HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices
Your information. Your rights. Our responsibilities.
This notice describes how medical information about you may be used and disclosed and how you can obtain access to this information. Please review it carefully.
Welch Psychiatric Group, LLC is committed to protecting the privacy and security of your health information. This Notice explains our legal duties, the ways we may use or disclose protected health information, and the rights available to you under federal and applicable state law.
Effective August 2026 · Last updated July 2026
Our Legal Duties
We are required to protect the privacy of your health information.
Welch Psychiatric Group, LLC is required by law to maintain the privacy and security of protected health information, provide you with this Notice of our legal duties and privacy practices, and follow the terms of the Notice currently in effect.
We will notify affected individuals following a breach of unsecured protected health information when notification is required by law. We will not use or disclose your information except as described in this Notice or as otherwise permitted or required by law.
Your Rights
You have meaningful rights over your protected health information.
Some rights are subject to legal limitations, verification requirements, reasonable fees, or specific response timeframes. Contact our Privacy Officer or use the secure patient portal to submit a request.
Access Your Records
Ask to inspect or obtain an electronic or paper copy of health information in a designated record set, subject to limited exceptions.
Request a Correction
Ask us to amend information you believe is incorrect or incomplete. We may deny the request in certain circumstances and will explain why.
Confidential Communications
Ask us to contact you in a specific way or at a different address. We will accommodate reasonable requests.
Request Restrictions
Ask us not to use or disclose certain information. We are not always required to agree, except in a limited self-pay situation described below.
Accounting of Disclosures
Request a list of certain disclosures made during the applicable look-back period, excluding disclosures not subject to accounting.
Choose a Representative
A legally authorized personal representative may exercise rights on your behalf after we verify the representative’s authority.
Receive This Notice
Ask for a paper or electronic copy of this Notice at any time, even if you previously agreed to receive it electronically.
File a Complaint
Complain to us or to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services without retaliation.
Your Rights in Detail
How to exercise your privacy rights.
Inspect or Obtain a Copy of Your Health Information
You may ask to inspect or obtain an electronic or paper copy of health information maintained in a designated record set that is used to make decisions about you. Requests should be submitted through the secure patient portal or in writing to the Privacy Officer.
We generally will provide access within the timeframe required by law. If additional time is permitted and needed, we will provide a written explanation and expected completion date.
We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee for certain labor, supplies, postage, or preparation of an agreed summary or explanation, as permitted by law.
Access may be denied in limited circumstances. Some denials may be reviewed by a licensed healthcare professional who was not involved in the original decision. Psychotherapy notes and information prepared in reasonable anticipation of, or for use in, a civil, criminal, or administrative action or proceeding generally are not included in the standard HIPAA right of access.
Request an Amendment
You may ask us to amend health information in a designated record set if you believe it is incorrect or incomplete. Your request must be submitted in writing and should explain why the information should be amended.
We may deny a request when the information was not created by us, is not part of the designated record set, would not be available for inspection under applicable law, or is accurate and complete.
If we deny the request, we will provide a written explanation and information about your right to submit a statement of disagreement and have the request and response included with future disclosures when required.
Request Confidential Communications
You may ask us to contact you in a specific way or at a specific location, such as using a particular telephone number, email address, mailing address, or secure portal method.
We will accommodate reasonable requests. We may ask you to clarify how or where you wish to be contacted and may require a practical alternative method for billing, scheduling, safety, or clinical communication.
Request Restrictions on Uses or Disclosures
You may ask us not to use or disclose certain protected health information for treatment, payment, healthcare operations, or to persons involved in your care or payment for care.
We generally are not required to agree to a requested restriction. If we agree, we will follow the restriction unless the information is needed to provide emergency treatment or the restriction is otherwise terminated as permitted by law.
If you pay for a specific healthcare item or service in full, out-of-pocket, and ask us not to disclose information about that item or service to your health plan for payment or healthcare operations, we will honor the request unless disclosure is required by law.
Receive an Accounting of Certain Disclosures
You may request an accounting of certain disclosures of your protected health information made during the period permitted by law before the date of your request.
