Notice of Privacy Practices

This Notice of Privacy Practices applies to Sasha Flores Therapy (Horizons of Hope Counseling, PLLC) and its provider, Sasha Flores, LCSW-S, PMH-C, RYT-200, in connection with the protected health information created or maintained in the course of providing psychotherapy and related clinical services.

This Notice is separate from the Website Privacy Policy for this website. This Notice describes how protected health information is handled within the clinical practice. Clinical intake, clinical records, and health information are maintained through the practice's designated clinical platform, SimplePractice.

This Notice describes how medical information about you may be used and disclosed and how you can get access to this information.

Your Rights. You have the right to:

• Get a copy of your paper or electronic medical record
• Correct your paper or electronic medical record
• Request confidential communication
• Ask us to limit the information we share
• Get a list of those with whom we've shared your information
• Get a copy of this privacy notice
• Choose someone to act for you
• File a complaint if you believe your privacy rights have been violated

Your Choices. You have some choices in the way that we use and share information as we:

• Tell family and friends about your condition
• Provide disaster relief
• Provide mental health care
• Market our services and sell your information
• Raise funds

Our Uses and Disclosures. We may use and share your information as we:

• Treat you
• Run our organization
• Bill for your services
• Help with public health and safety issues
• Do research
• Comply with the law
• Respond to organ and tissue donation requests
• Work with a medical examiner or funeral director
• Address workers' compensation, law enforcement, and other government requests
• Respond to lawsuits and legal actions

To the extent that we have your substance use disorder patient records, subject to 42 CFR Part 2, we will not share that information for investigations or legal proceedings against you without (1) your written consent or (2) a court order and a subpoena.

When it comes to your health information, you have certain rights. This section explains your rights and some of our responsibilities to help you.

For certain health information, you can tell us your choices about what we share. If you have a clear preference for how we share your information in the situations described below, talk to us. Tell us what you want us to do, and we will follow your instructions.

In these cases, you have both the right and choice to tell us to:

• Share information with your family, close friends, or others involved in your care or payment for your care
• Share information in a disaster relief situation

The HHS model also lists "Include your information in a hospital directory" as a choice. Sasha Flores Therapy (Horizons of Hope Counseling, PLLC) is an outpatient psychotherapy practice and does not maintain a hospital directory, so that particular choice does not apply here.

If you are not able to tell us your preference, for example if you are unconscious, we may go ahead and share your information if we believe it is in your best interest. We may also share your information when needed to lessen a serious and imminent threat to health or safety.

In these cases we never share your information unless you give us written permission:

• Marketing purposes
• Sale of your information
• Most sharing of psychotherapy notes (see "Psychotherapy Notes" below)

In the case of fundraising:

• We may contact you for fundraising efforts, but you can tell us not to contact you again.
• If we have your substance use disorder patient records, subject to 42 CFR Part 2, we will give you clear and obvious notice in advance and a choice about whether to receive fundraising communications that use your Part 2 information.

Under HIPAA, "psychotherapy notes" are notes recorded by a mental health professional documenting or analyzing the contents of a conversation during a private counseling session or a group, joint, or family counseling session, and that are kept separate from the rest of your medical record. Psychotherapy notes do not include summary information about your diagnosis, treatment plan, symptoms, prognosis, or progress.

Not all of the records from your therapy are psychotherapy notes. Your general medical record, including information such as diagnosis, treatment plan, progress, and billing information, is treated as protected health information under the rest of this Notice and is not a psychotherapy note.

Most uses and disclosures of psychotherapy notes require your written authorization. There are limited exceptions recognized under HIPAA, such as use by the originating provider for treatment, certain training and supervision, the practice's own legal defense in proceedings brought by you, certain oversight activities, and disclosures required by law. This Notice does not represent that psychotherapy notes can never be disclosed; where an exception applies or where you provide written authorization, disclosure may occur as permitted by law.

