PRIVACY POLICY & NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES
Estela Mental Health and Reproductive Psychiatry Effective Date: March 29, 2026
1. Who We Are
Estela Mental Health and Reproductive Psychiatry ("Estela," "we," "us") is an outpatient psychiatric practice located at 9390 Research Blvd, Building 2 Suite 200, Austin, TX 78759. We are a covered entity under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and are committed to protecting the privacy of your health information.
2. Information We Collect
We may collect the following types of information:
Health Information: Medical history, psychiatric history, diagnoses, treatment plans, prescriptions, and other information you provide when scheduling or receiving care.
Contact Information: Name, address, phone number, email address, and date of birth.
Insurance Information: Insurance carrier, member ID, and billing information.
Website Information: When you visit estelamentalhealth.com, we may collect information through contact forms, appointment booking tools, and cookies or similar tracking technologies including those used by Google Ads and Google Analytics.
3. How We Use Your Information
We use your information to:
Provide, coordinate, and manage your psychiatric care
Process insurance claims and billing
Communicate with you about appointments, treatment, and follow-up care
Comply with legal and regulatory requirements
Improve our website and marketing efforts (website data only, never health information)
4. How We Share Your Information
We do not sell your personal information. We may share your information in the following circumstances:
Treatment: With other healthcare providers involved in your care, with your consent.
Payment: With your insurance company to process claims.
Healthcare Operations: With business associates who help us operate our practice, under signed Business Associate Agreements (BAAs).
Legal Requirements: When required by law, court order, or to report certain conditions as mandated by Texas law.
With Your Authorization: For any other purpose, we will ask for your written authorization. You may revoke that authorization at any time.
We do not use or disclose your protected health information (PHI) for marketing purposes without your explicit written authorization.
5. Your Rights Under HIPAA
You have the right to:
Access your medical records and request a copy
Request corrections to your health information
Request restrictions on how we use or share your information
Request confidential communications (e.g., contact you only by phone or only at a certain address)
Receive an accounting of disclosures of your health information
File a complaint if you believe your privacy rights have been violated
To exercise any of these rights, contact us at 512-434-0730 or by mail at our address above.
6. Website Cookies & Tracking
Our website uses cookies and tracking tools including Google Ads and Google Analytics to understand how visitors find and use our site. This tracking uses anonymized data and does not access or transmit your protected health information. You may opt out of Google's tracking at google.com/settings/ads.
7. Data Security
We use administrative, physical, and technical safeguards to protect your health information, including encrypted communications and HIPAA-compliant systems for patient records.
8. Complaints
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with us or with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights at hhs.gov/ocr. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.
9. Contact Us
Mara Sigalos-Rivera, MD
Estela Mental Health and Reproductive Psychiatry
9390 Research Blvd, Building 2 Suite 200 Austin, TX 78759
Phone: 512-434-0730
Fax: 800-837-1058
estelamentalhealth.com