Privacy Policy

1. Who We Are

Victory Healthcare Services, LLC (“VHCS,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) is a licensed mental health and behavioral health services provider located at 4925 Belair Rd., Baltimore, Maryland 21206. We operate the website located at www.vhcsllc.com (the “Site”). We are committed to protecting the privacy and personal information of all visitors, clients, and referral partners who interact with our Site.

This Privacy Policy explains what personal information we collect when you use our Site, how we use it, who we share it with, and what rights you have regarding your information.

2. Information We Collect

2.1  Information You Provide to Us

When you use this website, you may voluntarily provide us with personal information, including but not limited to:

• Full name
• Date of birth
• Phone number and email address
• Mailing or residential address
• Insurance or Medicaid plan information
• Messages and inquiries submitted through our contact form
• Information submitted when requesting an appointment or referral

We collect this information when you fill out a contact form, appointment request form, referral form, or employment application on our Site.

2.2  Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our Site, we and our third-party service providers may automatically collect certain technical information, including:

• IP address and approximate geographic location
• Browser type and version
• Operating system and device type
• Pages visited and time spent on each page
• Referring website (where you came from before arriving at our Site)
• Date and time of your visit

This information is collected using cookies and similar tracking technologies, as described in Section 7 below.

2.3  Information We Do NOT Collect Through This Website

This website is not designed to collect Protected Health Information (PHI) as defined under HIPAA. Do not submit clinical health information, diagnoses, medication names, or treatment details through our website contact forms. All clinical information is collected and managed through our secure clinical systems, governed by our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the personal information collected through this website for the following purposes:

• To respond to your inquiries, questions, and appointment requests
• To contact you regarding services, appointments, or referrals you have requested
• To process employment applications submitted through our Site
• To improve the functionality and content of our website
• To analyze website traffic and user behavior (using aggregate, anonymized data)
• To send administrative communications, such as confirmation emails
• To comply with applicable legal obligations and regulatory requirements
• To protect the safety and security of our website, staff, and clients

We do not use your personal information for automated decision-making or profiling that produces legal or similarly significant effects.

4. Legal Basis for Processing (Maryland & Federal Law)

We collect and process your personal information on the following legal bases:

• Consent: Where you have provided explicit consent (e.g., by completing and submitting a contact form).
• Contractual necessity: Where processing is necessary to fulfill a service you have requested.
• Legal obligation: Where processing is required to comply with applicable Maryland or federal law.
• Legitimate interests: Where processing is necessary for our legitimate business interests (e.g., website security, fraud prevention) and does not override your privacy rights.

5. How We Share Your Information

5.1  We Do Not Sell Your Personal Information

Victory Healthcare Services, LLC does not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to any third party for marketing or commercial purposes.

5.2  Service Providers

We may share your information with trusted third-party service providers who assist us in operating our website and delivering our services, including:

• Website hosting and content delivery providers
• Email and form submission processors
• Analytics providers (e.g., Google Analytics, as described in Section 7)
• WhatsApp Business (if you contact us via WhatsApp messaging)
• Electronic health record and practice management systems (clinical use only, governed by HIPAA)

All service providers are required by contract to use your information only as directed by VHCS, to protect it using appropriate safeguards, and to comply with applicable privacy law.

5.3  Legal Disclosures

We may disclose your personal information when required or permitted by law, including:

• In response to a valid court order, subpoena, or legal process
• To comply with mandatory reporting obligations under Maryland law (e.g., child abuse, elder abuse, duty to warn)
• To protect the rights, property, or safety of VHCS, our clients, staff, or the public
• In connection with a merger, acquisition, or transfer of assets of VHCS, in which case you will be notified

5.4  With Your Consent

We may share your information with third parties when you have given explicit consent for us to do so.

6. Children’s Privacy

This website is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 through this website. If you believe we have inadvertently collected personal information from a child under 13, please contact us immediately at the address below and we will take steps to delete such information.

Clinical services for minors are governed by our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices and applicable Maryland minor consent laws, including Maryland Health-General Article §§ 20-102 through 20-106, which govern certain treatment decisions by minors.

7. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

7.1  What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files placed on your device when you visit our website. They help the site function properly, remember your preferences, and allow us to analyze how the site is used.

7.2  Types of Cookies We Use

Strictly Necessary	Essential for the website to function. Cannot be disabled. Examples: session cookies, security tokens, form submission cookies.
Functional	Remember your preferences and settings to improve your experience. Examples: language preference, form auto-fill.
Analytics	Help us understand how visitors use the site (pages viewed, time on site). We use Google Analytics with IP anonymization enabled. Data is aggregated and cannot identify you individually.
Third-Party	Embedded tools such as Google Maps (on the Contact page) may place their own cookies. These are governed by the privacy policies of those providers.

