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Notice of Privacy Practices

How health information about you or your child may be used and disclosed, and how you can get access to it

Please review this notice carefully. It describes how health information about you or your child may be used and shared, and how you can get access to this information. Effective date: November 1, 2026.

ABOUT THIS NOTICE

Hammer Pediatric Neuropsychology, PLLC dba Hammer Psychology ("the practice") is a solo practice. Dr. Aimee T. Hammer personally provides all services. The practice is required by law to keep your health information private, to give you this notice of its legal duties and privacy practices, and to follow the notice that is currently in effect.

In this notice, "health information" means information that identifies you or your child and relates to health, care, or payment for care. This includes intake forms, records you share, test results, written reports, and billing records. When this notice says "you," it means the adult patient, or the parent or legal guardian who makes decisions for a child.

Federal law (HIPAA) sets a minimum level of privacy protection. Arizona law may give stronger protection to some information, including mental and behavioral health information. When Arizona law is more protective, the practice follows Arizona law.

HOW THE PRACTICE USES AND SHARES HEALTH INFORMATION

The practice may use and share health information for the purposes below without your written permission. Only the minimum information needed is shared.

Treatment

Dr. Hammer uses health information to plan and carry out consultations, testing, written reports, and feedback sessions. She may share information with other health care providers involved in care, such as a pediatrician, psychiatrist, or therapist, to coordinate care. Dr. Hammer does not share information with a school without your written permission.

Payment

The practice is self-pay and does not bill insurance. Health information is used to process payments through SimplePractice and to prepare a superbill if you ask for one. You decide whether to send a superbill to your insurance company.

Health care operations

The practice may use health information to run the practice and improve care. Examples include reviewing the quality of services, meeting licensing and insurance requirements, and getting legal or accounting advice. When Dr. Hammer consults with another professional about a case, she removes identifying information whenever possible.

Business associates

Some services are provided by outside companies, such as SimplePractice (the client portal and electronic health record) and scoring or secure communication services. These companies must sign a written agreement to protect health information.

Appointment reminders and communication

The practice may contact you by phone, email, text message, or through the client portal about appointments, forms, payments, and results. Text messages are used only for appointment reminders and scheduling and do not include clinical information. You may ask the practice to use a different way of contacting you.

People involved in care

If you are present and do not object, Dr. Hammer may share information with a family member or other person involved in care. If you are not present or cannot respond, she will use her professional judgment about what is in the patient's best interest.

USES THAT REQUIRE YOUR WRITTEN PERMISSION

The practice will ask for your written permission (an "authorization") before using or sharing health information in the following ways:

  • Psychotherapy notes. These are a therapist's separate private notes about counseling sessions. The practice provides evaluations and consultations, not therapy, and does not keep psychotherapy notes. If any are ever kept, they will not be shared without your authorization except in the limited cases the law allows.

  • Marketing. The practice will not use your information for marketing without your authorization.

  • Sale of health information. The practice will never sell your health information.

  • Schools and other non-medical recipients. Sharing reports or information with a school, tutor, or other non-medical person or agency requires your authorization.

  • Other uses not described in this notice.

You may cancel an authorization at any time by writing to the practice. Canceling does not undo information already shared while the authorization was in effect.

OTHER TIMES INFORMATION MAY BE SHARED WITHOUT YOUR PERMISSION

The law allows or requires the practice to share health information in certain situations. In each case, only the information needed is shared.

  • When required by law. For example, when a federal, state, or local law requires it.

  • Child or vulnerable adult abuse or neglect. Dr. Hammer is required to report suspected abuse or neglect to the proper authorities.

  • Serious threat to health or safety. To prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to the health or safety of a person or the public, information may be shared with someone able to help prevent the harm.

  • Public health. For example, to report certain diseases or to help with product safety.

  • Health oversight. To agencies that oversee health care, such as the Arizona Board of Psychologist Examiners, for audits, investigations, or licensing.

  • Court and administrative proceedings. In response to a court order, or to a subpoena or other legal request when the law's requirements are met. The practice does not provide forensic or custody evaluations.

