies — We use privacy-friendly analytics (Vercel Analytics) that does not use cookies or track personal identifiers. It collects only aggregated, anonymized data about page visits to help us improve our website.

Third-Party Cookies — Our website may load content from third-party services such as our booking platform (Sessions Health) and our Psychology Today verification badge. These third parties may set their own cookies subject to their own privacy policies.

We do not use advertising cookies, marketing pixels, or tracking technologies that share your data with advertising networks.

Managing Your Cookie Preferences

You can manage your cookie preferences at any time by:

• Clicking the cookie settings icon on our website
• Setting your browser to refuse cookies or alert you when cookies are sent
• Using a privacy-focused browser extension

Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of some features of our website.

8. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of these external sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.

9. Children's Privacy

New Steps Care provides therapy services to adolescents ages 13-17 with documented parental or guardian consent. We do not knowingly collect personal information from individuals under 13. For clients ages 13-17, parental or guardian consent is required prior to initiating services, and parents or guardians retain certain rights regarding their minor child's health information consistent with Florida law and HIPAA. If you believe we have collected information from a minor under 13 without appropriate consent, please contact us immediately.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Last Updated" date. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes.

11. Your Florida Privacy Rights

Under the Florida Digital Bill of Rights and the Florida Security of Communications Act (FSCA), Florida residents have the right to:

• Know what personal data we collect about you
• Access the personal data we hold about you
• Request correction of inaccurate personal data
• Request deletion of your personal data
• Opt out of the sale or sharing of your personal data

We do not sell, rent, or share your personal information with third parties for advertising or marketing purposes.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at:

• Email: info@newstepscare.com
• Phone: (954) 271-2457
• Mail: New Steps Care, Coral Springs, FL 33071

We will respond to verified requests within 45 days as required by Florida law.

12. Contact Us

If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us at: