Privacy Policy

1 Introduction

Valley Spring Recovery Center ("we," "us," or "our") is committed to protecting the privacy and security of your personal information. This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website, use our services, or otherwise interact with us.

By accessing or using our website and services, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with the terms of this policy, please do not access our website or use our services.

Valley Spring Recovery Center provides outpatient addiction and mental health treatment services from our facility in Norwood, New Jersey. We are accredited by CARF International and are committed to the highest standards of ethical practice, including the protection of your personal and health information.

2 Information We Collect

Personal Information You Provide

We may collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us when you:

• Complete intake forms, admissions applications, or insurance verification requests
• Contact us by phone, email, or through our website contact forms
• Schedule an appointment or request a callback
• Subscribe to our newsletter or blog updates
• Participate in surveys or provide feedback

This information may include your name, email address, phone number, mailing address, date of birth, insurance information, and any other information you choose to provide.

Protected Health Information (PHI)

As a healthcare provider, we collect and maintain Protected Health Information as defined by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). This includes information related to your health condition, treatment history, diagnoses, medications, and other clinical data necessary to provide you with appropriate care. The use and disclosure of your PHI is governed by HIPAA and our separate Notice of Privacy Practices, which is provided to all patients upon admission.

Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our website, we may automatically collect certain information about your device and browsing activity, including:

• IP address and approximate geographic location
• Browser type, version, and operating system
• Pages visited, time spent on pages, and navigation paths
• Referring website or search terms that led you to our site
• Device type (desktop, tablet, mobile) and screen resolution

3 How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

• Providing Treatment Services: To deliver addiction and mental health treatment, coordinate care, process admissions, and verify insurance eligibility
• Communication: To respond to your inquiries, schedule appointments, send appointment reminders, and provide information about our programs and services
• Administrative Operations: To manage billing, process payments, maintain records, and fulfill legal and regulatory obligations
• Quality Improvement: To evaluate and improve our treatment programs, services, and patient outcomes
• Website Optimization: To analyze website usage patterns, improve user experience, and ensure our site functions properly
• Legal Compliance: To comply with applicable laws, regulations, and accreditation requirements, including HIPAA, state mental health laws, and CARF standards
• Safety and Security: To protect the safety of our patients, staff, and the public, and to prevent fraud or unauthorized access to our systems

4 How We Share Your Information

We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. We may share your information in the following limited circumstances:

• Treatment, Payment, and Healthcare Operations: We may share your PHI with other healthcare providers involved in your care, insurance companies for billing purposes, and as necessary for our healthcare operations, as permitted by HIPAA
• With Your Consent: We will share your information with third parties when you have given us explicit written authorization to do so
• Service Providers: We may share information with trusted third-party vendors who assist us in operating our website, conducting our business, or providing services to you, provided they agree to keep this information confidential
• Legal Requirements: We may disclose your information when required by law, including in response to valid subpoenas, court orders, or other legal processes
• Emergency Situations: We may disclose information when necessary to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to the health or safety of a person or the public
• Regulatory Agencies: We may share information with government agencies for purposes such as public health reporting, abuse prevention, and oversight of the healthcare system, as permitted or required by law

42 CFR Part 2 provides additional federal protections for substance use disorder treatment records. Information about your participation in substance use treatment may not be disclosed without your written consent, except in limited circumstances defined by law.

5 HIPAA Compliance

Valley Spring Recovery Center complies fully with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and its implementing regulations. As a covered entity under HIPAA, we maintain comprehensive policies and procedures to protect your Protected Health Information (PHI).

Our HIPAA compliance program includes:

• A designated Privacy Officer responsible for developing and implementing privacy policies
• Regular staff training on HIPAA requirements and patient privacy protections
• Physical, technical, and administrative safeguards to protect electronic and paper-based PHI
• Business Associate Agreements with all vendors who may access PHI
• Procedures for patients to exercise their HIPAA rights, including the right to access, amend, and receive an accounting of disclosures of their health information
• A formal breach notification process in accordance with the HITECH Act

A complete copy of our Notice of Privacy Practices is available upon request and is provided to all patients at the time of admission. You may also request a copy by contacting our Privacy Officer at the contact information listed below.

6 Your Rights

Under HIPAA and applicable state laws, you have the following rights regarding your personal and health information:

• Right to Access: You may request access to your medical records and other personal information we maintain about you
• Right to Amend: You may request that we correct or update inaccurate or incomplete information in your records
• Right to Restrict: You may request restrictions on certain uses and disclosures of your health information, though we are not required to agree to all restriction requests
• Right to Confidential Communications: You may request that we communicate with you about health matters through a specific method or at a specific location
• Right to an Accounting: You may request a list of certain disclosures we have made of your health information
• Right to a Copy of This Policy: You have the right to obtain a paper copy of this Privacy Policy upon request
• Right to File a Complaint: If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with us or with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the information provided in the Contact Us section below. We will respond to your request within the timeframes required by applicable law.

7 Cookies and Tracking

Our website uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your browsing experience and help us understand how our site is used.

Types of Cookies We Use

• Essential Cookies: Required for the website to function properly, such as maintaining your session state and enabling core features
• Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how visitors interact with our website by collecting information about pages visited, time on site, and traffic sources. We use Google Analytics and similar tools for this purpose
• Functionality Cookies: Remember your preferences and settings to provide a more personalized experience

Managing Cookies

You can control and manage cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to block or delete cookies, though doing so may affect the functionality of our website. Please note that we do not use cookies to collect Protected Health Information.

Do Not Track

Some browsers offer a "Do Not Track" (DNT) feature that sends a signal to websites you visit indicating you do not wish to be tracked. Our website currently does not respond to DNT signals, but we remain committed to protecting your privacy regardless of this setting.

8 Data Security

We implement robust physical, technical, and administrative security measures to protect your personal and health information from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures include:

• Encryption of data in transit using SSL/TLS protocols (HTTPS)
• Secure storage of electronic records with access controls and authentication requirements
• Regular security assessments and vulnerability testing
• Employee background checks and confidentiality agreements
• Physical security measures for our facility, including locked file cabinets and restricted access areas
• Incident response procedures for potential data breaches

While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your information, no method of electronic transmission or storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security, but we are committed to maintaining and improving our security practices in accordance with industry standards and regulatory requirements.

9 Children's Privacy

Our website and services are not directed to individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18 through our website. If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected personal information from a child under 18 without appropriate parental or guardian consent, we will take steps to delete such information promptly.

If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us at the information provided below so we can take appropriate action.

10 Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technologies, legal requirements, or other factors. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page and, where appropriate, provide additional notice (such as a prominent announcement on our website).

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we are protecting your information. Your continued use of our website and services after any changes to this policy constitutes your acceptance of the updated terms.

11 Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to exercise your privacy rights, or would like to file a complaint, please contact us:

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/ocr or by calling 1-877-696-6775. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.