  • Law enforcement. In limited situations allowed by law, such as in response to a warrant or court order.

  • Coroners and medical examiners. As the law allows.

  • Workers' compensation. As required by workers' compensation laws.

  • Special government functions. For example, for military, national security, or protective services as the law allows.

  • Research. Only when approved under the privacy rules, or with your authorization.

CHILDREN, TEENS, AND YOUNG ADULTS

For patients under 18, a parent or legal guardian usually makes decisions about care and has the right to see the child's health information. When parents are separated or divorced, both parents usually have the right to see records unless a court order limits that right. Please give the practice a copy of any court order about decision-making or access to records.

Patients 18 and older control their own health information, even if a parent helped schedule care or paid for services. A parent may receive information about an adult patient only with the adult patient's written permission, or with proof of legal authority such as a guardianship or health care power of attorney.

YOUR RIGHTS

You have the following rights about health information. To use any of these rights, contact the practice using the information at the end of this notice. Some requests must be in writing.

Get a copy of your records

You may ask to see or get a copy of health information the practice keeps, in paper or electronic form. The practice will respond within the time the law requires, usually within 30 days. A reasonable, cost-based fee may be charged for copies.

Written reports and score summaries are part of the record you may receive. To protect the security and copyright of psychological tests, the practice may handle raw test data and test materials differently, for example by sending them directly to a qualified professional you name. If any part of a request is denied, you will be told why in writing and how to ask for a review.

Ask for a correction

If you believe information in the record is wrong or incomplete, you may ask in writing for it to be corrected. The practice may say no, but will explain why in writing. You may then submit a statement of disagreement to be added to the record.

Get a list of disclosures

You may ask for a list (an "accounting") of times the practice shared health information in the past six years. The list does not include sharing for treatment, payment, or health care operations, or sharing you authorized. One list per year is free. A reasonable fee may be charged for more.

Ask for limits on sharing

You may ask the practice to limit how it uses or shares health information. The practice is not required to agree, except in one case: if you pay for a service in full yourself, you may ask that information about that service not be shared with your health insurer. Because the practice is self-pay and does not bill insurance, the practice does not send information to your insurer. If you choose to submit a superbill yourself, that is your decision.

Ask for private communication

You may ask to be contacted in a certain way, such as only by email or at a different address. The practice will agree to reasonable requests and will not ask why.

Get a paper copy of this notice

You may ask for a paper copy of this notice at any time, even if you agreed to receive it electronically.

Choose someone to act for you

If someone has legal authority to act for you, such as a parent of a minor, a guardian, or a person with a health care power of attorney, that person may use your rights. The practice will confirm that authority before acting.

Be notified of a breach

If there is a breach of unsecured health information that affects you or your child, the practice will notify you as the law requires.

THE PRACTICE'S DUTIES

  • Keep health information private and secure as required by law.

  • Follow the terms of the notice currently in effect.

  • Not use or share information other than as described here unless you give written permission.

  • Keep records for the period required by Arizona law, then dispose of them securely.

The practice is not a substance use disorder treatment program. If the practice ever receives records protected by the federal confidentiality rules for substance use disorder treatment records (42 C.F.R. Part 2), it will handle them as those rules require.

CHANGES TO THIS NOTICE

The practice may change this notice, and the changes will apply to all health information it keeps. The current notice is posted on the practice website and is available in the client portal. You may request a copy at any time.

QUESTIONS AND COMPLAINTS

If you have questions or believe your privacy rights have been violated, please contact the practice's privacy official:

Privacy official: Aimee T. Hammer, PhD

Practice: Hammer Pediatric Neuropsychology, PLLC dba Hammer Psychology

Office (testing location): 7702 E Doubletree Ranch Rd, Suite 300, Office 373, Scottsdale, AZ 85258

Mailing address: 4539 N 22nd St, Ste R, Phoenix, AZ 85016-4639 (mail only)

Phone: (480) 744-8638

Email: testing@hammerpsychology.com

You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights, online at www.hhs.gov/ocr/complaints. The practice will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.