Notice of Privacy Practices
Daniel Edwards Counseling
Rapid Change Center LLC dba Daniel Edwards Counseling
Daniel K. Edwards II, MS, LMFT
Effective date: October 14, 2026
Download the Notice of Privacy Practices (PDF, 4 pages)
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 protect information about you and your care. This notice explains how this practice may use and share protected health information (PHI), your privacy rights, and my legal duties. It applies to health information I create, receive, or maintain about your care.
Privacy questions and requests
Privacy contact: Daniel K. Edwards II, MS, LMFT
Telephone: (405) 237-9135
Mail or in person: 609 S. Kelly Ave., Suite C-1, Edmond, OK 73003
You may use this contact information to ask questions, exercise the rights below, or file a privacy complaint. Ask me for help with a request. Please do not send sensitive health information through ordinary website forms or email.
Your rights
See and obtain your records. You may ask in writing to inspect or receive an electronic or paper copy of the health information in your medical and billing records. I will provide access or a copy within 30 days of receiving your request, subject to any extension permitted by law. A summary is provided only if you agree. A reasonable, cost-based copying fee may apply. HIPAA excludes separately maintained psychotherapy notes and certain other information from this access right. If access is denied, I will explain the reason and any available review rights in writing.
Request a correction. You may ask in writing to amend information you believe is incorrect or incomplete and explain why. I will respond within 60 days, subject to any extension permitted by law. If I deny your request, I will explain why in writing and tell you how to submit a statement of disagreement.
Choose how I contact you. You may ask me to contact you in a particular way or at a different location, such as a different telephone number or mailing address. I will accommodate reasonable requests.
Ask for limits on use or sharing. You may ask me to restrict information used or shared for treatment, payment, or health care operations, or with people involved in your care. I generally do not have to agree. If I agree, I will follow the restriction except as the law permits, including when the information is needed for emergency treatment.
Keep fully paid services from your health plan. If you or someone other than your health plan pays for a service in full out of pocket, you may ask me not to disclose information relating solely to that service to your health plan for payment or health care operations. I must agree unless disclosure is required by law. Tell me before a claim or other disclosure is made.
Request an accounting of disclosures. You may ask in writing for a list of certain disclosures made during the preceding six years, or a shorter period you specify. The list generally excludes treatment, payment, and health care operations, disclosures you authorized, and other legally excluded disclosures. I will respond within 60 days, subject to any extension permitted by law. One accounting in a 12-month period is free. I may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee for additional requests, after telling you the cost and allowing you to withdraw or change the request.
Get this notice. You may request a paper copy at any time, even if you agreed to receive it electronically. You may also request an electronic copy.
Have an authorized person act for you. A person with legal authority, such as an authorized health care agent or legal guardian, may exercise your rights to the extent the law permits. I will verify that authority. Rules for minors, family records, and situations involving abuse, neglect, or endangerment may limit a representative’s authority or access.
Your choices about sharing
Tell me your preferences about sharing information with family members, friends, or others involved in your care or payment. When allowed by law, I may share relevant information if you agree or have an opportunity to object and do not object. If you cannot express a preference, I may share limited information when professional judgment and the law allow it for your best interests. These HIPAA permissions do not override stricter Oklahoma confidentiality or written-permission requirements.
For family therapy, a release based on a written waiver requires the agreement of each participating family member who is legally competent to give that waiver. I will follow applicable rules for minors and other representatives.
Oklahoma confidentiality protections
Oklahoma law protects mental health and substance use treatment information, including your identity as a client. I obtain written permission when required and disclose information without it only when applicable law allows or requires disclosure. State limits apply to every disclosure category in this notice. The Oklahoma exception allowing certain disclosures to other treating providers for treatment, payment, or operations does not include substance use information. A subpoena alone does not authorize release of protected mental health or substance use treatment records.
Uses and disclosures of your information
The following describes permitted categories, not a promise that every disclosure will occur. I follow applicable confidentiality limits and obtain written permission where required. When a minimum-necessary rule applies, I limit the information used or disclosed accordingly.
Treatment payment and health care operations
Treatment. I use your information to assess your needs, provide counseling, coordinate care, and make referrals. For example, I use information from our sessions to develop your treatment plan. I may consult with another provider about your care when allowed by law and obtain written permission where required.
