Effective date: July 12, 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.
This notice applies to Brigante Psychotherapy and Mathew Brigante, PhD. It describes the practice’s duties and your rights regarding protected health information under HIPAA and other applicable law.
How your information may be used or disclosed
- Treatment: Information may be used and shared with other health professionals involved in your care, such as when consultation or coordination is clinically appropriate.
- Payment: Information may be used to collect payment, prepare statements or superbills, and respond to a health plan when you ask the practice to do so.
- Health care operations: Information may be used to operate the practice, schedule care, improve services, meet legal and professional obligations, and obtain legal, accounting, technology, or administrative support from service providers that are required to protect the information.
Information may also be used or disclosed without written authorization when permitted or required by law, including for suspected abuse or neglect, a serious and imminent threat to health or safety, public health activities, approved research, health oversight, workers’ compensation, certain law-enforcement or court requests, organ or tissue donation when applicable, duties involving a deceased person, and demonstrating compliance to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Only the information reasonably necessary for the permitted purpose will be disclosed.
Relevant information may be shared with a family member, another person involved in your care or payment, or a disaster relief organization if you agree, do not object, or if professional judgment permits disclosure in an emergency. You may tell the practice your preferences.
Stricter protections and written authorization
New York and federal law may give additional protection to mental health, HIV-related, genetic, and substance-use information. Those stricter rules will be followed. Most uses or disclosures of psychotherapy notes require your written authorization, except for limited uses permitted by law. Other uses or disclosures not described in this notice will be made only with your written authorization. You may revoke an authorization in writing, except to the extent action has already been taken in reliance on it.
Brigante Psychotherapy does not sell your health information, use it for marketing, or use it for fundraising.
To the extent the practice receives or maintains substance use disorder patient records protected by 42 CFR Part 2, those records will not be used or disclosed in civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative proceedings against you without your written consent or a court order and subpoena that meet Part 2 requirements.
Your rights
- Access: You may ask to inspect or receive an electronic or paper copy of your designated record set. A copy or summary will usually be provided within 30 days. A reasonable cost-based fee may apply.
- Amendment: You may ask to correct information you believe is incorrect or incomplete. A request may be denied, but the reason will be provided in writing, generally within 60 days.
- Confidential communications: You may ask to be contacted in a specific way or at a specific location. Reasonable requests will be honored.
- Restrictions: You may ask the practice to limit certain uses or disclosures. The practice is not always required to agree. If you pay in full out of pocket, you may ask that information about that service not be sent to your health plan unless disclosure is required by law.
- Accounting: You may request a list of certain disclosures made during the six years before your request. One accounting in a 12-month period is free; a reasonable fee may apply to additional requests.
- Paper notice: You may request a paper copy of this notice at any time.
- Representative: A person with legal authority to act for you may exercise these rights after that authority is verified.
- Complaint: You may complain if you believe your privacy rights were violated. You will not be retaliated against for filing a complaint.
The practice’s responsibilities
The practice is required by law to maintain the privacy and security of protected health information, provide this notice, follow the notice currently in effect, and notify affected individuals following a breach of unsecured protected health information. The terms of this notice may be changed, and a revised notice may apply to information already maintained. The current notice will be available on this website and upon request.
Questions or complaints
Contact the Privacy Officer, Mathew Brigante, PhD, at (631) 208-7748.
You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights at hhs.gov/hipaa/filing-a-complaint, by calling 1-877-696-6775, or by writing to 200 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20201. No retaliation will occur because you filed a complaint.