An Experienced Therapist CAN Make A Difference
Welcome to Cascade Counseling.
Cascade Counseling is a group of caring, skilled, professional mental health practitioners working together to promote and provide personalized mental health services to the east Snohomish county communities. Collectively drawing from over 115 years of clinical experience, we are here to help.
In a safe, ethical, responsive, and respectful environment, we support and empower individuals and families as they seek to improve their quality of daily living, health, and relationships. Our commitment to our clients includes confidentiality, integrity, knowledge, and qualified experience.
We view ourselves as collaborative guides in a process that enables our clients to change current patterns, behaviors, and feelings that may be interfering with their quality of life and relationships. We use a variety of therapeutic approaches tailored to address the unique needs of each of our clients.
We look forward to being of service to you. Just click on one of our provider's names to get started...
Now is the time to start feeling renewed joy and hope!
Counseling Children, Adolescents, Adults, Couples, and Families
The mental health professionals providing treatment at Cascade Counseling are independent practitioners and are not operating as a group practice. As such, any practitioner who is not providing psychotherapy to you, your family or your child bears no liability for the services provided unless otherwise indicated in the practitioner's treatment agreement.
Services
Depression
Anxiety
Grief
Divorce
Life Crisis
Unresolved Anger
Stress Management
Sexual Abuse
Chronic Illness
Communication Issues
Emotional Intimacy
Trauma, PTSD
Self-esteem Issues
Parenting
Marriage Therapy
Premarital Counseling
Geriatric Mental Health
Notice of Privacy Practices
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.
I. Uses and Disclosures of Protected Health Information
A. Permissible Uses and Disclosures without Your Written Authorization
We may use and disclose PHI without your written authorization, excluding Psychotherapy Notes as described in Section II, for certain purposes as described below. The examples provided in each category are not meant to be exhaustive, but instead are meant to describe the types of uses and disclosures that are permissible under federal and state law.
1. Treatment: We may use and disclose PHI in order to provide treatment to you. For example, We may use PHI to diagnose and provide counseling service to you. In addition, we may disclose PHI to other health care providers involved in your treatment.
2. Payment: We may use or disclose PHI so that services you receive are appropriately billed to, and payment is collected from, your health plan. By way of example, we may disclose PHI to permit your health plan to take certain actions before it approves or pays for treatment services.
3. Health Care Operations: We may use and disclose PHI in connection with our health care operations, including quality improvement activities, training programs, accreditation, certification, licensing or credentialing activities.
4. Required or permitted by Law: We may use or disclose PHI when we are required or permitted to do so by law. For example, we may disclose PHI to appropriate authorities if we reasonably believe that you are a possible victim of abuse, neglect, or domestic violence or the possible victim of other crimes. In addition, we may disclose PHI to the extent necessary to avert a serious threat to your health or safety or the health or safety of others.
II. Notice of Privacy Practices
A. Every attempt will be made in the first session to explain our Privacy Policy, address any restrictions to PHI and obtain a signature confirming receipt of NPP. In those situations where a signature is not possible, we will document our attempts to obtain the signature and the reasons for not doing so.
B. A copy of our NPP will be posted in our waiting room and updated as policies change. Any client or potential client may have access to a written copy of our Privacy Policy.
C. We reserve the right to make changes in our Privacy Policies and Procedures. Language supporting this right will appear in our NPP. In those situations where changes are made to our Privacy Policies and Procedures, we will post those changes in our waiting room.
D. We will obtain a written consent from all clients to release any and all information including TPO (Treatment, Payment and Health Care Operations) except when required by law.
III. Access to Protected Health Information
A. Right to Inspect and Copy. Clients may request access to their medical record and billing records maintained by me in order to review and/or request copies of the records. All requests for access must be made in writing. Under limited circumstances, we may deny access to those records. We may charge a fee for the costs of copying and sending any records requested.
B. Right to Request Amendment. Clients have the right to amend their record by including a statement in the case file. The original documentation will remain in the file along side the amendment.
C. Right to Alternative Communications. Clients may request, and we will accommodate, any reasonable written request to receive PHI by alternative means of communication or at alternative locations.
D. Minimum Necessary. With the exception of release of information for treatment purposes, any disclosure of PHI will provide only the minimum necessary information to comply with the request.
E. Security of Records. Appropriate safeguards will be taken to protect the security of PHI and reasonably protect it from intentional or unintentional disclosures.
F. Right to Request Restrictions. Clients have the right to request a restriction on PHI used for disclosure for treatment, payment or health care operations.
G. Right to Obtain Notice. Clients have the right to obtain a paper copy of our NPP by submitting a request to the Privacy Officer.
H. Questions and Complaints. Clients who require further information about their privacy rights or have concerns that we have violated their privacy rights may contact the Privacy Officer.
IV. Your Individual Rights
A. Right to Inspect and Copy. You may request access to your medical record and billing records maintained by me in order to inspect and request copies of the records. All requests for access must be made in writing.
B. Right to Alternative Communications. You may request, and we will accommodate, any reasonable written request for you to receive PHI by alternative means of communication or at alternative locations.
C. Right to Request Restrictions. You have the right to request a restriction on PHI used for disclosure for treatment, payment or health care operations.
D. Right to Accounting of Disclosures. Upon written request, you may obtain an accounting of certain disclosures of PHI made by me after April 14, 2003.
E. Right to Request Amendment. You have the right to request that we amend your health information. Your request must be in writing, and it must explain why the information should be amended.
F. Right to Obtain Notice. You have the right to obtain a paper copy of this Notice by submitting a request to the Privacy Officer at any time.
G. Questions and Complaints. If you desire further information about your privacy rights, or are concerned that we have violated your privacy rights, you may contact the Privacy Officer. You may also file written complaints with the Director, Office for Civil Rights of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. We will not retaliate against you if you file a complaint.
H. You have specific rights under the Privacy Rule. We will not retaliate against you for exercising your right to file a complaint.
V. Business Associates
A. It is our policy to obtain a Business Associate Contract with any individual or organization who has access to PHI in our possession and who is not a covered entity under HIPAA or a member of our workforce.
B. All Business Associate Contracts will include language that reasonably assures that the Business Associate will appropriately safeguard and limit their use and disclosure of PHI that we disclose to them.
C. Business Associate Contracts will be in place before having access to client information.
VI. Administrative Requirements
A. We are each the designated privacy officer and contact person for our part of the practice. Questions and concerns about violations of HIPAA requirements can be directed to me.
B. In the event a breach of confidentiality is reported, we will review the complaint and compare the action we took against HIPAA regulations.
C. Clients will be informed in our NPP of the proper procedure for filing a complaint. At no time will we intimidate, threaten, coerce, discriminate or retaliate against anyone making a complaint against me, nor will clients be asked to waive their rights to receive treatment for filing a complaint against our practices.
D. As changes in HIPAA regulations are implemented, we will update our policies, practices and notices to comply with the new regulations.
E. All policies pertaining to HIPAA will be retained by our practice for at least six years from the date they are written or the date they are in effect, whichever is later.
VII. Preemption of State Law
We will comply with all state laws pertaining to our practice. In the event that a state law conflicts with HIPAA regulations, we will adhere to the regulation or law that offers clients more stringent protection of PHI.
VIII. Effective Date and Changes to this Notice
A. Effective Date. This Notice is effective on September 25, 2024.
B. Changes to this Notice. We may change the terms of this Notice at any time. If we change this Notice, we may make the new notice terms effective for all PHI that we maintain, including any information created or received prior to issuing the new notice. You may obtain any revised notice by contacting the Privacy Officer or read our posted copy in office or online.
Effective Date: September 25, 2024