Payment. I use information to bill and collect payment for services. For example, when services are billed to a health plan, I may provide the diagnosis and service information needed to process the claim, subject to required permissions and any applicable restriction you request for fully paid services.
Practice operations. I use information to manage the practice, maintain records, evaluate care, and meet administrative requirements. For example, I may review your record to assess the quality of services. Service providers performing permitted functions for the practice must have required confidentiality protections.
Reminders and care information. I may contact you about appointments, treatment alternatives, or health-related services I offer, consistent with your reasonable confidential-communication requests.
Other permitted or required disclosures
As required by law. I disclose information when a law requires it, and only as that law requires. This includes disclosures to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to review compliance with privacy laws.
Public health and safety. When permitted or required, I may report suspected abuse, neglect, or domestic violence, make required public health reports, or disclose information to help prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to health or safety.
Health oversight. I may disclose information for legally authorized audits, licensing reviews, investigations, or other oversight of health care services.
Legal proceedings. I may disclose information under a valid court order or another exception specifically allowed by applicable law, only after applicable confidentiality, privilege, notice, and protective-order requirements are met. A subpoena by itself is not enough to release protected Oklahoma mental health or substance use records. The additional Part 2 protections below also apply when relevant.
Law enforcement. I may make limited disclosures permitted or required by applicable law, such as reporting a crime on the premises. A law enforcement request alone does not remove confidentiality protections.
Workers’ compensation. I may disclose information as authorized by and necessary to comply with workers’ compensation laws, obtaining written permission when required.
Research. Information may be used or disclosed for research only when required legal safeguards, approvals, and any required permissions are in place.
Coroners and medical examiners. I may disclose information for legally authorized duties after a death.
Special government functions. Where legally permitted, information may be disclosed for authorized military, national security, protective-service, or correctional-institution purposes, subject to applicable confidentiality limits.
Written authorization and additional protections
Psychotherapy notes. I maintain psychotherapy notes separately from the rest of your record, as that term is defined by HIPAA. Most uses or disclosures require your written authorization. Limited legal exceptions include my use of notes I originated for your treatment; use or disclosure for this practice’s own supervised training programs, when legally permitted; defending a legal proceeding you bring; HHS compliance review; oversight concerning the originator of the notes; disclosures required by law; authorized coroner duties; and certain serious and imminent threats. Applicable state protections still apply. Ordinary progress notes, diagnoses, and treatment plans are not automatically psychotherapy notes.
Marketing and sale. I do not use or disclose your PHI for marketing and do not sell your PHI in the regular course of business. HIPAA generally requires written authorization for marketing uses and disclosures and for sale of PHI.
Other uses and revoking permission. Uses or disclosures not described in this notice require your written authorization. You may revoke an authorization by writing to the privacy contact. Revocation stops future uses and disclosures covered by that authorization, except to the extent I have already acted in reliance on it or another legal exception applies.
Substance use disorder records protected by Part 2
If I receive or maintain substance use disorder records protected by 42 CFR Part 2, I follow those additional protections and obtain any consent required by Part 2 before using or sharing them. Those records, and testimony about their contents, cannot be used or disclosed in civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative investigations or proceedings against you without your written consent or a qualifying court order issued after the required notice and opportunity to be heard. An authorizing court order must also be accompanied by a subpoena or other legal requirement compelling disclosure.
My responsibilities
I am required by law to protect the privacy of your PHI, provide this notice of my legal duties and privacy practices, and follow the notice currently in effect. I must notify you following a breach of your unsecured PHI as required by law. I will provide that notice without unreasonable delay and within the applicable legal deadline.
Complaints
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may complain to me by calling the privacy contact above or delivering or mailing a written complaint to that contact at the listed address. Explain what happened and how I can reach you. You may ask for help making a complaint.
You may also complain to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through its Office for Civil Rights (OCR). You do not have to complain to me first. Instructions and online filing are available at www.hhs.gov/hipaa/filing-a-complaint/index.html. You may also write to HHS at 200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20201, or call 1-877-696-6775.
I will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.
Changes to this notice
I reserve the right to change this notice and make the revised terms apply to information I already maintain as well as information I receive later. A revised notice will state its effective date and be available upon request, in my office, and on my website. When privacy practices materially change, I will revise and make the notice available as required by law.