LEGAL & PRIVACY
Privacy Policy
Suffolk Family Therapy respects your privacy. This policy explains what information we may collect through our public website, how we use and protect it, and the choices available to you.
Effective date: September 16, 2026
Scope of This Policy
This Privacy Policy applies to the public website operated by Suffolk Family Therapy LCSW P.C., including website contact forms, appointment inquiries, newsletter sign-ups, and other website features that link to this policy.
It does not govern the privacy practices of websites, platforms, or services operated by other organizations, even when we link to them.
Website Privacy and Health Information
This website Privacy Policy is separate from our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices.
If you become a client, certain information created or received while providing healthcare may constitute protected health information under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, commonly called HIPAA. Our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices explains how we may use and disclose protected health information and describes your rights regarding that information.
[READ OUR HIPAA NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES]
If this Privacy Policy and our HIPAA Notice address the same protected health information differently, the HIPAA Notice applies to that information.
Information You Provide to Us
Depending on how you use the website, you may provide information such as:
- Your name
- Email address
- Telephone number
- Preferred method of contact
- General scheduling or availability information
- Insurance or payment-option information
- The service or clinician you are interested in
- Information included in an appointment or contact request
- Newsletter and resource preferences
- Communications you send to us
Please do not include detailed clinical information, diagnoses, treatment records, Social Security numbers, payment-card information, or other highly sensitive information in a general website contact form unless the form specifically requests it and is identified as secure.
Submitting an inquiry does not establish a therapist-client relationship.
Information Collected Automatically
When you visit the website, our website host and authorized service providers may automatically collect limited technical information, including:
- Internet Protocol address
- Browser and device type
- Operating system
- Pages viewed
- Date and time of access
- Referring website or link
- General geographic region
- Cookie or similar technology identifiers
- Information about how the website functions on your device
We use this information to operate, secure, troubleshoot, and improve the website.
How We Use Information
We may use information collected through the website to:
- Respond to questions and appointment inquiries
- Determine which services or clinicians may be relevant to an inquiry
- Communicate about scheduling and next steps
- Verify or discuss insurance and payment options
- Provide requested resources or newsletter communications
- Operate, maintain, and improve the website
- Monitor website performance and prevent misuse
- Maintain business and administrative records
- Comply with legal, regulatory, licensing, and professional obligations
- Protect the rights, safety, and security of our clients, staff, practice, and others
- Carry out another purpose disclosed when the information is collected or authorized by you
We do not sell personal information submitted through our website.
We do not use information submitted through appointment or clinical forms for targeted advertising.
Cookies and Similar Technologies
Our website may use cookies and similar technologies that help pages function, remember preferences, measure website performance, and understand how visitors use the site.
Some cookies are necessary for website operation. Other cookies, including analytics or embedded-content cookies, may be placed by service providers when those features are enabled.
You may be able to limit nonessential cookies through the website’s cookie controls or your browser settings. Blocking cookies may affect how some parts of the website function.
Analytics and Online Tracking
We may use carefully selected analytics tools to understand general website activity, such as which pages are visited and whether the website is functioning correctly.
We do not authorize advertising or analytics providers to collect information from authenticated client-portal pages. We also do not intentionally disclose protected health information to advertising platforms.
Because healthcare websites require particular care, we periodically review the technologies used on appointment, inquiry, and client-facing pages.
When Information May Be Shared
We may disclose information when reasonably necessary to:
- Operate the website and respond to your request
- Work with vendors that provide website hosting, forms, scheduling, communications, security, data storage, payment, or administrative services
- Coordinate services within Suffolk Family Therapy
- Verify insurance benefits or support payment-related requests when authorized or otherwise legally permitted
- Comply with a law, court order, subpoena, licensing obligation, or lawful government request
- Respond to a safety or security concern
- Investigate suspected fraud, misuse, or unlawful activity
- Protect our legal rights or those of another person
- Complete a merger, reorganization, or transfer of business assets, subject to applicable confidentiality requirements
- Carry out another purpose with your direction or consent
When information qualifies as protected health information, its use and disclosure are governed by HIPAA, other applicable laws, and our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices.
Service Providers and External Websites
Our website may link to or use services provided by other organizations, including:
- Client portals
- Appointment and intake systems
- Electronic health-record systems
- Insurance-benefit tools
- Payment and financing services
- Email and newsletter platforms
- Video, audio, social-media, or other embedded content
- Mapping and accessibility tools
When you leave our website or interact directly with an external service, that organization’s privacy policy and terms may apply. Suffolk Family Therapy does not control every external website or service and is not responsible for its independent privacy practices.
Email, Text Messages, and Website Forms
Standard email, text messaging, and general website forms may not provide the same security as an authorized client portal.
Please use the secure client portal for clinical records, detailed treatment questions, or other sensitive communications whenever instructed to do so.
If you provide your contact information, we may respond using the method you selected or the method reasonably necessary to address your inquiry. You may unsubscribe from promotional email messages using the link provided in those messages.
This website, its forms, and its email addresses are not monitored continuously and must not be used for emergencies. If you are experiencing an emergency, call 911, visit the nearest emergency department, or call or text 988 in the United States.
Information Security
We use reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards intended to protect information under our control. These measures may include access controls, secure systems, staff procedures, vendor oversight, and other safeguards appropriate to the nature of the information.
No website, email system, or electronic transmission can be guaranteed to be completely secure. You should use care when deciding what information to send electronically.
Information Retention
We retain website information for only as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, our business and recordkeeping needs, dispute resolution, safety, and applicable legal or professional requirements.
Clinical records are maintained according to different retention requirements and are addressed through our clinical policies and HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices.
Your Choices
Depending on the information involved and applicable law, you may contact us to:
- Ask what website information we maintain about you
- Request correction of inaccurate website information
- Request deletion of website information that we are not legally or professionally required to retain
- Change your communication preferences
- Unsubscribe from marketing communications
- Ask a question about our privacy practices
Separate rights may apply to protected health information. Those rights and the process for exercising them are described in our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices.
Children’s Privacy
This public website is intended for a general audience and is not designed to collect personal information directly from children under 13.
A parent or legal guardian may contact us regarding services for a child. Children under 13 should not submit personal information through the website without the involvement of a parent or legal guardian.
If we learn that information was submitted directly by a child under 13 in a manner requiring parental authorization, we will take appropriate steps consistent with applicable law.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy when our website, services, vendors, or legal obligations change.
The revised policy will be posted on this page with a new effective date. Material changes may also be communicated through another appropriate method.
Contact Us
Questions or requests concerning this website Privacy Policy may be directed to:
Suffolk Family Therapy LCSW P.C.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (631) 503-1539
Mailing address: 4109 Sunrise Highway, Bohemia, NY, 11716
For questions or complaints concerning protected health information, please use the contact information provided in our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices.