ShieldMee Inc. | 501(c)(3) Nonprofit | EIN: 33-2242839
Eduardo Florez, LMHC | License #MH23066 | State of Florida
Effective Date: February 18, 2026
This notice describes how your health information may be used and disclosed, and how you can get access to this information. Please review it carefully.
Our Commitment to Your Privacy
ShieldMee Inc. is required by law to maintain the privacy of your Protected Health Information (PHI), provide you with notice of our legal duties and privacy practices, and follow the terms of this Notice. We reserve the right to change our privacy practices and the terms of this Notice at any time, provided such changes are permitted by applicable law. Any changes will apply to all PHI we maintain. A copy of the current Notice will always be available on this website and upon request.
How We May Use and Disclose Your Health Information
For Treatment. We may use your health information to provide, coordinate, or manage your mental health care. This includes sharing information with other health care providers involved in your treatment with your authorization.
For Payment. We may use and disclose your health information to obtain payment for services provided. This includes billing insurance companies, managed care organizations, and third-party payers such as Headway.
For Health Care Operations. We may use and disclose your health information for our operational purposes, including quality assessment, training, licensing, and professional development activities conducted under appropriate supervision agreements.
As Required by Law. We will disclose your health information when required to do so by federal, state, or local law.
To Avert a Serious Threat to Health or Safety. We may use and disclose your health information when necessary to prevent a serious threat to your health and safety or the health and safety of the public or another person, consistent with applicable law and ethical standards.
Abuse or Neglect. We may disclose your health information to appropriate authorities if we reasonably believe you are a victim of abuse, neglect, or domestic violence, or if we are required by law to make such a report.
Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Treatment Records
In compliance with 42 C.F.R. Part 2 as amended February 16, 2026, ShieldMee Inc. maintains additional protections for information related to substance use disorder treatment. SUD records may only be used or disclosed with your written consent for treatment, payment, and health care operations. These records carry redisclosure restrictions — any recipient of your SUD information is prohibited from further disclosing it without your additional consent. You have the right to revoke consent for SUD disclosures at any time. ShieldMee Inc. will never use SUD treatment information for employment decisions, criminal investigations, or any purpose beyond your clinical care without a separate court order or your explicit written authorization.
Judicial and Administrative Proceedings. We may disclose your health information in response to a court order, subpoena, or other lawful process, in accordance with applicable state and federal law.
Law Enforcement. We may disclose your health information for law enforcement purposes as required or permitted by law.
Coroners, Medical Examiners, and Funeral Directors. We may release health information to a coroner or medical examiner as necessary for the identification of a deceased person or to determine cause of death, as permitted by law.
Military and Veterans. If you are a member of the armed forces, we may release your health information as required by military command authorities, where applicable.
Scholar-Practitioner Model and AI-Assisted Documentation
ShieldMee operates under a scholar-practitioner model. This means we integrate systematic research methods into clinical practice to provide more precise and effective treatment. Specifically, this includes linguistic analysis of therapeutic conversations — tracking word frequency, theme repetition, and language pattern changes across sessions — informed by the published psycholinguistic research of Dr. James Pennebaker at the University of Texas.
How AI Assists This Process. With your explicit consent, AI tools may be used to transcribe sessions, count word frequencies, flag language patterns, and organize content thematically. AI tools do not make clinical decisions, diagnose conditions, determine treatment direction, or assess risk. All clinical interpretation, treatment decisions, and risk assessment are performed solely by the licensed clinician.
Data Protection for AI-Assisted Documentation. All data processed through AI tools is encrypted in transit and at rest. Session transcripts and AI-generated analyses are stored on a password-protected external hard drive that is not connected to any network. Your session content is not used to train AI models. Only the treating clinician has access to this data.
Your Rights Regarding AI-Assisted Documentation. You may opt out of AI-assisted documentation at any time without affecting the quality of your care. You may request to see AI-generated analyses, word frequency data, or theme summaries from your sessions. You may request deletion of AI-generated content from your record within legal retention requirements. You may opt out for individual sessions or permanently.
When AI Is Not Used. AI tools are not used during acute crisis situations (suicidal ideation, psychosis, severe dissociation), sessions involving mandatory reporting obligations, or any time you request their non-use.
Clinical Judgment Governs. When AI-generated observations differ from clinical judgment, the clinician’s assessment always governs treatment decisions. Discrepancies are documented in the clinical record with rationale.
Session Recordings
Sessions may be recorded for the purpose of linguistic analysis and clinical accuracy, with your explicit advance consent. You control whether any individual session is recorded. You may consent to recording for one session and decline for another. You may request immediate deletion of any recording at any time. Recordings are stored on a password-protected external hard drive not connected to any network and are maintained for seven years per HIPAA standards, or deleted earlier upon your request within legal retention requirements. Recordings are never shared outside HIPAA-compliant channels without separate written consent.
Your Rights Under HIPAA
You have the following rights regarding your health information:
Right to Inspect and Copy. You have the right to inspect and obtain a copy of your health information maintained by ShieldMee Inc. Requests must be submitted in writing. We may charge a reasonable fee for copies as permitted by law.
Right to Amend. You have the right to request an amendment to your health information if you believe it is incorrect or incomplete. Requests must be submitted in writing with a reason for the requested amendment. We may deny the request under certain circumstances as permitted by law.
Right to an Accounting of Disclosures. You have the right to request a list of certain disclosures we have made of your health information. Requests must be submitted in writing.
Right to Request Restrictions. You have the right to request a restriction on certain uses and disclosures of your health information. We are not required to agree to a restriction, but if we do, we will abide by it except in emergency situations.
Right to Request Confidential Communications. You have the right to request that we communicate with you about health matters in a certain way or at a certain location. We will accommodate reasonable requests.
Right to a Paper Copy of This Notice. You have the right to a paper copy of this Notice at any time, even if you have previously agreed to receive it electronically.
Right to Be Notified of a Breach. You have the right to be notified if there is a breach of your unsecured PHI. ShieldMee Inc. will notify you within 24-48 hours of discovering any unauthorized access and will follow Florida breach notification requirements.
Our Responsibilities
ShieldMee Inc. is required to maintain the privacy of your health information, provide you with this Notice of our legal duties and privacy practices, notify you following a breach of unsecured PHI, and abide by the terms of the Notice currently in effect.
We will not use or disclose your health information without your written authorization, except as described in this Notice. You may revoke any authorization you have given in writing at any time, and we will comply with your request except to the extent that we have already taken action in reliance on the authorization.
Minimum Necessary Standard
When using or disclosing PHI or when requesting PHI from another covered entity, we will make reasonable efforts to limit the information to the minimum necessary to accomplish the intended purpose.
How to File a Complaint
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with:
ShieldMee Inc.
Eduardo Florez, LMHC
850 NW Federal Hwy, Stuart, FL 34994
(772) 529-8139
apoyo@shieldmee.com
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Office for Civil Rights
200 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20201
1-877-696-6775
www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints
You will not be retaliated against for filing a complaint.
Contact Information
For questions about this Notice or to exercise any of your rights, contact:
Eduardo Florez, LMHC
ShieldMee Inc.
850 NW Federal Hwy, Stuart, FL 34994
(772) 529-8139
apoyo@shieldmee.com
This Notice of Privacy Practices is provided in compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), 45 C.F.R. Parts 160 and 164, and applicable Florida law. This document should be reviewed by legal counsel periodically to ensure ongoing compliance with changes in federal and state regulations.