Privacy Policy
Website Privacy Policy
The Mind Guardian Inc | Effective September 9 2026
This Privacy Policy explains how The Mind Guardian, Inc. ("The Mind Guardian," "we," or "us") handles information associated with visits to themindguardian.com (the "Website"). The Website is informational and does not provide online scheduling, payment processing, or a patient portal.
Information We Collect
Information you provide. If you contact us by email or telephone, we receive the information you choose to provide, such as your name, contact information, and message. Please do not send diagnoses, symptoms, medical records, insurance details, Social Security numbers, or other sensitive health information through ordinary email or through the Website.
Technical information. Our web host and security providers may automatically receive limited technical information, such as IP address, browser type, device type, pages visited, date and time, and security or server-log information. This information is used to operate, secure, and troubleshoot the Website.
How We Use Information
- To respond to inquiries and provide requested information about services.
- To operate, maintain, secure, and improve the Website.
- To comply with applicable law and protect the rights, safety, and security of visitors, clients, and others.
We do not sell personal information. We do not use information submitted through the Website for targeted advertising.
Appointments Payments and Clinical Services
The Website does not schedule appointments or process payments. Appointments, insurance, clinical documentation, telehealth, and payments may be handled through Headway or another service identified to you. Information you provide directly to a third-party service is governed by that service's privacy and security notices as well as any laws applicable to the provider relationship.
Cookies and Similar Technologies
The Website may use cookies or similar technologies that are necessary for basic operation, security, accessibility, or user preferences. We do not knowingly use advertising pixels or cross-site behavioral advertising on the Website. If our use of cookies or analytics changes, this Policy will be updated and any legally required choices or notices will be provided.
How Information May Be Shared
We may share limited information with vendors that support website hosting, security, maintenance, or email; when required by law or legal process; or when reasonably necessary to protect rights, safety, or security. Vendors are permitted to receive only the information reasonably necessary for their services and are expected to protect it appropriately.
Health Information and HIPAA
This Website is not intended to collect protected health information. Information obtained or maintained as part of an established therapeutic relationship is handled under applicable federal and Florida confidentiality laws and the separate Notice of Privacy Practices below. A general website inquiry does not by itself establish a therapist-client relationship.
Security and Retention
We use reasonable administrative and technical measures appropriate to the limited information handled through the Website. No Internet transmission or storage method can be guaranteed to be completely secure. We retain website inquiry and technical information only as reasonably necessary for the purposes described above, legal obligations, dispute resolution, and security.
Children
The Website is directed to adults and is not intended to collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has submitted personal information through the Website, contact us so we can review and delete it when appropriate.
External Links
The Website may link to third-party sites or platforms. We do not control their privacy practices and encourage visitors to review their notices before providing information.
Your Requests
You may contact us to ask about, correct, or request deletion of personal information you submitted through the Website, subject to legal, clinical-record, security, and retention requirements. Rights concerning protected health information are explained in the Notice of Privacy Practices below.
Florida Data Security
We maintain reasonable measures to protect personal information and will provide notices of qualifying data breaches as required by the Florida Information Protection Act and other applicable law.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this Policy when our Website or legal obligations change. The revised version will be posted with a new effective date.
Contact
The Mind Guardian, Inc.
Attn: Privacy Contact
Email: hello@themindguardian.com
Phone: 786-373-7369
Website: themindguardian.com
Notice of Privacy Practices
The Mind Guardian Inc | Effective September 9 2026
THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW HEALTH INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN ACCESS THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.
This notice applies to protected health information maintained by The Mind Guardian, Inc. and Izza-Marie Alcaide, LMHC, when acting as a HIPAA-covered health care provider. Services delivered through Headway may also be subject to Headway's separate Notice of Privacy Practices.
Your Rights
You have the rights described below. Contact the Privacy Contact listed at the end of this notice to exercise them.
Inspect or obtain a copy. You may ask to inspect or receive an electronic or paper copy of your record and other health information we maintain about you. We generally respond within 30 days and may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee. Florida law may permit a treatment report in place of copies of certain psychotherapeutic records in some circumstances.
Request a correction. You may ask us to correct information you believe is incorrect or incomplete. We may deny the request when permitted by law and will explain a denial in writing, generally within 60 days.