You can control and manage cookies through your browser settings. Note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of this website. We do not currently respond to browser “Do Not Track” signals, but we honor opt-out requests for analytics as described below.

7.3  Google Analytics

We use Google Analytics to collect anonymized, aggregate data about Site usage. IP anonymization is enabled, meaning your full IP address is not stored. You may opt out of Google Analytics tracking by installing the Google Analytics Opt-Out Browser Add-on, available at https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.

8. Data Retention

We retain personal information collected through this website only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purpose for which it was collected, or as required by applicable law, including:

• Contact form inquiries: Retained for 3 years from the date of submission.
• Appointment request records: Retained for 3 years from the date of submission.
• Employment applications: Retained for 1 year from the date of submission.
• Analytics data: Aggregated analytics data may be retained indefinitely, but cannot be linked to individual users.
• Legal hold: Information subject to litigation, investigation, or audit may be retained longer as required by law.

Clinical health records are subject to separate retention requirements under Maryland Health-General Article § 4-403 and HIPAA, requiring retention of adult records for a minimum of 5 years and minor records until the patient reaches age 21 or for 5 years, whichever is longer.

9. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures include:

• SSL/TLS encryption for all data transmitted through this website (HTTPS)
• Secure server hosting with access controls and regular security updates
• Limited access to personal information on a need-to-know basis
• Staff training on privacy and data security practices
• Regular security assessments and updates

While we take data security seriously, no method of transmission over the internet or method of electronic storage is 100% secure. We encourage you to contact us by phone for sensitive matters rather than through web forms.

10. Third-Party Websites and Links

Our Site may contain links to third-party websites, resources, or services (including crisis hotlines, government agencies, and partner organizations). These third parties have their own privacy policies, which we do not control. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of third-party sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party site you visit.

11. WhatsApp Communication

We offer WhatsApp as a convenience channel for initial inquiries. Please note:

• WhatsApp messages are subject to WhatsApp’s own Privacy Policy (available at whatsapp.com/legal/privacy-policy).
• Do not send Protected Health Information (PHI), clinical details, or sensitive personal information through WhatsApp.
• WhatsApp is not a secure HIPAA-compliant communication channel.
• For clinical matters, please call our office or use our secure intake process.

12. Your Privacy Rights

12.1  Maryland Residents

Under the Maryland Personal Information Protection Act (MPIPA), Md. Code, Com. Law §§ 14-3501 et seq., and other applicable Maryland law, Maryland residents have the right to:

• Be notified promptly if your personal information is subject to a security breach
• Request access to the personal information we hold about you
• Request correction of inaccurate personal information
• Request deletion of your personal information (subject to legal retention requirements)

12.2  All Website Visitors

Regardless of location, any visitor to our website may:

• Opt out of non-essential cookies through browser settings
• Opt out of Google Analytics tracking using the opt-out browser extension
• Request a copy of personal information we have collected from you via this website
• Request correction or deletion of your personal information
• Withdraw consent for any data processing based on consent (without affecting lawfulness of prior processing)

12.3  Clinical / HIPAA Rights

If you are a VHCS client or patient, your rights regarding your Protected Health Information (PHI) are governed by HIPAA and are described in detail in our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices. Those rights include the right to access, amend, and receive an accounting of disclosures of your health information.

12.4  How to Exercise Your Rights

To exercise any of the rights described above, please contact our Privacy Officer:

Phone	443-529-9099
Fax	410-617-8478
Email	inquiry@vhcsllc.com
Mail	Privacy Officer, Victory Healthcare Services, LLC, 4925 Belair Rd., Baltimore, Maryland 21206

We will respond to verifiable requests within 45 days as required by applicable law. We may need to verify your identity before processing your request.

13. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, or applicable law. The “Last Updated” date at the top of this page will reflect any revisions. We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Your continued use of our Site after any changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

For material changes, we will provide notice through our website or by direct communication where we have your contact information.

14. Contact Us — Privacy Questions

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact:

Privacy Officer	Victory Healthcare Services, LLC
Address	4925 Belair Rd., Baltimore, Maryland 21206
Email	inquiry@vhcsllc.com
Phone	443-529-9099
Website	www.vhcsllc.com

If you believe we have not adequately addressed your privacy concern, you may also file a complaint with the Maryland Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division at oag.state.md.us or with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights at hhs.gov/ocr.