Notice of Privacy Practices
Your Information. Your Rights. Our Responsibilities.
This notice describes how medical information about you and your child may be used and disclosed and how you can get access to this information. Please review it carefully.
Effective date: January 1, 2026
Last updated: September 23, 2026
Acorn Autism
102 E Trade St
Sanford, NC 27332
(919) 205-9292
hello@acornautism.com
Privacy contact: hello@acornautism.com
Your rights
You have the right to:
Get an electronic or paper copy of your child’s record
Ask us to correct the record if you think it is wrong or incomplete
Request confidential communications (for example, a different phone number or mailing address)
Ask us to limit what we use or share (we may say no if it would affect care or payment, except in limited situations required by law)
Get a list of certain disclosures we have made
Get a copy of this notice
Choose someone to act for you, if that person has legal authority
File a complaint if you believe your privacy rights have been violated
We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.
To exercise these rights or ask questions:
Email hello@acornautism.com or call (919) 205-9292.
Write: Acorn Autism, 102 E Trade St, Sanford, NC 27332.
You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights:
https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/filing-a-complaint
Your choices
For certain uses, you can tell us your preference. If you have a clear preference for how we share information in the situations below, tell us. Tell us if you do not want us to share, and we will follow your instructions unless the law requires otherwise.
You can tell us not to share information:
With family members or others involved in your child’s care or payment for care, except as needed in an emergency or as allowed by law
In a disaster-relief situation
We never sell your information. We never use or share your information for marketing unless you give us written permission, except for face-to-face communications or promotional gifts of nominal value allowed by law.
We will not share psychotherapy notes (if we maintain any) or use your information for most other purposes not described in this notice unless you give written authorization. You may revoke that authorization in writing at any time.
Our uses and disclosures
We typically use or share health information in these ways.
Treat your child
We can use health information and share it with professionals who are treating your child.
Example: Our BCBA shares assessment results with the RBT working with your child so teaching is consistent.
Run our organization
We can use and share information to run the clinic, improve care, and contact you.
Example: We use information to review the quality of treatment, train staff, or schedule sessions.
Bill for services
We can use and share information to bill and get payment from health plans or other entities.
Example: We give your child’s diagnosis, authorization, and session information to the insurance plan so the claim can be paid.
Help with public health and safety
We can share information in certain situations, including:
Preventing disease
Helping with product recalls
Reporting adverse reactions
Reporting suspected abuse, neglect, or domestic violence
Preventing or reducing a serious threat to anyone’s health or safety
Comply with the law
We will share information if state or federal law requires it, including with the Department of Health and Human Services if it wants to see that we are complying with federal privacy law.
Work with a medical examiner or funeral director
We can share information with a coroner, medical examiner, or funeral director when the law allows.
Address workers’ compensation, law enforcement, and other government requests
We can share information for workers’ compensation claims, with law enforcement when allowed, with health oversight agencies, and for special government functions such as military, national security, and presidential protective services, when the law allows.
Respond to lawsuits and legal actions
We can share information in response to a court or administrative order, or in response to a subpoena.
Business associates
We use vendors to help operate the clinic. That includes our practice-management and intake system, Aloha ABA, and other vendors who host records, billing, or communications. These vendors are required to protect health information and have a Business Associate Agreement with us when HIPAA requires one.
North Carolina and child-protection notes
We follow North Carolina law as well as federal law. That includes required reports of suspected child abuse or neglect. When state law is stricter than HIPAA about a particular disclosure, we follow the stricter rule.
Our responsibilities
We are required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information.
We will let you know promptly if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your information.
We must follow the duties and privacy practices described in this notice and give you a copy of it.
We will not use or share your information other than as described here unless you tell us we can in writing. If you tell us we can, you may change your mind at any time. Let us know in writing if you change your mind.
Changes to this notice
We can change the terms of this notice, and the changes will apply to all information we have about you. The new notice will be available on our website and at the clinic. The effective date will be at the top of the notice.
Acknowledgment of receipt
You will be asked to sign an acknowledgment that you received this notice when services begin. You may refuse to sign. We will still provide care. If you refuse, we will document that we offered the notice and that you declined to sign.
This notice applies to Acorn Autism and to the workforce and vendors acting on our behalf.
Acorn Autism
102 E Trade St, Sanford, NC 27332
(919) 205-9292
hello@acornautism.com