Request confidential communications. You may ask us to contact you in a particular way or at a particular location. We will agree to reasonable requests.
Request restrictions. You may ask us to limit certain uses or disclosures for treatment, payment, or operations. We are not always required to agree. If you pay in full out of pocket and ask us not to disclose that service to your health plan for payment or operations, we will honor the request unless disclosure is required by law.
Receive an accounting of disclosures. You may request a list of certain disclosures made during the six years before your request. The list does not include disclosures for treatment, payment, health care operations, and certain other disclosures excluded by law. One accounting in a 12-month period is free; a reasonable fee may apply to additional requests.
Receive this notice. You may request a paper copy at any time, even if you agreed to receive it electronically.
Choose a representative. A person with lawful authority, such as a legal guardian or holder of an applicable health care power of attorney, may exercise your rights. We will verify that authority before acting.
File a complaint. You may complain to us or to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights if you believe your privacy rights were violated. We will not retaliate against you.
Your Choices
When applicable, you may tell us whether to share information with family members, close friends, or others involved in your care or payment, and for disaster-relief purposes. If you cannot state a preference, we may use professional judgment when the law permits, including when needed to lessen a serious and imminent threat.
We will obtain your written authorization for marketing, the sale of your information, and most uses or disclosures of psychotherapy notes. We do not sell your health information. We do not conduct fundraising using patient information. You may revoke an authorization in writing, except to the extent we have already relied on it.
How We May Use and Disclose Health Information
Treatment. We may use your information and share it with other professionals involved in your care, as permitted by federal and Florida law.
Payment. We may use and disclose information to obtain payment, confirm benefits, submit claims, and coordinate billing, including through Headway, health plans, and payment-related service providers.
Health care operations. We may use and disclose information to operate the practice, improve quality, conduct compliance activities, obtain professional or legal services, and manage the services you receive.
Business associates. We may share information with contractors that perform services involving protected health information only when HIPAA permits and required safeguards or agreements are in place.
Required or permitted by law. We may use or disclose information when federal or Florida law requires or permits it, including reports of suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation; health oversight; public-health activities; workers' compensation; certain law-enforcement requests; judicial or administrative proceedings; medical examiners or funeral directors; and preventing or reducing a serious and imminent threat to health or safety. Applicable legal conditions and minimum-necessary limits will be followed.
Research. We may use or disclose information for research only when HIPAA and other applicable requirements are satisfied.
Special Protection for Mental Health and Florida Records
Florida law generally treats communications between a licensed mental health counselor and a client as confidential. We will not disclose psychotherapeutic communications or records without written authorization unless disclosure is permitted or required by applicable law. Florida exceptions may include certain proceedings initiated by the client, written waiver, lawful compulsory process, reporting obligations, care and payment activities authorized by law, and specific imminent threats of serious bodily injury or death to an identified or readily available person. When Florida law provides greater privacy protection than HIPAA, we follow Florida law.
Substance Use Disorder Records
To the extent we maintain substance use disorder patient records that are protected by 42 CFR Part 2, those records receive the protections required by Part 2. Such records may not be used or disclosed in civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative proceedings against you without your written consent or a court order accompanied by the process required by law. If Part 2 applies to fundraising communications, you will receive advance notice and a choice about whether to receive them. The Mind Guardian does not use patient information for fundraising.
Our Responsibilities
- We are required by law to maintain the privacy and security of protected health information.
- We will notify you as required if a breach may have compromised the privacy or security of your information.
- We must follow the duties and privacy practices described in the notice currently in effect and provide a copy upon request.
- We will not use or disclose your information other than as described here unless you authorize it in writing or applicable law permits or requires it.
Changes to This Notice
We may change this notice and make the revised terms effective for all information we maintain. The current notice will be available upon request and posted on our Website.
Questions Complaints and Requests
Privacy Contact: Izza-Marie Alcaide, LMHC
The Mind Guardian, Inc.
Email: hello@themindguardian.com
Phone: 786-373-7369
Website: themindguardian.com
You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights by visiting hhs.gov/hipaa/filing-a-complaint, calling 1-877-696-6775, or writing to 200 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20201. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.