Your privacy and the confidentiality of your information are our top priority. This policy describes how Illinois Grief Center collects, uses, and protects your personal and health information.
Last Updated: April 2026
Illinois Grief Center, operated under Palo Wellness LLC, is committed to protecting your privacy and safeguarding your personal and protected health information (PHI) in accordance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), the Illinois Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Confidentiality Act (740 ILCS 110/), and other applicable federal and state laws.
When you submit a consultation request through our website, contact us by phone or email, or become a client, we may collect:
When you visit our website, we may automatically collect certain technical information, including your IP address, browser type, device type, pages visited, and the date and time of your visit. This information is collected through website analytics tools (such as Google Analytics) and is used solely to improve the functionality and user experience of our website. This information is not linked to your personal identity.
Our Website uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience and analyze website traffic. We use the following types of cookies:
You can instruct your browser to refuse all cookies or to indicate when a cookie is being sent. Most browsers allow you to manage your cookie preferences through their settings. Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of the Website.
Our Website does not use Flash cookies or web beacons. We do not honor "Do Not Track" signals from browsers, as our site does not track users across third-party websites.
We use the information we collect for the following purposes:
We do not sell, rent, or share your personal information with third parties for marketing or advertising purposes.
Website consultation requests are processed through Google Workspace tools, including Google Apps Script, Google Sheets, and Gmail, so we can respond to your inquiry. We use reasonable safeguards to protect information submitted through the website. Therapy sessions, clinical records, and ongoing client care are handled through secure, HIPAA-compliant systems once services begin. Please do not use the website contact form for emergencies or urgent clinical needs. A separate Notice of Privacy Practices will be provided to you at the start of treatment, which describes in detail how your PHI may be used and disclosed for treatment, payment, and healthcare operations.
Key HIPAA protections include:
We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your information, including:
While we take every reasonable precaution to protect your information, no method of electronic transmission or storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security but will promptly notify you if a data breach occurs that affects your information.
Your information is confidential. However, there are limited circumstances under which we may disclose your information without your consent, as required by law:
Our website may contain links to third-party websites or services that are not operated by us. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these external sites. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any personal information.
We use the following third-party services:
Our website is not directed to children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 through our website. We do provide clinical services to adolescents ages 13-17. For minor clients, a parent or legal guardian must provide written consent for treatment. Minor client records are handled in accordance with the Illinois Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Confidentiality Act (740 ILCS 110/) and applicable HIPAA regulations, which govern when and how information may be shared with parents or guardians.
Depending on your location and the type of information we hold, you may have the following rights:
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at hello@ilgriefcenter.com.
Your information, including Personal Data, is processed at the Company's operating offices and in any other locations where the parties involved in processing are located. This means your information may be transferred to — and maintained on — computers located outside of your state or jurisdiction, where data protection laws may differ from those in Illinois.
Your consent to this Privacy Policy followed by your submission of such information represents your agreement to that transfer. The Company will take all steps reasonably necessary to ensure that your data is treated securely and in accordance with this Privacy Policy. No transfer of your Personal Data will take place to an organization or country unless adequate controls are in place, including the security of your data.
If Palo Wellness LLC is involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your Personal Data and PHI may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will provide notice before your Personal Data is transferred and becomes subject to a different privacy policy. Any successor entity will be bound by the terms of this Privacy Policy and applicable HIPAA requirements regarding the use and disclosure of PHI.
We retain your personal and clinical information for as long as necessary to provide our services, comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. Under Illinois law, mental health records must be retained for a minimum of 7 years after the last date of service (or 10 years for minor clients, until 3 years after the client reaches the age of majority). Website analytics data is retained for up to 26 months.
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. When we make significant changes, we will notify you through our website or by other appropriate means. Your continued use of our website and services after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.
If you have questions, concerns, or complaints about this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us:
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights, at hhs.gov/hipaa/filing-a-complaint.