Effective from: 1st May 2026
Alvarez Psychological Services (“the Practice,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) is committed to protecting the privacy of your personal and health information. This Privacy Policy applies to:
Important distinction: This policy describes how we manage information on our website and in general communications. Our clients also receive a separate HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices upon their first appointment, which details your rights under federal law regarding your protected health information (PHI). In the event of any conflict, the HIPAA Notice controls for clinical clients. For forensic clients, special limitations described in Section 6 apply.
We collect information in three ways: (1) information you voluntarily provide, (2) information automatically collected by our website, and (3) information from third parties (e.g., court referrals, attorneys).
When you contact us via our website contact form, email, or phone, you may provide:
Do not send sensitive clinical or forensic details through unencrypted email or our website contact form. While we take reasonable precautions, no internet transmission is completely secure.
Our website uses only strictly necessary cookies (see our Cookie Policy). We do not currently use Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, or any marketing trackers. However, our web hosting service may collect standard server logs, including:
This information is used solely for security and troubleshooting. It is not linked to your identity unless required by law enforcement or a court order.
For forensic clients, we typically receive referral information from:
This information may include court pleadings, declarations of facts, child custody evaluations, and other legal documents. Such information is treated as part of the forensic record and is subject to court disclosure rules.
We use your information for the following legitimate practice purposes:
We never sell, rent, or trade your information to third parties for marketing purposes.
Under U.S. privacy laws, including HIPAA and state-specific regulations, our processing of your information is based on:
Purpose | Legal Basis |
Treatment (clinical) | HIPAA permitted use; Texas Occupations Code |
Forensic evaluation | Court order, attorney retention, or your written consent |
Payment | Contractual necessity (your agreement to pay fees) |
Practice operations | Legitimate interest (e.g., record retention, security) |
Legal compliance | Federal/state law (e.g., mandatory reporting) |
For residents of California (if any visitor is from CA), this policy complies with the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) to the extent applicable, though our practice has no physical presence in CA and does not meet CCPA revenue thresholds.
We use only strictly necessary cookies to ensure our website functions properly (e.g., session cookies for security). We do not use:
You may disable cookies in your browser settings. However, some parts of our website may not work correctly. For full details, please see our separate Cookie Policy.
This section is critical for anyone involved in family law matters.
When Dr. Alvarez provides forensic services (e.g., court-ordered psychological evaluation, parental alienation assessment, or expert witness work), the usual therapist-patient privilege does not apply. Instead:
By agreeing to a forensic evaluation, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this section.
For clinical clients (women’s mental health, therapy for depression, anxiety, trauma, etc.), confidentiality is protected under Texas law and HIPAA, but it is not absolute. We must break confidentiality without your permission when:
Additionally, in high-conflict divorce situations, if both parents have legal custody of a minor child, both parents may have a right to access the child’s treatment records. We will handle such requests carefully, often seeking court guidance.
Under HIPAA and Texas Health & Safety Code Chapter 181, you have the following rights:
You have the right to inspect and obtain a copy of your psychological records. To request access, contact Dr. Alvarez at info@drmaryalvarez.com for detailed instructions. We may charge a reasonable fee for copying and mailing, as permitted by Texas law. We will respond within 30 days (extendable by 30 days with notice).
Exception: For forensic records, access may be limited if the court has restricted release, or if the records contain information about third parties (e.g., the other parent or child) that cannot be redacted.
If you believe your records are incorrect or incomplete, you may request an amendment. We may deny the request if the record is accurate and complete, or if it was created by another professional. We will notify you in writing of any denial.
You may request a list of certain disclosures of your records made for reasons other than treatment, payment, or operations. This does not include disclosures made to you, with your authorization, or for legal compliance. The accounting covers the past 6 years.
You may ask us to restrict how we use or disclose your information for treatment, payment, or operations. We are not required to agree, but if we do, we will honor the restriction except in emergencies or as required by law.
You may request that we communicate with you by alternative means (e.g., email instead of phone) or at an alternative address. We will accommodate reasonable requests.
Upon request, we will provide a paper copy of this Privacy Policy and our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices, even if you usually receive electronic communications.
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with:
As of the Effective Date above, Alvarez Psychological Services does not use any third-party software on our website or for practice management that collects client data. This means:
No patient portal
If we add any third-party service (e.g., a HIPAA-compliant video platform like Zoom for Healthcare, or a practice management system), we will:
For website hosting, we use a reputable provider that encrypts data in transit (HTTPS) and has security certifications. The hosting provider is bound by a Data Processing Agreement that prohibits them from using your information for any purpose other than hosting our website.
We maintain physical, electronic, and procedural safeguards to protect your information:
Texas law (Texas Administrative Code § 653.3) requires licensed psychologists to retain records for:
After the retention period, records are destroyed via secure shredding (paper) or digital wiping (electronic files).
If unsecured protected health information is breached, we will notify you within 60 days as required by HIPAA and Texas law. The notice will describe what happened, what information was involved, and steps you can take to protect yourself. We will also report the breach to HHS and, if large enough, to media outlets.
Because Dr. Alvarez does not accept or file insurance, we do not share your information with health insurance companies. However, as a self-pay provider, we are still subject to the No Surprises Act and Texas state law regarding Good Faith Estimates.
Our Good Faith Estimate is provided separately. It does not alter this Privacy Policy.
Our website and services are directed to adults (parents seeking services for themselves or for their children, or adults in divorce proceedings). We do not knowingly collect information from children under thirteen without parental consent. If we become aware that a child under thirteen has provided personal information through our website, we will delete it immediately.
For minors receiving clinical services (with parental consent), the parent or legal guardian typically has access to the minor’s records, unless the minor is sixteen or older and consents to treatment independently under Texas law (Texas Family Code § 32.003). In such cases, we may restrict parental access. For forensic evaluations of a minor, both parents may have access rights unless a court orders otherwise.
We reserve the right to update this Privacy Policy at any time. Material changes will be communicated as follows:
We encourage you to review this policy periodically. The most current version will always be available on our website.
For all privacy-related inquiries, complaints, access requests, or to exercise any of your rights described in Section 8, please contact:
Email: info@drmaryalvarez.com
Phone: 832-720-5020
For emergencies or immediate clinical concerns, do not use email. Call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.
By using our website or contacting us for services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy. If you become a client, you will also sign a separate Informed Consent and HIPAA Acknowledgment form.
