Privacy Policy & Notice of Privacy Practices
Hill and Hollow Counseling PLLC
600 Prestige Park B1, Office 3
Hurricane, WV 25526
will@hillandhollowcounseling.com
304-403-2006
Last updated: October 2026
Website & Text Messaging Privacy
Hill and Hollow Counseling PLLC respects the privacy of individuals who visit our website, contact our practice, or receive services from our clinicians.
Information submitted through our contact or inquiry forms may be used to respond to your inquiry, coordinate scheduling, determine whether our services may be appropriate for your needs, and communicate with you about services you have requested.
SMS/Text Messaging
Hill and Hollow Counseling PLLC may use text messaging for administrative communications, including responding to inquiries, scheduling, and appointment-related communication, when an individual has consented to receive text messages.
Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply. You may opt out of text messages at any time by replying STOP. Reply HELP for assistance.
Consent to receive text messages is optional and is not a condition of receiving services from Hill and Hollow Counseling PLLC.
Mobile information will not be shared with third parties or affiliates for marketing or promotional purposes. Text messaging opt-in data and consent will not be shared with third parties for marketing or promotional purposes.
Standard SMS text messaging may not be a secure method of communication. Please do not use text messaging to send sensitive clinical or health information.
Notice of Privacy Practices
THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW HEALTH INFORMATION MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.
I. Our Pledge Regarding Health Information
We understand that information about you and your health care is personal. Hill and Hollow Counseling PLLC is committed to protecting health information about you.
We create a record of the care and services you receive from our practice. We need this record to provide you with quality care and to comply with certain legal requirements. This Notice applies to records of your care generated by this mental health care practice.
This Notice describes the ways in which we may use and disclose health information about you. It also describes your rights regarding the health information we maintain and certain obligations we have regarding the use and disclosure of health information.
We are required by law to:
Make sure that protected health information ("PHI") that identifies you is kept private.
Give you this Notice of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to your health information.
Follow the terms of the Notice that is currently in effect.
We may change the terms of this Notice, and such changes will apply to all information we maintain about you. The current Notice will be available upon request, in our office, and on our website.
II. How We May Use and Disclose Health Information About You
The following categories describe different ways that we use and disclose health information. Not every use or disclosure within a category will be listed. However, the ways we are permitted to use and disclose information will fall within the applicable categories.
Treatment, Payment, or Health Care Operations
Federal privacy rules permit health care providers who have a direct treatment relationship with a patient or client to use or disclose the patient's or client's personal health information without written authorization to carry out the health care provider's treatment, payment, or health care operations.
We may also disclose your protected health information for the treatment activities of another health care provider when permitted by law.
For example, if one of our clinicians consults with another licensed health care provider about your condition, we may be permitted to use and disclose personal health information that is otherwise confidential in order to assist in the diagnosis or treatment of your mental health condition.
Disclosures for treatment purposes are not limited to the minimum necessary standard because therapists and other health care providers may need access to the full record and/or complete information in order to provide quality care.
The term "treatment" includes, among other things, the coordination and management of health care providers with a third party, consultations between health care providers, and referrals of a patient or client from one health care provider to another.
Lawsuits and Disputes
If you are involved in a lawsuit, we may disclose health information in response to a court or administrative order.
We may also disclose health information about your child in response to a subpoena, discovery request, or other lawful process by someone involved in the dispute, but only if applicable requirements have been satisfied, including efforts to notify you about the request or obtain an order protecting the information requested when required.
III. Certain Uses and Disclosures Require Your Authorization
1. Psychotherapy Notes
Our clinicians may keep "psychotherapy notes" as that term is defined in 45 CFR § 164.501. Uses or disclosures of psychotherapy notes require your authorization unless the use or disclosure is:
For use by the clinician who created the notes in treating you.
For use in training or supervising mental health practitioners to help them improve their skills in group, joint, family, or individual counseling or therapy.
For use in defending the practice or clinician in legal proceedings instituted by you.
For use by the Secretary of Health and Human Services to investigate compliance with HIPAA.
Required by law and the use or disclosure is limited to the requirements of such law.
