Privacy
Notice of Privacy Practices
Vita Therapy Collective LLC · Effective date: September 1, 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.
Vita Therapy Collective LLC (the Practice, we, or us) is committed to protecting your privacy. Federal law requires us to safeguard your protected health information (PHI), provide this notice of our legal duties and privacy practices, and follow the notice currently in effect. PHI is health information that identifies you or can reasonably be used to identify you.
Privacy contacts
Kathryn Pohland, LMFT and Erica Wiley, PhD
Vita Therapy Collective LLC
474 Windmere Drive, Suite 301A
State College, PA 16801
Phone: (814) 929-1560
Email: connect@vitatherapycollective.com
Website: www.vitatherapycollective.com
Contact us with questions, to exercise your privacy rights, or to make a complaint. We may ask you to submit certain requests in writing. You may request a paper copy of any necessary form. Please avoid including detailed health information in an ordinary email.
Your Rights
Inspect or obtain a copy of your records
You may request access to, or an electronic or paper copy of, health information in your designated record set, including records used to make decisions about your care. We generally respond within 30 days, subject to any shorter applicable deadline. If a legally permitted extension is needed, we will explain the reason and expected completion date in writing. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based copying fee when permitted by law.
HIPAA's access right does not include separately maintained psychotherapy notes or certain information prepared for legal proceedings. Other limited exceptions may apply. If we deny access, we will explain the reason in writing and describe any right to review or complain.
Request a correction
You may ask us in writing to amend information you believe is inaccurate or incomplete and explain the reason. We generally respond within 60 days, with a permitted extension if necessary. We may deny the request, for example, if the record is accurate and complete. If we deny it, we will explain why in writing and tell you how to submit a statement of disagreement.
Request confidential communications
You may ask us to contact you in a particular way or at a different address or telephone number. We will accommodate reasonable requests. You do not need to explain why you are making the request.
Request limits on use or disclosure
You may ask us to restrict information used or shared for treatment, payment, or health care operations, or information shared with people involved in your care. We are generally not required to accept these restrictions, except as described below. If we agree, we will follow the restriction unless a permitted exception applies, such as an emergency treatment need.
If you or someone other than your health plan pays for a service in full out of pocket, you may request that we not disclose information relating solely to that service to your health plan for payment or health care operations. We must agree unless disclosure is required by law. Please notify us before a claim or other disclosure is made.
Request an accounting of disclosures
You may request an accounting of certain disclosures during the six years before your request, or a shorter period you specify. It identifies the disclosures, recipients, and purposes. It generally excludes disclosures for treatment, payment, or health care operations, disclosures to you, disclosures you authorized, and other legally excluded disclosures. One accounting in a 12-month period is free. For additional requests in that period, we may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee and will tell you in advance so you may withdraw or change the request.
Obtain a copy of this notice
You may request a paper copy at any time, even if you previously agreed to receive the notice electronically. The current notice is also available in our office and on our website.
Have an authorized person act for you
A person legally authorized to act as your personal representative may exercise applicable rights on your behalf. We will verify the person's authority and its scope. Special rules may apply to minors and to circumstances involving abuse, neglect, or risk of harm.
Make a complaint
You may complain to our privacy contacts using the information above. You may also complain to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights, 200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20201; telephone 1-877-696-6775; or https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/filing-a-complaint/index.html. We will not retaliate against you for making a complaint.
How We Use and Disclose Information
The permissions below describe uses and disclosures allowed by HIPAA. They are subject to applicable conditions and to any stronger protections under Pennsylvania law or other federal law. A listed purpose does not mean we may release every kind of information without consent.
Treatment
We may use and disclose information to provide, coordinate, or manage care, including appropriate consultation and clinical supervision. For example, clinicians involved in your treatment may discuss a treatment plan. Sharing with another treating professional is subject to applicable consent and confidentiality requirements.
Payment
We may use and disclose information to obtain payment, check benefits, submit claims, and address billing questions. For example, we may send an insurer information needed to process a claim. These disclosures are subject to applicable restrictions, including qualifying requests involving services paid in full out of pocket.
Health care operations
We may use and disclose information to operate the Practice, improve quality, review care, train or supervise clinicians, and contact you about appointments. Contractors who handle PHI on our behalf must have appropriate confidentiality safeguards and business associate agreements when required.
