As a consumer of behavioral health services, you have important rights regarding your access to regulatory protections and oversight resources.

You have the right to contact the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council (BHEC) if you have questions or concerns about your provider’s conduct or licensure. BHEC oversees behavioral health professionals and provides information, complaint review, and consumer support. They may be reached by phone at (512) 305-7700 or toll-free at (800) 821-3205, or by mail at 1801 Congress Ave., Suite 7.300, Austin, TX 78701. Consumers may also submit documentation or inquiries through the agency’s designated email address, Enforcement@bhec.texas.gov.

If you believe you have experienced deceptive, unfair, or fraudulent business practices, you also have the right to file a complaint with the Texas Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division. This division investigates patterns of misconduct and works to protect the public. You may contact the Consumer Protection Hotline at (800) 621-0508, the main switchboard at (512) 463-2100, or toll-free at (800) 252-8011. Written complaints may be mailed to the Office of the Attorney General, Consumer Protection Division, PO Box 12548, Austin, TX 78711-2548. Supporting documents such as receipts, emails, or service agreements may be included to assist in review.

You also retain the right to request copies of your health care records at any time. To request your records, you may submit a written request to your provider that includes your name, date of birth, and a description of the records you are seeking. For your security, you will be asked to complete a HIPAA-compliant release form and provide photo identification. Your provider must respond to your request within the timeframe required by Texas law, typically within 15 business days. Reasonable, cost-based fees will be charged for labor.

For clients participating in couples or relational therapy, additional privacy protections apply. Because these records contain the private information of more than one client, we must follow professional ethical standards, including those established by the AAMFT Code of Ethics and Texas confidentiality laws. Joint couples records generally require written authorization from both partners before they can be released. If only one partner provides authorization, we may release records with the non-authorizing partner’s identifying or relational information redacted, which may limit the usefulness of the documents. Preparing redacted relational records requires careful review, and a reasonable, cost‑based fee will be charged for the time involved.

Clients always retain the right to access their records, whether seen individually or as part of a couple. At the same time, we want clients to be fully informed about how therapy records function. Therapy records are clinical documents created to support understanding and clinical decision‑making; they are not legal reports and are not written for use in adversarial, conflict‑based, or legal settings. When records are requested during times of interpersonal conflict, separation, or legal dispute, they may be misinterpreted, taken out of context, or used in ways that unintentionally escalate conflict or contribute to emotional distress for those involved. This information is provided so that clients can make informed decisions. We will always honor all lawful requests for access to records.

These protections are in place to ensure that you are informed, empowered, and supported throughout your care experience. If you have questions about exercising any of these rights, please reach out to our staff for assistance at communication@pathtx.com.