Required by law for certain health oversight activities pertaining to the originator of the psychotherapy notes.
Required by a coroner who is performing duties authorized by law.
Required to help avert a serious threat to the health and safety of others.
2. Marketing Purposes
Hill and Hollow Counseling PLLC will not use or disclose your PHI for marketing purposes except as permitted by law or with any authorization required by law.
3. Sale of PHI
Hill and Hollow Counseling PLLC will not sell your PHI in the regular course of our business.
IV. Certain Uses and Disclosures Do Not Require Your Authorization
Subject to limitations imposed by law, we may use and disclose your PHI without your authorization for the following reasons:
Required by law. When disclosure is required by state or federal law and the use or disclosure complies with and is limited to the relevant requirements of that law.
Public health activities. This may include reporting suspected child, elder, or dependent-adult abuse or preventing or reducing a serious threat to someone's health or safety.
Health oversight activities. This may include audits and investigations.
Judicial and administrative proceedings. This may include responding to a court or administrative order. When appropriate and permitted, our preference may be to obtain authorization before disclosing information.
Law enforcement purposes. This may include reporting crimes occurring on our premises.
Coroners or medical examiners. We may make disclosures when such individuals are performing duties authorized by law.
Research purposes. This may include research involving mental health treatment when the applicable legal requirements for such research have been satisfied.
Specialized government functions. This may include uses or disclosures related to military missions, protection of the President of the United States, intelligence or counter-intelligence operations, or the safety of individuals working within or housed in correctional institutions.
Workers' compensation. We may provide PHI when necessary to comply with workers' compensation laws. When appropriate and permitted, our preference may be to obtain authorization before doing so.
Appointment reminders and health-related benefits or services. We may use and disclose your PHI to contact you to remind you of an appointment. We may also use and disclose your PHI to tell you about treatment alternatives or other health care services or benefits offered by our practice.
V. Certain Uses and Disclosures Require You to Have the Opportunity to Object
Disclosures to Family, Friends, or Others
We may provide your PHI to a family member, friend, or another person you indicate is involved in your care or payment for your health care unless you object, in whole or in part. The opportunity to consent may be obtained retroactively in emergency situations when permitted by law.
VI. Your Rights With Respect to Your PHI
1. The Right to Request Limits on Uses and Disclosures of Your PHI
You have the right to ask us not to use or disclose certain PHI for treatment, payment, or health care operations purposes.
We are not required to agree to every request and may decline a request when permitted by law.
2. The Right to Request Restrictions for Out-of-Pocket Expenses Paid in Full
You have the right to request restrictions on disclosures of your PHI to health plans for payment or health care operations purposes when the PHI pertains solely to a health care item or service that you have paid for out-of-pocket in full, as provided by applicable law.
3. The Right to Choose How We Send PHI to You
You have the right to ask us to contact you in a specific way, such as at a particular telephone number, or to send mail to a different address. We will accommodate reasonable requests as required by law.
4. The Right to See and Get Copies of Your PHI
Other than "psychotherapy notes," you have the right to obtain an electronic or paper copy of your medical record and other information we maintain about you, subject to applicable law.
We will provide access or a copy within the time required by law and may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee when permitted.
5. The Right to Get a List of Certain Disclosures We Have Made
You have the right to request an accounting of certain disclosures of your PHI.
This generally includes certain disclosures made for purposes other than treatment, payment, or health care operations and disclosures for which you did not provide an authorization, subject to exceptions established by law.
We will respond within the time required by law. The accounting will cover the applicable period required by law. The first accounting within a specified period will be provided without charge, and we may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee for additional requests when permitted by law.
6. The Right to Correct or Update Your PHI
If you believe information in your PHI is incorrect or that important information is missing, you have the right to request an amendment to the information.
We may deny a request when permitted by law. If we deny your request, we will provide the information required by law regarding the denial and your rights.
7. The Right to Obtain a Paper or Electronic Copy of This Notice
You have the right to obtain a paper copy of this Notice and may request an electronic copy. Even if you have agreed to receive this Notice electronically, you may request a paper copy.