Notice of Privacy Practices

Meredith Beck-Joslyn, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist, P.C.

1207 Delaware Ave., Suite 103  •  Buffalo, NY 14209  •  716-281-0775

Effective Date: January 2, 2025  •  Revised: June 2026

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.

This Notice explains your rights regarding your Protected Health Information (PHI) — information that identifies you or could be used to identify you — and describes how this practice uses and shares that information. Meredith Beck-Joslyn, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist, P.C. (the “Practice”) is committed to protecting the privacy of your health information and to complying with applicable federal and state law, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and, where more protective, New York State Mental Hygiene Law § 33.13. Where state law provides greater protection for your mental health records than federal law, state law governs.

Your Rights

You have the following rights with respect to your Protected Health Information. To exercise any of these rights, please submit a written request to the Practice at the address above. We will respond within a timeframe consistent with federal law (generally within 30 days, with one possible 30-day extension if you are notified of the delay).

1.  Access Your PHI

You may request an electronic or paper copy of your PHI. Because your records are maintained electronically in TherapyNotes, you may request an electronic copy in a readily producible format. In certain limited circumstances your request may be denied; if so, you may request a review of that denial.

2.  Request Corrections

If you believe your PHI is incorrect or incomplete, you may request an amendment in writing, including a reason for the request. I may deny the request in certain circumstances, but you have the right to submit a statement of disagreement for inclusion in your record.

3.  Confidential Communications

You may request that I contact you in a specific way or at a specific location (for example, by phone only, or at an alternate address). I will accommodate reasonable requests.

4.  Request Restrictions on Use or Sharing

You may request restrictions on how I use or share your PHI. Please note:

  • I am not required to agree to most restriction requests, and I will inform you if I am unable to honor a request.

  • There is one exception I am required to honor: if you pay out-of-pocket in full for a service, you have the right to request that I not share information about that service with your health insurer, and I must comply with that request.

5.  Get a Record of Disclosures

You may request an accounting of instances where your PHI has been disclosed, other than for treatment, payment, or operations. The first accounting in any 12-month period is provided at no charge.

6.  Right to Notification of a Breach

You have the right to be notified if your PHI is compromised in a breach of unsecured health information. Notification will be provided in accordance with the HITECH Act, generally without unreasonable delay and within 60 days of discovery of the breach.

7.  Receive a Copy of This Notice

You may request a paper copy of this Notice at any time, even if you previously received it electronically. The current version is also available through the TherapyNotes portal and on the Practice website.

8.  Authorize Someone to Act for You

If you have assigned a medical power of attorney or have a legal guardian, that person may exercise your rights on your behalf, subject to verification of their authority.

9.  File a Complaint

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with:

  • The Practice: Meredith Beck-Joslyn, Ph.D., 1207 Delaware Ave., Suite 103, Buffalo, NY 14209 • 716-281-0775

  • The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints

  • You will not be retaliated against for filing a complaint.

Special Protections for Psychotherapy Notes

Psychotherapy notes — meaning notes I keep separately from your main clinical record that document the contents of our conversations — receive heightened protection under both HIPAA and New York State law. Unlike the rest of your medical record, psychotherapy notes may not be used or disclosed for treatment, payment, healthcare operations, or most other purposes without your specific written authorization.

Your psychotherapy notes will not be shared without your written consent except in the following limited circumstances:

  • To defend the Practice in a legal action brought by you

  • As required by law (for example, mandatory reporting of abuse or a court order)

  • To avert a serious and imminent threat to the health or safety of you or another person

  • For oversight of the healthcare provider (e.g., licensing board investigations)

Your clinical record — which includes intake information, diagnoses, treatment plans, session dates, and progress notes — is maintained separately and is subject to the uses and disclosures described in this Notice.

Special Protections for Substance Use Disorder Records

If any information in your record relates to substance use disorder (SUD) diagnosis, treatment, or referral for treatment, that information may be subject to additional federal confidentiality protections under 42 C.F.R. Part 2 (“Part 2”), which in certain respects provides greater privacy protections than standard HIPAA rules.

