Website Privacy Policy

Introduction

Mealer Family Therapy, APC ("we," "us," or "our") respects your privacy and is committed to protecting the personal information of everyone who visits our website. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect through our website, how we use it, who we share it with, and the choices available to you.

This policy covers our website only — it does not cover the clinical or health information we collect once you become a client. That information is protected separately under our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices, which is provided to you directly at the start of care. If you have questions about how we handle protected health information, please ask your therapist or contact us using the information below.

By using our website, you agree to the collection and use of information as described in this policy.

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Information We Collect

Information you provide directly. When you fill out a contact form, request a consultation, or otherwise reach out through our website, we may collect information such as your name, email address, phone number, and any details you choose to share about why you're reaching out. Contact form submissions are handled through Hushmail, a secure, encrypted, HIPAA-compliant email and forms platform, rather than through a standard, unsecured email inbox.

Information collected automatically. Like most websites, ours automatically collects certain technical information when you visit, including your IP address, browser type, device type, pages viewed, and how you arrived at and navigated our site. We collect this through cookies and similar tracking technologies, described below.

Information from third-party tools. If you schedule a consultation, complete an intake form, or become a client, that information is collected and stored through our secure, HIPAA-compliant platforms (including Hushmail for secure communication and our practice-management/telehealth platform) rather than through the website itself.

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Cookies and Analytics

We use Google Analytics to understand how visitors use our website — for example, which pages are most visited and how people find us. Google Analytics uses cookies to collect this information, which may include your IP address and browsing behavior on our site. This data helps us improve the website; it is not used to identify you personally.

You can control or disable cookies through your browser settings, and you can opt out of Google Analytics tracking using Google's browser add-on, available at https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout. Disabling cookies may affect how parts of our website function.

We do not currently use advertising or retargeting pixels (such as those from Meta or Google Ads) on this site. If that changes, we will update this policy accordingly.

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How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Respond to inquiries and consultation requests

• Communicate with you about our services

• Maintain, secure, and improve our website

• Meet our legal, regulatory, and professional obligations

We do not use website visitor information for marketing unrelated to our therapy services, and we do not sell your personal information to third parties.

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How We Share Your Information

We do not sell or rent your personal information. We share information only in the following circumstances:

• Service providers. We work with trusted third-party vendors that help us operate our practice, such as our website hosting provider, Hushmail (our secure, HIPAA-compliant email and contact-form provider), our telehealth and practice-management platform, and Google Analytics. These vendors can access only the information needed to perform their function and are contractually obligated to protect it.

• Legal requirements. We may disclose information if required to do so by law, subpoena, or other legal process, or if we believe disclosure is necessary to protect the safety of any person.

• Business transfers. If our practice is ever involved in a merger, acquisition, or transfer of assets, client and website information may be transferred as part of that transaction, subject to the same confidentiality protections.

Data Security

We take reasonable administrative, technical, and physical measures to protect the information we collect, including using Hushmail's encrypted, HIPAA-compliant email and forms system for anything sent through our website, along with secure, HIPAA-compliant platforms for scheduling, telehealth, and clinical records. That said, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

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Data Retention

We retain website inquiry information only as long as necessary to respond to your request or, if you become a client, as required by our professional and legal recordkeeping obligations. Clinical records are retained according to the requirements described in our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices and applicable California and Idaho law.

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Your Rights and Choices

Depending on where you live, you may have rights regarding your personal information, including the right to:

• Know what personal information we have collected about you

• Request a copy of that information

• Request correction or deletion of that information

• Opt out of any future contact from us

California residents have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), as amended by the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA), including the right to know, delete, and correct personal information we hold about you, and the right not to be discriminated against for exercising these rights. We do not sell or share personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us using the information below. We will respond within the timeframe required by applicable law.

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Children's Privacy

Our website is intended for use by adults seeking therapy services for themselves, their children, or their families. We do not knowingly collect personal information directly from children under 12 through our website. Information about a minor client is provided to us by a parent or legal guardian as part of the intake and treatment process, and is protected as clinical information under our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices.

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Links to Other Websites

Our website may contain links to third-party websites or resources. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of those sites, and we encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any information.

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Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for legal, operational, or regulatory reasons. The "Effective Date" at the top of this page will reflect the most recent revision. We encourage you to review this page periodically.

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Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your information, please contact us:

Mealer Family Therapy, APC Email: office@mealerfamilytherapy.com