Privacy Policy

Effective Date: April 11, 2026

Southern Highlands Community Mental Health Center ("SHCMHC," "we," "us," or "our") respects your privacy and is committed to protecting the information you share with us. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect through our website (shcmhc.com), how we use it, and your rights regarding that information.

This policy covers our website. If you are a patient or prospective patient, your protected health information (PHI) is separately governed by our Notice of Privacy Practices, which you may request at any of our locations or by contacting us at the address below.

1. Information We Collect

We collect information in two ways:

Information You Provide Directly

• Contact & inquiry forms — name, phone number, email address, and any message you submit through our website contact forms.
• Appointment requests — name, contact information, and general reason for inquiry submitted through online intake or scheduling forms.

Information Collected Automatically

• Usage data — pages visited, time spent on pages, referring URLs, and browser/device type, collected via Google Analytics (anonymized; no personally identifiable information is linked to analytics data).
• Cookies — small text files stored by your browser to remember preferences and improve site performance. You may disable cookies in your browser settings; some site features may be limited as a result.
• Server logs — IP address, browser type, and access timestamps, retained briefly for security and performance monitoring.

2. How We Use Your Information

• Respond to your inquiries, contact form submissions, and service requests.
• Schedule appointments and connect you with appropriate clinical staff.
• Improve our website content, navigation, and user experience.
• Comply with legal and regulatory requirements.
• Ensure the security and integrity of our systems.

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for marketing purposes.

3. Protected Health Information (HIPAA)

As a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC), SHCMHC is a HIPAA-covered entity. If you become a patient, your medical and behavioral health records are protected health information (PHI) governed by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and our Notice of Privacy Practices — not this website Privacy Policy.

Information submitted through website contact or inquiry forms is not treated as PHI under HIPAA. Please do not submit sensitive clinical information through website forms.

4. Your Rights Regarding Website Data

• Access & correction — You may request a copy of personal information we hold about you and ask us to correct inaccuracies.
• Deletion — You may request that we delete personal information you submitted through website forms, subject to any legal retention requirements.
• Opt-out of analytics — You may install the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on to prevent analytics collection.
• Cookie preferences — Adjust cookie settings in your browser at any time.

To submit a request, contact us at the information provided in Section 8.

5. Third-Party Services

Our website uses the following third-party services that may collect limited data:

• Google Analytics — Collects anonymized usage statistics. See Google's Privacy Policy.
• Google Maps — Used to display location information. Governed by Google's Privacy Policy.

We do not use advertising networks or sell data to data brokers.

6. Data Security

We use industry-standard security measures including SSL/TLS encryption for data in transit, access controls, and regular security reviews. While we take reasonable precautions, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. We encourage you to avoid sending sensitive personal or clinical information via website contact forms.

7. Children's Privacy

Our website is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 through our website. If you believe a child has submitted personal information to us, please contact us and we will promptly delete it.

8. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or applicable law. When we make changes, we will update the Effective Date at the top of this page. Continued use of our website after any update constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

9. Contact Us

For questions about this Privacy Policy, to exercise your data rights, or to request a copy of our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices:

Last Updated: April 11, 2026