This Privacy Policy explains how Brightside Counseling LLC (“Brightside,” “we,” “our,” or “us”) collects, uses, and discloses information through brightsidecounseling.org and any other pages that link to this Policy (the “Site”).
What this Policy does not cover. This Policy applies only to the Site. It does not apply to:
- The Brightside Patient Portal, which is governed by the Patient Portal Privacy Policy;
- Our Notice of Privacy Practices, which governs how the practice uses and discloses your protected health information;
- Any third-party website or service you reach through a link on the Site.
Where this Policy and your Notice of Privacy Practices both apply, the Notice of Privacy Practices controls as to protected health information.
1. Please Do Not Send Health Information Through This Site
The Site is a general-information and marketing website. It is not a secure channel for health information and is not part of your medical record.
Please do not use the Site’s forms or email links to send:
- Clinical details, symptoms, diagnoses, medications, or treatment history;
- Insurance identifiers, Social Security numbers, or financial account numbers;
- Any other information you would consider confidential health information.
Information you submit through the Site travels over the public internet, may be received and handled by non-clinical administrative staff, and is not protected by the safeguards that apply inside the Patient Portal. If you need to share health information with us, use the Patient Portal or call the office at (215) 264-2272.
Using the Site, submitting a form, or emailing us does not create a provider-patient relationship and does not begin treatment. If you are experiencing an emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. You can also call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
2. Information We Collect
2.1 Information you provide
- Contact and appointment inquiries: your name, email address, telephone number, and the contents of your message.
- Employment applications: your name and contact information, resume or CV, cover letter, work history, education, credentials and licensure, and anything else you choose to include.
- Anything else you volunteer, including information you send by email or provide over the phone in response to the Site.
2.2 Information collected automatically
When you visit the Site, we and our hosting and security providers may automatically collect:
- IP address and approximate location derived from it;
- Browser type, device type, and operating system;
- Referring URL and exit pages;
- Pages viewed, links clicked, and time spent;
- Date and time stamps, error logs, and security records.
2.3 Cookies and similar technologies
We may use cookies, tags, local storage, and similar technologies to operate the Site, remember your preferences, keep the Site secure, and measure traffic and site performance. Most browsers let you refuse or delete cookies through their settings; parts of the Site may not work correctly if you do.
We do not use advertising or retargeting trackers on the Site, and we do not share Site visitor information with advertising networks. The Site does not respond to “Do Not Track” browser signals.
3. How We Use Information
We use the information described above to:
- Respond to your inquiries and provide the information or appointment assistance you request;
- Evaluate applications for employment and contact applicants;
- Operate, maintain, secure, troubleshoot, and improve the Site;
- Understand how the Site is used and improve our content and outreach;
- Send you administrative messages, and marketing or newsletter communications you may opt out of at any time;
- Create de-identified or aggregated information, which we may use and disclose for any lawful purpose without restriction;
- Enforce our Terms of Use, protect our rights and property, and prevent fraud, abuse, or misuse of the Site;
- Comply with applicable law, professional obligations, and lawful requests.
4. How We Disclose Information
We may disclose information:
- To service providers who perform work on our behalf, such as website hosting, security, email delivery, form processing, analytics, recruiting, information technology, accounting, and legal or professional advisors;
- Within the practice, to the clinicians and administrative staff who need it to respond to you;
- In a business transaction, including a merger, acquisition, financing, reorganization, dissolution, or sale of all or part of our assets, in which case information may be transferred as part of that transaction;
- For legal and safety reasons, including to comply with law or legal process, respond to lawful requests from public authorities, enforce our agreements, protect the rights, property, or safety of Brightside, our patients, our staff, or others, or investigate suspected fraud or misconduct;
- At your direction or with your consent.
We do not sell your personal information.
5. Security
We use administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect information collected through the Site. However, no method of transmission over the internet and no method of electronic storage is completely secure. We cannot guarantee the security of information you transmit to us through the Site, and you do so at your own risk.
6. Retention
We retain information collected through the Site for as long as we consider necessary for the purposes described in this Policy and to comply with our legal, regulatory, professional, and recordkeeping obligations. Information may persist in backups and archives after deletion from active systems.
7. Third-Party Sites and Services
The Site links to services we do not control, including the Patient Portal host, our online intake application, mapping services, and social media. We are not responsible for the privacy practices, content, or security of any third party. Review their policies before providing information to them.
8. Children’s Privacy
The Site is intended for adults and is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from them. Please do not submit information about a minor through the Site unless you are that minor’s parent or legal guardian. If you believe a child has provided us information through the Site, contact us and we will take reasonable steps to delete it.
9. Your Choices
- Marketing communications. You may opt out at any time using the unsubscribe link in any marketing email or by contacting us. We may still send you administrative messages relating to an inquiry you initiated.
- Cookies. Use your browser settings, as described in Section 2.3.
- Your medical record. Requests to access, amend, or obtain copies of your health information are governed by our Notice of Privacy Practices, not this Policy. Direct those requests to our office rather than through the Site.
- State privacy rights. Where applicable law grants you rights regarding personal information, contact us using Section 12 and we will respond as that law requires.
10. United States Only
The Site is intended for individuals located in the United States, and our services are provided in Pennsylvania. If you access the Site from outside the United States, you do so on your own initiative and you consent to your information being processed and stored in the United States.
11. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Policy at any time. Changes take effect when the revised Policy is posted to the Site, and we will update the “Last updated” date above. Your continued use of the Site after a change is posted constitutes your acceptance of it. Please review this Policy periodically.
12. Contact Us
Brightside Counseling LLC
681 Harleysville Pike, 2nd Floor
Harleysville, PA 19438
Phone: (215) 264-2272
Email: brightsidecounselingpa@gmail.com