Notice of Privacy Practices

No Shame Recovery Counseling
Sara Vitale, MA, MLADC
Individual Telehealth Counseling for Adults in New Hampshire

Effective Date: October 9, 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.

Your Information. Your Rights. Our Responsibilities.

No Shame Recovery Counseling respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal health information.

This notice explains how information collected during counseling may be used or disclosed, your rights concerning that information, and our responsibilities for protecting it.

No Shame Recovery Counseling provides individual telehealth counseling for adults, including substance use disorder treatment and mental health services.

The practice complies with applicable requirements of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), 42 CFR Part 2, and New Hampshire confidentiality laws.

Certain substance use disorder treatment records receive additional federal confidentiality protections under 42 CFR Part 2. Where multiple laws apply, the practice will follow the applicable requirements governing the particular information and disclosure.

1. Your Privacy Rights

You have the right to access your records.

You may request to inspect or receive a paper or electronic copy of your health records, subject to applicable legal exceptions. Requests will be handled within legally required timeframes. Reasonable, legally permitted fees may apply.

You have the right to request corrections.

If you believe information in your record is inaccurate or incomplete, you may request an amendment. If your request is denied, we will explain the reason in writing and describe your available options.

You have the right to request confidential communications.

You may ask us to contact you using a particular telephone number, mailing address, or other reasonable communication method. Reasonable requests will be accommodated as required by law.

You have the right to request restrictions.

You may request limitations on how your information is used or disclosed. We are not always required to agree.

However, when you pay in full out of pocket for a service and request that information about that service not be disclosed to your health plan for payment or healthcare operations, we generally must honor that restriction unless disclosure is required by law.

You have the right to request an accounting of disclosures.

You may request information about certain disclosures of your health information, subject to applicable exclusions and legal requirements.

Additional accounting rights may apply to substance use disorder records protected under 42 CFR Part 2.

You have the right to receive this notice.

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

You have the right to designate a representative.

A person legally authorized to act on your behalf may exercise applicable privacy rights, subject to verification and legal restrictions.

You have the right to file a complaint.

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with No Shame Recovery Counseling or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights.

You will not be retaliated against for filing a complaint or exercising your privacy rights.

2. How We May Use and Disclose Your Information

When permitted by applicable federal and state law, your health information may be used or disclosed for the following purposes.

Treatment

We may use your information to provide counseling, assess your needs, develop treatment plans, document progress, and coordinate care.

For example, with appropriate authorization when required, we may communicate with another treating provider to support continuity of care.

Payment

We may use or disclose information to collect payment, determine insurance benefits, submit claims, and respond to payment inquiries.

If you choose to use insurance when insurance billing becomes available, certain information may be shared with your insurer or billing service as legally permitted.

Healthcare Operations

We may use information for legitimate practice operations, including quality improvement, record management, compliance activities, and administrative functions.

We may work with service providers who perform functions on our behalf under appropriate confidentiality and business associate arrangements.

Uses or Disclosures Permitted or Required by Law

Depending on the circumstances and applicable confidentiality protections, information may be disclosed for purposes including:

• Mandatory reporting of suspected child abuse or neglect.
• Mandatory reporting involving vulnerable adults.
• Taking appropriate action to warn or protect against certain serious threats of violence.
• Responding to serious and imminent threats to health or safety when legally permitted.
• Public health reporting.
• Health oversight activities.
• Certain judicial, administrative, or law enforcement matters.
• Workers’ compensation matters when applicable.
• Other disclosures required or expressly permitted by law.

Not every exception applies to every type of record. We will follow additional confidentiality protections when applicable, including restrictions imposed by 42 CFR Part 2.

New Hampshire Mandatory Reporting and Duty to Protect

Child Abuse or Neglect — RSA 169-C:29 and RSA 169-C:30

New Hampshire law requires any person, including counseling professionals, who has reason to suspect that a child has been abused or neglected to make a report to the appropriate authority.

An oral report must be made immediately, followed by a written report within 48 hours if requested.

This reporting obligation may apply even when information about suspected child abuse or neglect becomes known during counseling with an adult.

Abuse, Neglect, Self-Neglect, or Exploitation of Vulnerable Adults — RSA 161-F:46

New Hampshire law requires reporting when a person suspects or believes in good faith that an adult who is or was vulnerable at the relevant time has experienced abuse, neglect, self-neglect, exploitation, or hazardous living conditions covered by the statute.

An oral report must be made immediately to the appropriate authority, with a written report if requested.

For purposes of this law, vulnerability concerns an adult’s ability to manage personal, home, or financial affairs in their own best interest or obtain appropriate assistance.

Duty to Warn or Protect — RSA 330-C:25

Under New Hampshire law governing alcohol and other drug use professionals, a licensed or certified professional has a duty to warn or take reasonable precautions to protect against a client’s violent behavior when the client communicates:

• A serious threat of physical violence against a clearly identified or reasonably identifiable person or persons; or
• A serious threat of substantial damage to real property.

Appropriate protective actions may include reasonable efforts to warn an intended victim, notifying law enforcement, or pursuing other protective measures authorized by law.

Other Emergencies and Safety Concerns

If there is a serious and imminent threat to health or safety, we may take appropriate action, including contacting emergency responders or other persons able to prevent or lessen the threat, when permitted by applicable law.

Important Confidentiality Limitation

Mandatory reporting and safety-related exceptions do not create unrestricted permission to disclose counseling records.

Any report or disclosure will be handled in accordance with applicable federal and state law, including additional confidentiality requirements governing substance use disorder treatment records under 42 CFR Part 2.