We will obtain your written authorization before using or disclosing your psychotherapy notes for most purposes, including for marketing and for any sale of your information, and you may revoke that authorization in writing subject to certain limitations.

As of February 16, 2026, HIPAA covered entities are required to include information in this Notice about substance use disorder (SUD) patient records described in 42 U.S.C. 290dd-2(a) and 42 CFR Part 2 ("Part 2"). The requirements below apply only if and to the extent that the practice creates or maintains records that are protected under Part 2.

To the extent that we have your substance use disorder patient records, subject to 42 CFR Part 2, we will not share that information for investigations or legal proceedings against you without (1) your written consent or (2) a court order and a subpoena. Part 2 may limit uses and disclosures that would otherwise be permitted under HIPAA without your authorization, including for purposes of treatment, payment, and health care operations, where Part 2 applies.

Where a more protective law applies to Part 2 records, the description of uses and disclosures in this Notice will reflect the more protective requirement.

Confirmation needed Whether Sasha Flores Therapy (Horizons of Hope Counseling, PLLC) is a "federally assisted" Part 2 program, or creates or maintains records that are subject to Part 2, has not been established for this Notice. This Notice does not represent that the practice is a Part 2 program merely because clients may present with substance-use concerns. If the practice does create or maintain Part 2 records, the Part 2-specific obligations (including the patient notice required of Part 2 programs by February 16, 2026) apply in addition to the HIPAA obligations described here and should be confirmed with qualified counsel.

This Notice describes the HIPAA-covered-provider obligations applicable to Sasha Flores Therapy (Horizons of Hope Counseling, PLLC). Obligations that apply specifically to a Part 2 program are separate and are identified here only so that the distinction is clear; they apply only if the practice is determined to be a Part 2 program or to create or maintain Part 2 records.

Sasha Flores, LCSW-S, PMH-C, RYT-200 provides services to clients located in Texas, Oregon, Washington, and Colorado. The HHS model recognizes that state or other laws may impose greater restrictions on certain uses and disclosures of health information than HIPAA does.

We follow applicable federal and state privacy and confidentiality laws. Where an applicable state or other law is more protective of your health information than HIPAA, we will follow the more protective requirement. This includes, where applicable, more protective laws relating to mental health, psychotherapy, substance use disorder, and other sensitive information.

Attorney review needed No state-specific legal conclusions have been made for this Notice. The specific state-law confidentiality requirements of Texas, Oregon, Washington, and Colorado, and how they interact with HIPAA and 42 CFR Part 2 for this practice, should be reviewed and confirmed by qualified counsel licensed in the relevant state before this Notice is finalized.

• We are required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information.
• We will let you know promptly if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your information, as required by applicable law.
• We must follow the duties and privacy practices described in this Notice and give you a copy of it.
• We will not use or share your information other than as described in this Notice unless you tell us we can in writing. If you tell us we can, you may change your mind at any time. Let us know in writing if you change your mind.

This Notice does not promise absolute confidentiality or absolute security. The law permits or requires certain uses and disclosures of protected health information without your authorization, as described in this Notice.

We will provide a revised Notice when required, including when there is a material change to our privacy practices, and will make the revised Notice available as required by law.

You may contact us with questions about this Notice or to exercise any of your rights described in it. You may complain if you feel we have violated your rights.

You may file a complaint directly with the practice using the contact information above. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights by sending a letter to 200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20201, calling 1-877-696-6775, or visiting https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/filing-a-complaint/index.html. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint with the Office for Civil Rights.

We may change the terms of this Notice at any time. The revised Notice will be effective for protected health information we already maintain as well as any information we receive in the future. We will provide or make available the revised Notice as required by law.

Effective Date: August 25, 2026

You may receive a copy of this Notice and may be asked to acknowledge receipt of it through the practice's designated clinical platform, SimplePractice, as part of clinical intake. This Notice is also available on this website and as a paper copy on request.

For more information from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, see HHS HIPAA information for individuals.