Notice of Privacy Practices

Effective Date: September 15, 2026

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Your Information. Your Rights. Our Responsibilities.

 

This notice explains how health information about you or your child may be used and disclosed, how you may access that information, and the responsibilities of McDermott Psychological, LLC. Please review it carefully.

 

In this notice, “you” may refer to the individual receiving services or to a parent, guardian, or other person legally authorized to act on that individual’s behalf.

 

Your Rights

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You have the right to:

• Request an electronic or paper copy of the health information we maintain about you

• Ask us to correct information you believe is inaccurate or incomplete

• Request that we communicate with you in a particular way or at a particular location

• Ask us to limit certain uses or disclosures of your information

• Request a list of certain disclosures we have made

• Obtain a paper copy of this notice

• Choose someone legally authorized to act on your behalf

• File a complaint if you believe your privacy rights have been violated

 

Request a copy of your records

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You may ask to inspect or receive an electronic or paper copy of your health information. Certain limited information may not be available for inspection or copying, such as psychotherapy notes or information prepared for legal proceedings.

 

We will generally provide the requested information or a summary within 30 days. A reasonable, cost-based fee may apply.

 

Ask us to correct your records

 

You may ask us to correct health information you believe is inaccurate or incomplete. We may deny the request in certain circumstances, but we will ordinarily explain the reason in writing within 60 days.

 

Request confidential communications

 

You may ask us to contact you in a particular way—for example, only through a specified telephone number—or to send correspondence to a different address. We will accommodate reasonable requests.

 

Ask us to limit what we use or disclose

 

You may ask us not to use or disclose certain information for treatment, payment, or practice operations. We are not always required to agree, particularly if the requested limitation could affect care or conflict with legal or professional responsibilities.

 

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

 

Request an accounting of disclosures

 

You may request a list of certain disclosures of your health information made during the six years before your request. The list will not include disclosures for treatment, payment, healthcare operations, disclosures you authorized, and certain other disclosures excluded by law.

 

One accounting within a 12-month period will be provided without charge. A reasonable, cost-based fee may apply to additional requests during that period.

 

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.

 

Choose someone to act for you

 

If another person has legal authority to act on your behalf, that person may exercise your privacy rights. We may require documentation of that authority before acting on a request.

 

For services involving minors, a parent or legal guardian will generally act as the child’s personal representative. Exceptions may apply when a minor may legally consent to care independently or when state or federal law provides otherwise.

 

File a complaint

 

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may contact McDermott Psychological using the information at the end of this notice.

 

You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights by visiting www.hhs.gov/hipaa/filing-a-complaint, calling 1-877-696-6775, or writing to:

 

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Avenue SW
Washington, DC 20201

 

McDermott Psychological will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

 

Your Choices

 

You may tell us your preferences regarding certain disclosures, including whether we may share relevant information with family members, close friends, or others involved in care or payment.

 

If you are unable to communicate your preference, we may disclose relevant information when we reasonably believe doing so is in your best interest and is permitted by law. Information may also be disclosed when necessary to prevent or reduce a serious and imminent threat to health or safety.

 

Written authorization is generally required for:

• Marketing uses of your health information

• The sale of your health information

• Most uses or disclosures of psychotherapy notes

 

McDermott Psychological does not sell protected health information.

 

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

 

How We May Use and Disclose Your Information

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Treatment

 

We may use health information to provide, coordinate, or manage evaluation and related services. When permitted by law, we may share relevant information with other professionals involved in care.

 

For example, with appropriate permission, Dr. McDermott may communicate with a pediatrician, therapist, psychiatrist, school professional, or another provider involved with the child.

 

Payment

 

We may use health information to collect payment, prepare billing records, process transactions, and provide receipts or superbills. McDermott Psychological does not bill insurance companies directly, but families may request documentation to submit for possible out-of-network reimbursement.

 

Practice operations

 

We may use health information to operate the practice, maintain records, improve services, meet professional obligations, manage scheduling, and perform administrative, legal, accounting, or quality-review activities.

 

We may share information with business associates that provide services involving protected health information. Those organizations must agree to safeguard the information as required by applicable law.

 

Public health and safety

 

When permitted or required by law, information may be disclosed for certain public-health and safety purposes, including:

• Reporting suspected child abuse or neglect

• Reporting certain threats to health or safety

• Preventing or reducing a serious and imminent threat

• Responding to legally authorized public-health activities

• Reporting adverse events when required by law

 

Complying with the law

 

We may disclose information when state or federal law requires it, including to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services when it is investigating compliance with federal privacy law.

 

When Maryland or another applicable law provides greater privacy protection than federal law, we will follow the more protective requirement.

 

Health oversight, legal proceedings, and government requests

 

Under circumstances allowed by law, information may be disclosed:

• To health-oversight agencies for authorized activities

• In response to a court or administrative order

• In response to a subpoena or other lawful process when applicable requirements have been satisfied

• For certain workers’ compensation matters

• For limited law-enforcement or other government purposes

• To a coroner, medical examiner, or funeral director when an individual dies

 

Research

 

McDermott Psychological does not ordinarily use protected health information for research. Information would be used or disclosed for research only with written authorization or when otherwise specifically permitted by law with the required safeguards.

 

Substance-use-disorder information

 

To the extent McDermott Psychological maintains substance-use-disorder patient records protected by 42 CFR Part 2, those records will not be used or disclosed in civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative investigations or proceedings against the individual without written consent or a qualifying court order and subpoena, as required by law.

 

Our Responsibilities

 

McDermott Psychological is required to:

• Maintain the privacy and security of protected health information

• Follow the duties and privacy practices described in the current version of this notice

• Provide you with a copy of this notice

• Notify affected individuals promptly if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of their information

• Refrain from using or disclosing information in ways not described in this notice unless written authorization is obtained or the use or disclosure is otherwise permitted or required by law

 

Changes to This Notice

 

McDermott Psychological may change the terms of this notice. Any revised terms may apply to information already maintained by the practice as well as information received in the future.

 

The current notice will be available upon request, displayed at the office, and posted on the McDermott Psychological website.

 

Questions or Privacy Complaints

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Questions, requests, or complaints regarding this notice may be directed to:

 

Privacy Contact: Shelley M. McDermott, PhD, BCBA-D
 

McDermott Psychological, LLC
711 West 40th Street, Suite 411
Baltimore, Maryland 21211

 

Telephone: 443-681-9330
Email: drshelleymcdermott@gmail.com

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