Privacy Policy

SMS Communication Privacy

How We Obtain Your Consent

NotifiUs obtains your consent to receive SMS treatment communications through verbal consent collected by your treatment center’s licensed staff during your treatment appointments. This personal approach ensures you understand the service and can ask questions immediately.

Your verbal consent includes:

Your verbal agreement to receive SMS treatment messages
Confirmation of your current mobile phone number
Understanding of your right to opt-out at any time
Acknowledgment that you’ve received privacy information
Documentation of date, time, and staff member who obtained consent

Documentation of your consent: Your verbal consent is documented in your treatment record and includes the date, time, staff member name, your phone number, and confirmation that you understood the service and privacy protections.

SMS Information We Collect

Phone Number Information:

Mobile phone number you provide during verbal consent
Wireless carrier information (automatically detected)
Phone number validation and formatting data

Message Interaction Data:

Delivery confirmations and timestamps for all messages sent
Your text responses to treatment-related questions and check-ins
Response timing and frequency patterns
Technical delivery data (successful delivery, failed attempts, etc.)

Opt-Out and Preference Data:

Records of opt-out requests and confirmation timestamps
Method used to opt-out (STOP reply, phone call, etc.)
Any restart or re-consent requests
Communication preferences you specify

How We Use Your SMS Information

Treatment Support and Communication:

Deliver personalized treatment-related messages based on your wellness plan
Monitor your wellness task compliance and progress toward recovery goals
Facilitate real-time communication between you and your authorized care team
Provide intervention and support when requested by you

Care Coordination:

Share your progress and responses with your treatment center’s authorized staff
Coordinate care between different members of your treatment team
Support communication with designated mentors or family members (with your consent)
Generate progress reports for your counselors and medical providers

Service Improvement:

Analyze message effectiveness to improve treatment communication (using de-identified data)
Monitor system performance and message delivery reliability
Develop better support tools for substance use disorder recovery
Ensure compliance with healthcare regulations and best practices

Who We Share Your SMS Information With

Your Treatment Center:

Licensed counselors, therapists, and medical staff involved in your direct care
Administrative staff who support your treatment coordination
Intervention team members when safety concerns arise
Quality assurance staff for compliance and improvement purposes

Authorized Care Team Members:

Primary counselors and therapists assigned to your case
Medical doctors and nurses providing your healthcare
Case managers and care coordinators supporting your treatment
Supervisors and clinical directors overseeing your care plan

With Your Specific Consent:

Designated mentors, sponsors, or peer support individuals
Family members you authorize to receive updates about your progress
Emergency contacts during requested to-be-contacted situations
Other healthcare providers involved in your recovery (with proper authorization)

Legal Requirements Only:

Law enforcement when required by valid court order with proper legal process
State and federal regulatory agencies during authorized compliance investigations
Healthcare oversight organizations when required for audit purposes
Legal proceedings where disclosure is compelled by law

We DO NOT share your information with:

Employers or potential employers
Insurance companies (except as you specifically authorize for treatment payment)
Marketing companies or advertisers
Social media platforms or data brokers
Any unauthorized third parties for any purpose

How Long We Keep Your SMS Data

During Active Treatment:

SMS communication records are maintained in real-time during your active treatment period
Message history is available to your care team for ongoing treatment decisions
Recent communications are prioritized for immediate care coordination

Post-Treatment Retention:

SMS records are retained for 6 years after your treatment ends, as required by federal healthcare regulations
Records are stored securely with restricted access during the retention period
Data is used only for legal compliance, audit purposes, and continuity of care if you return

After Opt-Out:

SMS message delivery stops immediately when you opt out
Historical SMS records are retained for the same 6-year period for legal compliance
Your opt-out preference is permanently recorded to prevent future unwanted messages

Secure Data Deletion:

After the required 6-year retention period, all SMS data is permanently and securely deleted
Deletion includes all copies, backups, and archived records
Deletion process is documented and verified for compliance purposes

Your SMS Privacy Rights

Immediate Opt-Out Rights:

Reply STOP to any task completion message inquiry to cease all SMS communications
Contact your treatment center to request opt-out through staff
Contact NotifiUs at support@notifiUs.com or call at 1-703-403-3133 to request NotifiUs to contact your treatment center to request an SMS opt-out.
Opt-out is processed with confirmation provided

Access and Correction Rights:

Request copies of your SMS communication history from your treatment center
Review what SMS data has been collected and how it’s been used
Request corrections to your phone number or other contact information
Access records of who has viewed your SMS communications

Consent Management Rights:

Withdraw your consent for SMS communications at any time
Modify your communication preferences (timing, frequency, etc.) after approval with your counselor
Restart SMS communications after opting out by giving new verbal consent
Designate or remove authorized family members or mentors

Privacy Complaint Rights:

File privacy complaints with your treatment center who will contact our Privacy Officer at privacy@notifius.com
Report suspected privacy violations to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Contact SAMHSA for 42 CFR Part 2 violation concerns
File complaints without fear of retaliation or impact on your treatment

Special Protections for Substance Use Disorder Information

Under federal law 42 CFR Part 2, your substance use disorder treatment information receives enhanced privacy protections beyond standard HIPAA requirements.

Enhanced Confidentiality:

Your SMS communications about SUD treatment cannot be disclosed without your specific written consent
Even the fact that you receive SUD treatment communications is protected information
Stricter rules apply to any sharing of your information, even within your care team

Federal Criminal Protections:

Unauthorized disclosure of your SUD treatment SMS communications is a federal crime
Enhanced penalties apply to anyone who improperly accesses or shares your information
Additional legal protections prevent discrimination based on your SUD treatment

Limited Emergency Exceptions:

Information may be shared without consent only in immediate medical emergencies
Crisis intervention communications may be shared to prevent serious harm to you or others
Even emergency disclosures are limited to the minimum information necessary