Patient Rights, Complaints & Medical Records
Noel C Gonzalez Psychotherapy + Consultation
Texas law requires licensed behavioral health providers to inform patients of their rights regarding complaints and access to records.
Filing a Complaint
If you have concerns about your mental health services, you have the right to file a complaint. You may first choose to discuss concerns directly with your provider. You also have the right to file a complaint with the state regulatory authority at any time.
Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council (BHEC)
📍 333 Guadalupe Street, Suite 3-900, Austin, TX 78701
📞 (512) 305-7700
🌐 https://bhec.texas.gov
Complaints may be submitted online or by mail. Filing a complaint will not affect your right to receive services.
Request for Medical Records
Texas law requires that requests for mental health records be in writing. In order to obtain your records, or your child’s records from our practice, please do the following:
· Complete our HIPAA-compliant Authorization and send it to us through the patient portal of https://www.therapyportal.com/p/noelcgonzalez/ our electronic health records system. In the subject line, write “REQUEST FOR RECORDS.” Please be sure to include the records you want, and the name, address, and/or e-mail address of the intended recipient.
· If you do not have access to the patient portal, please e-mail your request for records and the Authorization to this e-mail address: MedicalRecords@Drncgonzalez.com. . In the subject line, please write “REQUEST FOR RECORDS.”
· If the records are to be used in litigation, please include case information, such as the cause number, title, and court where the case is pending.
· If you need a Business Records Affidavit, please let us know in your request for records. There is a $15 charge for providing a Business Records Affidavit. No Affidavit will be provided unless the fee is paid.
· There is a $100.00 for providing records in this practice. We accept credit cards, cash, Venmo, Zelle. Please note that Texas law does not require us to provide records until the fee is paid.
· If you are requesting a copy of couples counseling records, family counseling records, or records for a person who is not yourself or your child, state and federal law require that you provide either a Court Order or an Authorization signed by the person (or parent of the person) whose records you are requesting. 45 C.F.R. §164.512(e); Texas Health & Safety Code §611.004, §611.0045, §611.008.
Instructions for Requesting Medical Records from Attorneys and Document Companies
A subpoena alone is not sufficient to compel the disclosure of confidential counseling and billing records or “Protected Health Information” (PHI) under the Health Insurance Privacy and Portability Act Privacy Rule (HIPAA), 45 C.F.R. Chapter 164.
For medical/hospital/mental health records or information that are requested or subpoenaed in litigation (including court testimony), HIPAA allows a covered entity
If you have questions about accessing your records, please contact the practice directly.
Contact Information:
Main phone number: 281-501-3683
Email: medicalrecords@drncgonzalez.com (medical Records request only)
Subpoena & Legal Records Policy
Information for attorneys and third parties regarding subpoenas, Business Records Affidavits, and legal requests for patient records.