3. Uses and Disclosures Requiring Written Authorization

Certain uses and disclosures require your written authorization.

These may include:

• Disclosures not otherwise permitted by law.
• Most uses and disclosures for marketing.
• Sale of protected health information.
• Most uses and disclosures of psychotherapy notes, if such notes are maintained and meet the applicable legal definition.
• Certain disclosures of substance use disorder records protected under 42 CFR Part 2.

You may revoke an authorization in writing, subject to applicable legal limitations and actions already taken in reliance on that authorization.

No Shame Recovery Counseling does not sell client health information.

4. Additional Protections for Substance Use Disorder Records — 42 CFR Part 2

No Shame Recovery Counseling complies with both HIPAA and 42 CFR Part 2, which provides additional federal confidentiality protections for substance use disorder treatment records.

When records are protected by Part 2, we follow its requirements concerning patient consent, permitted disclosures, record handling, confidentiality, and patient rights.

Consent for Treatment, Payment, and Healthcare Operations

You may provide a single written consent authorizing future uses and disclosures of your Part 2 records for treatment, payment, and healthcare operations, as permitted by federal law.

Other uses or disclosures may require separate, specific written consent or another legal basis.

You may revoke your consent, subject to applicable legal limitations and actions already taken in reliance on it.

Protection Against Use in Legal Proceedings

Part 2 records generally cannot be used or disclosed in civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative proceedings against you without your specific written consent or a qualifying court order and other required legal process.

Redisclosure of Records

When Part 2 records are lawfully disclosed to a HIPAA-covered entity or business associate under a valid consent for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations, subsequent uses and disclosures may be permitted under HIPAA, subject to applicable Part 2 restrictions.

Fundraising

Part 2 records will not be used for fundraising purposes without your specific written consent, as required by law.

Your Rights Under Part 2

You have additional rights under Part 2, including applicable rights concerning:

• Consent for disclosure of substance use disorder treatment information.
• Revocation of consent.
• Accounting of certain disclosures.
• Complaints regarding confidentiality violations.
• Restrictions on the use of records in legal proceedings against you.

Where HIPAA, Part 2, and New Hampshire law impose different confidentiality requirements, No Shame Recovery Counseling will follow the requirements applicable to the particular information and disclosure.

5. Your Choices About Sharing Information

You may have choices about whether we share information with family members, friends, or other individuals involved in your care.

We will seek your permission when required and respect applicable legal restrictions.

You may authorize us to coordinate care with other providers, family members, or support persons.

You may also decline optional disclosures or revoke applicable authorizations, subject to legal limitations.

Your decision about optional information sharing will not affect your right to be treated with dignity and respect.

6. Our Responsibilities

No Shame Recovery Counseling is committed to protecting the confidentiality and security of your health information.

We are required, when applicable, to:

• Maintain the privacy and security of protected health information.
• Provide this notice describing our privacy practices and legal responsibilities.
• Follow the terms of the notice currently in effect.
• Notify affected individuals following breaches of unsecured protected health information as required by law.
• Limit uses and disclosures to those permitted by applicable law.
• Maintain appropriate safeguards for electronic records and telehealth services.
• Respect HIPAA, 42 CFR Part 2, and New Hampshire confidentiality requirements.
• Respond to requests involving privacy rights within legally required timeframes.
• Avoid retaliation against individuals who exercise their privacy rights or file complaints.

We may revise this notice when laws, operations, or privacy practices change.

A revised notice may apply to information already maintained by the practice, as permitted by law.

Updated notices will be available upon request and through our website.

7. Telehealth, Electronic Records, and Email Communication

No Shame Recovery Counseling provides counseling through telehealth and uses electronic systems for scheduling, documentation, communication, and billing.

We maintain reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect health information.

Electronic communication carries inherent privacy and security risks. Approved communication methods and relevant limitations will be explained during the intake process.

Clients are encouraged to participate in telehealth appointments from a private location and use secure communication options provided by the practice.

Important Notice About Email Communication

No Shame Recovery Counseling uses noshamerecovery@gmail.com for general business inquiries.

This Gmail address is not designated as a secure method for transmitting protected health information (PHI) or confidential substance use disorder treatment records.

Standard email communications may carry privacy and security risks, including unauthorized access, interception, or delivery to an unintended recipient.

Please do not send sensitive or confidential information to this email address, including:

• Detailed descriptions of mental health or substance use concerns.
• Diagnoses, treatment records, or clinical documentation.
• Medication information or other sensitive medical details.
• Social Security numbers, insurance identification numbers, or other sensitive personal information.

For confidential clinical communications, records requests, consent forms, and other sensitive matters, No Shame Recovery Counseling will provide an approved secure communication method.

Emailing this address does not establish a counselor-client relationship, and this inbox is not monitored for emergencies.

If you are experiencing an immediate emergency, call 911.

For mental health or substance use crisis support, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

8. Complaints and Questions

If you have questions about this notice, wish to exercise your privacy rights, request records, or raise a privacy concern, please contact:

No Shame Recovery Counseling

Privacy Contact: Sara Vitale, MA, MLADC
Phone: 802-289-0460
Email: noshamerecovery@gmail.com — General inquiries only; please do not send confidential health information.
Website: https://noshamerecovery.com

For confidential records requests or transmission of protected health information, please contact the practice to arrange an approved secure communication method.

You may also file a complaint with:

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Office for Civil Rights

No Shame Recovery Counseling will not retaliate against anyone for raising a privacy concern, exercising privacy rights, or filing a complaint.

Effective Date: October 9, 2026
Notice Version: 1.0 — Pending Final Legal and Operational Compliance Review