Public health and safety
When authorized or required by applicable law, we may disclose information for public health reporting, product recalls, or adverse medication reactions; to report suspected abuse, neglect, or domestic violence; or to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat. We disclose only information permitted or required for the circumstances.
Oversight and legal requirements
We may disclose information for authorized health oversight activities, such as audits, inspections, investigations, or professional licensing matters. We must disclose information when required by law, including to the Department of Health and Human Services to assess our compliance with HIPAA.
Courts and administrative proceedings
We may disclose information in legal proceedings only when applicable legal requirements have been satisfied. A subpoena or discovery request does not automatically authorize release of mental health records. We consider applicable consent requirements, confidentiality protections, privileges, and requirements for a valid court order before disclosure.
Other legally permitted purposes
Subject to all applicable safeguards, information may be disclosed for certain law enforcement activities; workers' compensation matters; military, national security, or other authorized government functions; and legally authorized research. Where applicable, disclosures may also be made to coroners, medical examiners, funeral directors, or organ procurement organizations. More protective rules for mental health and substance use disorder records continue to apply.
Pennsylvania confidentiality protections
Pennsylvania law may provide stronger protection for mental health treatment records, confidential communications with clinicians, substance use disorder information, and certain other sensitive information. We follow those stronger protections when they apply. We obtain written consent when required and do not treat a general HIPAA permission or a request for records as overriding applicable state confidentiality or privilege requirements. Rules concerning minors and personal representatives may limit who can consent to a disclosure or access a record.
Your Choices and Written Authorization
People involved in your care
When permitted by applicable law, we may share information directly relevant to the involvement of family, friends, or others in your care or payment for care if you agree or have an opportunity to object and do not object. If you cannot express a preference, we may use professional judgment to make a permitted disclosure in your best interest. We obtain written consent when a more protective law requires it.
Uses requiring written authorization
We obtain your written authorization for uses or disclosures not otherwise permitted by law, including most uses or disclosures of separately maintained psychotherapy notes, marketing requiring authorization, and disclosures involving the sale of PHI. Psychotherapy notes have a specific legal meaning and are different from ordinary progress notes in your clinical record.
You may revoke an authorization in writing at any time. Revocation does not undo actions already taken in reliance on it, and certain insurance-related legal exceptions may apply. Unless permitted by law or described in this notice, we will not use or disclose your PHI without your authorization.
Fundraising communications
If we contact you for fundraising, you may opt out of further fundraising communications. Your choice will not affect your treatment or payment arrangements. If fundraising would use records protected by 42 CFR Part 2, we will first give you clear notice and an opportunity to decline those communications.
Substance Use Disorder Records
Some substance use disorder records are subject to additional federal protections under 42 CFR Part 2. These protections apply to qualifying records, including protected records we may receive from a Part 2 program; they do not automatically apply to every mention of substance use in a therapy record.
When we receive Part 2 records under your consent for treatment, payment, and health care operations, we and our business associates may further use or disclose them as HIPAA permits, subject to Part 2 restrictions and any more protective applicable law. Part 2 disclosures must include the required confidentiality notice and consent documentation when applicable. Consent may be revoked as allowed by law; revocation does not undo disclosures already made in reliance on it.
Part 2 records, or testimony conveying their contents, cannot be used or disclosed in civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative investigations or proceedings against you without your specific written consent or an appropriate court order issued under Part 2 following required notice and an opportunity to be heard. When relying on a court order, a subpoena or other legal mandate compelling disclosure is also required.
Separately maintained SUD counseling notes protected by Part 2 generally require separate consent, subject to limited legal exceptions. Any other disclosure without consent must meet a specific legal exception; the general disclosure permissions elsewhere in this notice do not override Part 2 protections.
Our Responsibilities and Changes
We safeguard PHI and follow the duties and privacy practices described in the current notice. We will notify you as required by law if a breach of unsecured PHI occurs. We follow applicable federal and state confidentiality requirements, including more protective rules when they apply.
We may revise this notice, and a revised notice may apply to information we already maintain as well as information received later. The updated notice will identify its effective date and will be available upon request, in our office, and on our website. You may contact our privacy contacts for further information.
You don't have to have everything figured out before you begin.
You don't have to have everything figured out before you begin.