The accounting generally does not include disclosures for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations; disclosures made directly to you; disclosures you authorized; disclosures to persons involved in your care; certain national security, intelligence, or correctional institution disclosures; or other disclosures excluded by law.
One accounting during a twelve-month period generally will be provided without charge. A reasonable, cost-based fee may apply to additional requests during the same period after advance notice.
Receive a Copy of This Notice
You may request a paper or electronic copy of this Notice at any time. You may receive a paper copy even if you previously agreed to receive the Notice electronically.
Choose Someone to Act for You
If you have given someone medical power of attorney, if a guardian has been appointed, or if another person is legally authorized to act as your personal representative, that person may exercise rights and make choices about your protected health information.
We will verify the person’s identity and authority before taking action. We may decline to treat a person as your personal representative when permitted by law, including certain situations involving suspected abuse, neglect, endangerment, or other legal exceptions.
File a Privacy Complaint
You may file a complaint with Welch Psychiatric Group, LLC if you believe your privacy rights have been violated. Contact:
Privacy Officer
Welch Psychiatric Group, LLC
Email:
admin@welchpsychiatricgroup.com
Phone:
720-619-6082
Fax: 720-605-2657
You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights, by mail, online, or by telephone using the contact information available through HHS.
Welch Psychiatric Group, LLC will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint or exercising a privacy right.
How We May Use and Disclose Information
Common uses and disclosures permitted without written authorization.
We may use or disclose protected health information as permitted or required by HIPAA and other applicable law. When required, we will limit information to the minimum necessary for the purpose, except where the minimum-necessary standard does not apply.
Treatment
We may use or disclose your health information to provide, coordinate, or manage treatment and related services. This may include communication with therapists, primary care clinicians, pharmacies, laboratories, hospitals, specialists, facilities, or other professionals involved in your care.
Payment
We may use or disclose information to bill and obtain payment for services, determine eligibility or coverage, coordinate benefits, collect amounts owed, respond to claims, obtain authorization, or provide information requested by a payer.
Healthcare Operations
We may use or disclose information for practice operations, including quality assessment, compliance, auditing, credentialing, training, business planning, legal review, risk management, licensing, accreditation, fraud prevention, and administrative activities.
Business Associates
We may disclose information to vendors and professionals who perform services on our behalf, such as electronic health record, telehealth, billing, technology, records, legal, accounting, or security services. Business associates are required by contract and law to safeguard protected health information.
Appointment Reminders and Treatment Communications
We may use your information to contact you about appointments, follow-up care, prescription or laboratory needs, treatment alternatives, health-related benefits, services, or practice communications that may be relevant to your care.
Public Interest and Legal Disclosures
Additional disclosures allowed or required by law.
These disclosures are subject to applicable legal conditions and may require documentation, verification, legal process, or limitation to particular information.
When Required by Law
We may use or disclose protected health information when required by federal, state, or local law and will limit the use or disclosure to the relevant legal requirements.
Public Health and Safety Activities
We may disclose information for authorized public health activities, including:
- Preventing or controlling disease, injury, or disability
- Reporting births, deaths, or certain health conditions when required
- Reporting adverse events or product defects
- Supporting product recalls or safety notifications
- Notifying persons who may have been exposed to a communicable disease when legally authorized
- Providing information to an employer for workplace medical surveillance or work-related illness or injury when legal requirements are satisfied
Abuse, Neglect, or Domestic Violence
We may disclose protected health information to an authorized government agency regarding suspected abuse, neglect, or domestic violence when permitted or required by law. We will make disclosures consistent with applicable reporting duties and safety protections.
Health Oversight Activities
We may disclose information to health oversight agencies for legally authorized activities such as audits, investigations, inspections, licensing, disciplinary proceedings, credentialing, compliance review, and civil, administrative, or criminal proceedings.
Judicial and Administrative Proceedings
We may disclose information in response to a court or administrative order and, in some circumstances, in response to a subpoena, discovery request, or other lawful process when applicable legal safeguards are satisfied.
Law Enforcement
We may disclose protected health information to law enforcement in circumstances permitted or required by law, including in response to certain legal processes, to identify or locate certain persons, to report certain injuries or crimes, or to address a crime occurring on practice premises.