When Part 2 protections apply:

  • SUD-related records may not be used or disclosed in any civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative proceeding without your written consent or a court order that meets specific legal requirements — even in response to a subpoena.

  • SUD records may not be disclosed to law enforcement except in the very limited circumstances defined by federal law.

  • You have the right to request an accounting of disclosures of your SUD records.

  • Breach notification requirements under the HITECH Act apply to SUD records.

This practice does not specialize in SUD treatment. However, because I ask about substance use as part of a standard intake assessment, some clients’ records may contain information that qualifies for Part 2 protections. If you have questions about whether your specific information is subject to these heightened protections, please ask me directly. To the extent Part 2 applies to any of your records, this Practice will comply with its more stringent requirements.

How I Use and Share Your Information

Uses and Disclosures That Do Not Require Your Authorization

The following uses and disclosures may occur without your written authorization:

Treatment: I may share your PHI with other healthcare professionals involved in your care, such as your prescribing physician or other treating providers, for the purpose of coordinating your treatment.

Healthcare Operations: I may use your PHI for activities necessary to operate and improve the Practice, including quality assessment, training and supervision of licensed professionals, and administrative functions such as sending appointment reminders. Any case consultation with other licensed professionals is conducted without identifying information where possible.

Billing and Insurance: I do not submit claims to insurance companies directly. If you choose to seek reimbursement from your health insurer, you — not this Practice — would be responsible for submitting any required documentation. If you pay out-of-pocket in full, you have the right to request that I not share treatment information with your insurer (see Your Rights, Item 4 above).

Public Health and Safety: I may disclose PHI as required by law to prevent or control disease, report abuse or neglect, or respond to public health oversight activities.

Legal Requirements: I may disclose PHI to comply with applicable laws, valid subpoenas, or court orders.

Serious Threat to Health or Safety: I may disclose PHI if necessary to prevent a serious and imminent threat to the health or safety of you or another person, consistent with applicable law.

Workers’ Compensation and Specialized Government Functions: I may disclose PHI as required for workers’ compensation claims or, where applicable, to authorized officials for military, intelligence, or national security purposes. These circumstances are unlikely to apply in this practice setting but are disclosed here as required by federal law.

Research: I do not currently conduct research. In limited circumstances, de-identified or appropriately authorized information may be used for IRB-approved research activities consistent with federal law.

Uses and Disclosures That Require Your Authorization

For any use or disclosure not described above, I will obtain your written authorization before sharing your PHI. This includes:

  • Sharing PHI with family members, friends, or others involved in your care (unless you are present and have the opportunity to agree or object, or it is necessary in an emergency)

  • Most uses of psychotherapy notes (see Special Protections above)

  • Marketing or sale of PHI

  • Any other disclosure not permitted by law without your consent

You may revoke an authorization at any time in writing. Revocation will apply to future disclosures but cannot undo disclosures already made in reliance on your prior authorization.

My Responsibilities

This Practice is required by law to:

  • Maintain the privacy and security of your PHI

  • Provide you with this Notice of Privacy Practices

  • Follow the terms of the Notice currently in effect

  • Notify you promptly if your PHI is compromised in a breach of unsecured health information

  • Not use or share your PHI in ways other than those described in this Notice without your written authorization

This Practice complies with HIPAA and, where more protective, with New York State Mental Hygiene Law § 33.13 and other applicable state laws governing the confidentiality of mental health records.

I may update this Notice from time to time. The most current version will always be available through the TherapyNotes portal and on the Practice website. The effective date at the top of this Notice indicates when the current version took effect. If substantive changes are made, I will make the revised Notice available to active clients.

Questions or Concerns

If you have questions about this Notice or about how your PHI is used and protected, please contact:

Meredith Beck-Joslyn, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist

1207 Delaware Ave., Suite 103  •  Buffalo, NY 14209

Phone: 716-281-0775

To file a complaint with the federal government, contact the Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints