Notice of Privacy Practices

Tranquility Wellness, PLLC

Effective Date: 09/01/2026 

​

THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN ACCESS THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY. 

​

Tranquility Wellness, PLLC ("Tranquility Wellness," "we," "our," or "the Practice") is committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of your health information. 

​

This Notice of Privacy Practices describes how we may use and disclose your protected health information ("PHI"), your rights regarding your health information, and our responsibilities under applicable federal and state privacy laws. 

​

Certain mental health, substance use disorder, and other sensitive information may receive additional protections under federal or state law. When another law provides greater privacy protection than HIPAA, we will follow the law that provides the greater protection when applicable. 

​

Your Rights 

​

 You have certain rights regarding your health information.  

​

 Obtain an Electronic or Paper Copy of Your Health Record  

​

You may ask to inspect or obtain an electronic or paper copy of your medical record and other health information we maintain about you.

 

We will provide access or a copy as required by applicable law. In some circumstances, we may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee as permitted by law. 

​

Certain information may be subject to special rules or limitations on access. 

​

Ask Us to Correct Your Health Record 

​

 If you believe information in your health record is incorrect or incomplete, you may ask us to correct or amend it.  

​

We may deny your request in certain circumstances permitted by law. If we deny the request, we will provide an explanation as required by applicable law. 

​

 Request Confidential Communications 

​

You may ask us to contact you in a particular way or at a particular location. 

​

For example, you may ask us to contact you only at a certain telephone number or email address. 

​

We will accommodate reasonable requests as required by law. 

​

Ask Us to Limit What We Use or Share 

​

You may ask us not to use or disclose certain health information for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations. 

​

We are not required to agree to every request. 

​

If you pay for a healthcare service or item entirely out of pocket, you may ask us not to disclose information about that service or item to your health plan for purposes of payment or healthcare operations. We will honor such a request when required by law unless disclosure is otherwise required by law. 

​

Receive a List of Certain Disclosures 

​

You may request an accounting of certain disclosures we have made of your health information. 

​

The accounting generally does not include disclosures made for treatment, payment, healthcare operations, or certain other disclosures excluded by law.

​

Obtain a Copy of This Notice 

​

You may request a paper copy of this Notice at any time, even if you previously agreed to receive it electronically. 

​

The current Notice will also be available on our website. 

​

Choose Someone to Act for You 

​

If you have given someone medical power of attorney or if someone is otherwise legally authorized to act on your behalf, that person may exercise your rights and make choices about your health information as permitted by law. 

​

We may verify that the person has appropriate authority before taking action. 

​

Special rules may apply when a parent, guardian, or other personal representative requests information concerning a minor. 

​

File a Privacy Complaint 

​

You may file a complaint with Tranquility Wellness if you believe your privacy rights have been violated. 

​

You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights. 

​

We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint or exercising your privacy rights. 

​

Your Choices 

​

For certain health information, you may tell us your preferences about what we share. 

​

Depending on the circumstances and applicable law, you may have choices regarding disclosures to: 

​

 • family members; 

 • friends; 

 • caregivers; or

other individuals involved in your healthcare or payment for your care. 

​

If you are unable to communicate your preference, such as during an emergency, we may disclose information when legally permitted and when we believe doing so is in your best interest.

​

How We May Use and Disclose Your Health 

​

Information 

We typically use or disclose your health information in the following ways. 

​

Treatment 

We may use and disclose your health information to provide, coordinate, and manage your healthcare. 

​

For example, we may share relevant information with another healthcare professional involved in your care when permitted by applicable law. 

​

Because mental health information may receive additional protection under state law, some disclosures may require your authorization even when HIPAA would otherwise permit the disclosure. 

​

Payment 

We may use and disclose your health information to bill and obtain payment from health plans or other 

entities. 

​

For example, we may provide information to your health insurance company regarding services provided to you when necessary to obtain payment. 

​

Healthcare Operations 

We may use and disclose your health information to operate our Practice and improve the care we provide. 

​

Examples may include quality assessment, compliance activities, administrative functions, professional review, credentialing, auditing, and certain business operations. 

​

Other Uses and Disclosures Permitted or Required by Law 

​

We may use or disclose health information without your written authorization when permitted or required by law. 

​

Depending on the circumstances, this may include disclosures: 

​

• to prevent or reduce a serious and imminent threat to health or safety; 

• concerning suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation when reporting is permitted or required by law; 

• for certain public-health activities; 

• for health oversight activities; 

• in response to certain lawful court orders, subpoenas, or other legal proceedings; 

• for workers' compensation purposes when authorized by law; 

• to law-enforcement officials when legally permitted or required; 

• to coroners, medical examiners, or funeral directors when authorized by law; 

• for certain research activities meeting applicable legal requirements; 

• for organ and tissue donation purposes when applicable; 

• for certain governmental functions; or 

• when otherwise required by federal, Virginia, District of Columbia, or other applicable law. 

​

Additional restrictions may apply to mental health information, psychotherapy notes, substance use disorder information, and other specially protected records. 

​

Mental Health Information

​

Mental health information may be protected by laws that provide greater confidentiality than HIPAA.

 

Tranquility Wellness will protect and disclose mental health information in accordance with applicable federal and state law. 

​

When applicable law requires your authorization before mental health information may be disclosed, we will obtain that authorization unless an exception permits or requires the disclosure.

​

Psychotherapy Notes 

​

Psychotherapy notes, as that term is specifically defined under HIPAA, receive additional privacy protections. 

​

When Tranquility Wellness maintains information that legally qualifies as psychotherapy notes, we generally will obtain your written authorization before using or disclosing those notes except in circumstances permitted by law. 

​

Psychotherapy notes are legally distinct from routine psychiatric documentation, including medication management notes, diagnoses, symptoms, treatment plans, progress information, and other information maintained in the medical record. 

​

Substance Use Disorder Records 

​

Certain records concerning substance use disorder diagnosis, treatment, or referral for treatment may receive additional protection under federal law, including 42 CFR Part 2, when those requirements apply. 

​

Where applicable, these records will be used and disclosed in accordance with federal and state law. 

​

Certain substance use disorder records received by a HIPAA covered entity may be used and disclosed for treatment, payment, and healthcare operations as permitted by applicable law. Federal law also places restrictions on using or disclosing certain substance use disorder records in civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative proceedings against the individual without the individual's written consent or an appropriate court order. 

​

Reproductive Health Information 

​

We will protect reproductive health information in accordance with applicable federal and state privacy laws. 

​

We will not use or disclose protected health information for purposes prohibited by applicable law. 

​

Uses and Disclosures Requiring Your Written Authorization 

​

For uses and disclosures not otherwise permitted or required by law, we will obtain your written 

authorization. 

​

Your authorization is generally required for: 

• most uses and disclosures of psychotherapy notes, when applicable;

• certain uses or disclosures for marketing purposes;

• the sale of protected health information; and

• other uses and disclosures when authorization is required by law. 

​

If you provide written authorization, you may generally revoke it in writing at any time. Revocation will not affect actions already taken in reliance on your authorization. 

​

Fundraising 

​

Tranquility Wellness does not currently intend to use your protected health information for fundraising 

activities. 

​

If our practices change, we will comply with applicable law, including applicable rights to opt out.

​

Our Responsibilities 

​

Tranquility Wellness is required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information. 

We will: 

​

• maintain reasonable safeguards to protect your health information;

• notify you as required by law if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your information;

• follow the duties and privacy practices described in the Notice currently in effect; and

• provide you with a copy of this Notice upon request. 

​

We will not use or disclose your health information in ways not described in this Notice unless you authorize us to do so in writing or another law permits or requires the use or disclosure. 

​

Electronic Communications and Telehealth 

​

Tranquility Wellness may use electronic systems to provide telehealth services and communicate with patients. 

​

We use reasonable safeguards designed to protect the privacy and security of health information transmitted electronically. 

​

Patients should use communication methods designated by the Practice for clinical information whenever possible. 

​

Electronic communications may carry privacy and security risks, and additional information regarding electronic communications and telehealth may be provided through separate Practice policies and consent forms. 

​

Business Associates 

​

We may use third-party service providers to perform certain functions on our behalf. 

​

When a vendor creates, receives, maintains, or transmits protected health information on our behalf and qualifies as a business associate under HIPAA, we require appropriate protections for that information, including a Business Associate Agreement when required by law.

 

Minors and Personal Representatives 

​

Special federal and state laws govern the privacy rights of minors and the circumstances in which a parent, guardian, or other personal representative may access a minor's health information. 

​

Tranquility Wellness will handle requests concerning adolescent health information in accordance with applicable federal, Virginia, and District of Columbia law. 

​

There may be circumstances in which a minor has the legal authority to consent to particular healthcare services and corresponding privacy rights regarding information related to those services. 

​

Changes to This Notice

​

We may change the terms of this Notice and our privacy practices. 

​

Changes may apply to health information we already maintain as well as information we receive in the future. 

​

If we make a material change, we will revise this Notice as required by law. 

​

The current Notice will be available upon request and on our website. 

​

Questions, Requests, or Complaints 

​

For questions about this Notice, requests to exercise your privacy rights, or complaints concerning the privacy of your health information, contact: 

​

Privacy Officer 

Tranquility Wellness, PLLC 

Phone: 202-899-7165 

​

You may also submit a complaint to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights. 

​

Tranquility Wellness will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.