Coroners, Medical Examiners, and Funeral Directors
We may disclose protected health information to a coroner, medical examiner, or funeral director as necessary for authorized duties.
Organ and Tissue Donation
We may disclose information to organizations involved in organ, eye, or tissue procurement, banking, or transplantation when applicable.
Research
We may use or disclose protected health information for research only when the applicable authorization, institutional review, waiver, limited-data-set, preparatory-to-research, decedent-research, or other legal requirements are satisfied.
Serious Threat to Health or Safety
Consistent with applicable law and ethical standards, we may use or disclose information when we believe in good faith that disclosure is necessary to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to the health or safety of a person or the public, or to assist authorized persons in addressing the threat.
Specialized Government Functions
We may disclose protected health information for certain military and veterans activities, national security and intelligence activities, protective services, medical-suitability determinations, correctional institution needs, or lawful-custody circumstances when applicable legal requirements are met.
Workers’ Compensation
We may disclose protected health information as authorized by and necessary to comply with workers’ compensation laws or similar programs providing benefits for work-related injuries or illness.
Family, Friends, and Others Involved in Your Care
We may share limited information when it supports your care or safety.
We may disclose protected health information to a family member, close friend, caregiver, or other person you identify when the information is directly relevant to that person’s involvement in your care or payment for care.
When you are present and able to make healthcare decisions, we generally will seek your agreement, provide an opportunity to object, or reasonably infer from the circumstances that you do not object.
If you are unavailable, incapacitated, or facing an emergency, we may disclose information when, in professional judgment, doing so is in your best interests and is permitted by law. We may also disclose information to assist in disaster-relief notification efforts.
Specially Protected Information
Some records may receive additional protection under law.
Certain categories of information may be protected by federal or state laws that are more restrictive than HIPAA. Depending on the information and circumstances, these may include psychotherapy notes, substance use disorder records subject to 42 C.F.R. Part 2, HIV or other communicable disease information, genetic information, minor-consent records, reproductive or sexual health information, and other specially protected records.
Welch Psychiatric Group, LLC will follow applicable federal and Colorado law. When another law provides greater privacy protection or requires a specific consent, authorization, notice, or court order, we will apply that requirement.
Minors and Personal Representatives
Privacy rights may depend on age, consent authority, and applicable law.
A parent, guardian, or other legally authorized person generally may act as a minor patient’s personal representative and exercise privacy rights on the minor’s behalf.
However, federal and Colorado law may allow a minor to consent to certain services or control certain related information. In those circumstances, the minor may hold some or all privacy rights associated with that care.
We may also limit a personal representative’s access or authority when permitted by law, including certain situations involving abuse, neglect, endangerment, legal conflict, or when another person has legal authority to make decisions.
Changes to This Notice
We may revise this Notice as laws and privacy practices change.
Welch Psychiatric Group, LLC reserves the right to change the terms of this Notice and make the revised Notice effective for protected health information already maintained as well as information received or created in the future.
The current Notice will be posted on the practice website and made available through the secure patient portal or upon request. A revised Notice will identify its effective date.
Questions, Requests, or Complaints
Contact the Welch Psychiatric Group Privacy Officer.
Use the secure patient portal for record requests and patient-specific privacy matters whenever possible. General questions may also be sent by email or telephone.
Privacy Officer
Welch Psychiatric Group, LLC
Email
admin@welchpsychiatricgroup.com
Phone
720-619-6082
Fax
720-605-2657
Acknowledgment of Receipt
Acknowledgment confirms receipt— not agreement with every practice described.
HIPAA requires covered healthcare providers with a direct treatment relationship to provide this Notice no later than the date of first service delivery and make a good-faith effort to obtain written acknowledgment of receipt.
Acknowledgment may be completed electronically through the secure patient portal. Refusal to sign an acknowledgment does not prevent treatment, but the practice may document its good-faith effort to provide the Notice and obtain acknowledgment.
Need Help With a Privacy Request?
We are available to explain your rights and our responsibilities.
Contact the Privacy Officer with questions about access, amendments, restrictions, confidential communication, disclosures, complaints, or this Notice.