Privacy Policy for Living and Growing, LLC

Introduction Living and Growing, LLC (“We”, “Us”, “Our”) respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal data and health information. This privacy policy will inform you how we look after your data when you visit our website, use our client portals, or seek our mental health services. It also outlines your privacy rights and how federal laws, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and Maryland state laws protect you.

1. Purpose of this Privacy Policy

This privacy policy aims to give you information on how Living and Growing, LLC collects and processes your personal data through your use of this website, including any data you may provide through this website when you fill out a contact form, schedule an appointment, or use our secure client portal.

Note: For current patients, how we handle your Protected Health Information (PHI) is further detailed in our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices, which is provided to you during your initial intake.

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2. The Data We Collect About You

We may collect, use, and store different kinds of personal and health data about you, which we have grouped together as follows:

• Identity Data: Includes first name, last name, date of birth, marital status, or similar identifiers.

• Contact Data: Includes billing address, home address, email address, and telephone numbers.

• Health Data (Protected Health Information or PHI): Includes medical history, mental health records, diagnoses, treatment plans, therapy notes, and health insurance information.

• Technical Data: Includes internet protocol (IP) address, browser type and version, time zone setting, and operating system used to access our website.

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3. How Is Your Personal Data Collected?

We use different methods to collect data from and about you, including through:

• Direct Interactions: You may give us your identity, contact, and health data by filling in secure online forms, using our patient portal, or corresponding with us by phone, email, or teletherapy platforms.

• Automated Technologies: As you interact with our website, we may automatically collect technical data about your equipment and browsing actions using cookies or similar technologies.

• Third Parties: We may receive information about you from referring physicians, healthcare providers, or your health insurance company.

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4. How We Use Your Personal Data

We will only use your personal data when the law allows us to. Under HIPAA and Maryland state law, we will most commonly use your data in the following circumstances:

• For Treatment: To provide, coordinate, or manage your mental health care and related services.

• For Payment: To bill and collect payment for the treatment and services you receive (e.g., billing your insurance).

• For Healthcare Operations: For administrative and business operations necessary to run our practice smoothly and ensure quality of care.

• To Comply with a Legal Obligation: When required by law (e.g., reporting abuse, responding to court orders, or protecting public health and safety).

Marketing and Promotional Messages We do not use your Protected Health Information (PHI) for marketing purposes without your explicit written authorization.

We may use your Identity and Contact Data to send you general newsletters, resources, or updates about Living and Growing, LLC. You will only receive these communications if you have requested them or opted in.

Unsubscribe Instructions You can ask us to stop sending you marketing or informational messages at any time by following the opt-out links on any message sent to you or by contacting us directly. Opting out of marketing messages does not apply to communications strictly necessary for your treatment, billing, or appointment reminders.

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5. Data Security

We have put in place robust, HIPAA-compliant security measures to prevent your personal data and PHI from being accidentally lost, used, or accessed in an unauthorized way, altered, or disclosed. Access to your personal data is strictly limited to employees, agents, and contractors who have a business need to know and are bound by strict confidentiality obligations. All electronic health records and portal communications utilize secure, encrypted servers.

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6. Data Retention

We will only retain your personal data for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes we collected it for. Under Maryland law, we are required to retain medical and mental health records for at least five (5) years after the record is made. For minors, records must be kept until the patient reaches the age of majority (18) plus three years, or for five years after the record is made, whichever is later.

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7. Your Legal Rights Under HIPAA and Maryland data protection laws, you have specific rights concerning your health and personal data, including the right to:

• Request Access: Obtain a copy of your medical records and personal data.

• Request Correction/Amendment: Ask us to correct incomplete or inaccurate data we hold about you.

• Request Restriction: Ask us to suspend or restrict the processing of your personal data for certain purposes.

• Request an Accounting of Disclosures: Obtain a list of certain parties to whom we have disclosed your PHI.

• Right to Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent at any time where we are relying on consent to process your data.

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8. SMS Consent & Communication If you provide your phone number for SMS communication, we will use it solely for administrative purposes, such as appointment reminders or scheduling updates.

• No Marketing Sharing: Your SMS consent and phone number will not be shared with third parties or affiliates for marketing purposes.

• Security Notice: Standard SMS is not fully secure. We will not transmit detailed Protected Health Information (PHI) or sensitive therapeutic discussions via standard text message, and we advise you not to send PHI to us via SMS.

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9. Changes to the Privacy Policy and Your Duty to Inform Us of Changes

This version was last updated on May 29 2026 Historic versions can be obtained by contacting us. Please keep us informed if your personal data (such as your insurance, address, or emergency contact) changes during your relationship with us so we can maintain accurate records.

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10. Contact Details

For further information on this privacy policy, to request a copy of our full HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices, or to exercise any of your statutory rights, please contact our Privacy Officer:

• Company Name: Living and Growing, LLC

• inof@livingandgrowing.org

• Phone: 301-920-0316