Privacy Policy
Effective Date: August 18, 2026
Last Updated: August 18, 2026
Summit Maryland (“Summit,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) respects your privacy and is committed to protecting the personal information you provide when you visit our website, communicate with us, request information, or inquire about our programs and services.
This Privacy Policy explains the types of information we may collect through our website, how we use and disclose that information, and the choices available to you.
This Privacy Policy applies to information collected through Summit’s public-facing website and related online services. Information collected in connection with treatment, payment, health care operations, or other clinical services may be subject to additional protections under applicable federal and Maryland law and Summit’s separate Notice of Privacy Practices.
1. Information We May Collect
Depending on how you interact with our website, we may collect the following categories of information.
Information You Provide to Us
You may voluntarily provide information when you:
- Request information about Summit or its programs
- Contact admissions
- Submit a website contact or inquiry form
- Request that Summit contact you
- Communicate with us by telephone, email, or text message
- Make a donation or request information about supporting Summit
- Apply for employment
- Register for an event or other activity
Information you provide may include:
- Name
- Email address
- Telephone number
- Mailing address
- Preferred method of contact
- Information contained in messages or inquiries
- Information about the person seeking services
- Insurance or eligibility information, if requested through an appropriate secure process
- Employment information if you apply for a position
- Other information you voluntarily choose to provide
Because Summit provides substance-use-disorder and behavioral-health services, information you provide may be sensitive. Please do not submit detailed medical, treatment, diagnostic, medication, insurance, or other highly sensitive health information through a general website contact form unless the form specifically requests that information and Summit has designated the form for that purpose.
Information Collected Automatically
When you visit our website, certain technical information may be collected automatically, including:
- Internet Protocol (IP) address
- Browser type
- Device type
- Operating system
- Referring website
- Pages viewed
- Approximate geographic area
- Date and time of visits
- General website interaction and performance information
We may use cookies and similar technologies when reasonably necessary to operate, secure, maintain, and understand the performance of our website.
2. How We Use Information
We may use information collected through the website to:
- Respond to questions and requests
- Provide information about Summit’s programs and services
- Assist with admissions inquiries and referrals
- Determine the appropriate Summit staff member to respond to an inquiry
- Communicate with prospective participants, family members, referral partners, donors, and community members
- Provide requested follow-up communications
- Process donations or event registrations
- Evaluate employment applications
- Operate, maintain, secure, and improve our website
- Understand how visitors use the website
- Prevent fraud, misuse, security incidents, or other unlawful activity
- Comply with legal and regulatory requirements
- Protect the rights, safety, and interests of Summit, the people we serve, our staff, and others
We will not use health information for purposes that are prohibited by applicable privacy laws.
3. Health Information, HIPAA, and Substance Use Disorder Records
Summit provides substance-use-disorder treatment and related health care services. Certain information Summit creates, receives, maintains, or transmits may qualify as protected health information under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (“HIPAA”) or as a substance-use-disorder patient record protected under 42 CFR Part 2.
When those laws apply, Summit handles the information in accordance with the applicable legal requirements and Summit’s Notice of Privacy Practices.
The confidentiality of substance-use-disorder treatment information is subject to particularly strong protections. Information relating to an individual’s receipt of substance-use-disorder treatment will not be used or disclosed except as permitted or required by applicable law.
This Website Privacy Policy is not a substitute for Summit’s Notice of Privacy Practices. Individuals receiving services from Summit should review the Notice of Privacy Practices for more information regarding their health-information privacy rights and Summit’s obligations.
4. Cookies, Analytics, and Similar Technologies
Our website may use cookies or similar technologies for functions such as:
- Maintaining website security
- Remembering user preferences
- Understanding website traffic and performance
- Identifying technical problems
- Improving navigation and usability
Summit seeks to limit the use of tracking technologies in circumstances where their use could disclose protected or sensitive health information.
We do not authorize third parties to use protected health information obtained through Summit’s website for unrelated advertising or marketing purposes.
You may be able to control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling certain cookies may affect website functionality.
5. How We May Share Information
We may disclose personal information when reasonably necessary to:
Service Providers
We may use vendors that assist with functions such as website hosting, information technology, cybersecurity, communications, email delivery, form processing, analytics, payment processing, or other operational services.
Where required by law, Summit uses appropriate contractual and privacy safeguards governing vendors that create, receive, maintain, or transmit protected information on our behalf.
Health Care and Treatment Activities
Where applicable, information may be used or disclosed for treatment, payment, health care operations, care coordination, or other purposes permitted by applicable law and described in Summit’s Notice of Privacy Practices.
Legal Requirements and Safety
We may disclose information when required or permitted by law, regulation, court order, or other lawful process, or when reasonably necessary to protect the rights or safety of Summit or others.
Additional restrictions may apply to substance-use-disorder treatment records.
Organizational Transactions
If Summit undergoes a merger, restructuring, transfer of operations, or similar organizational change, information may be transferred as permitted by applicable law and subject to appropriate confidentiality protections.
6. We Do Not Sell Personal or Health Information
Summit does not sell personal information or protected health information for monetary consideration.
Summit does not sell substance-use-disorder treatment information.
We do not use an individual’s protected health information for third-party advertising in a manner prohibited by applicable law.
7. Communications by Email and Text Message
If you provide an email address or telephone number, Summit may use it to respond to your request or communicate with you regarding the purpose for which you provided the information.
If you voluntarily consent to receive text messages, standard message and data rates may apply depending on your mobile provider.
Email and ordinary SMS text messages may not always provide the same level of security as a dedicated secure health-information system. Please avoid sending highly sensitive medical or treatment information through ordinary email or SMS unless directed to do so through an approved Summit communication method.
Where required, you may withdraw consent to nonessential communications by following the instructions provided with the communication or contacting Summit.
8. Information Security
Summit uses reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect personal information from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, loss, or misuse.
Where information is subject to HIPAA, 42 CFR Part 2, or other health-information privacy requirements, Summit applies safeguards required by applicable law.
However, no website, internet transmission, database, or electronic system can be guaranteed to be completely secure.
9. Data Retention
We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, to fulfill legal and regulatory obligations, to maintain appropriate business and clinical records, and to resolve disputes or enforce agreements.
Clinical and patient records may be subject to separate record-retention requirements and are governed by Summit’s health-information policies and applicable law.
10. Maryland Privacy Rights
Maryland residents may have certain rights regarding their personal information under the Maryland Online Data Privacy Act and other applicable laws.
Where those laws apply, rights may include the ability to:
- Confirm whether Summit is processing certain personal data
- Access certain personal data
- Correct inaccuracies
- Request deletion of certain personal data
- Obtain certain information regarding the processing or disclosure of personal data
- Opt out of certain uses of personal data when applicable
- Exercise applicable rights without unlawful discrimination
Certain information, including information regulated under HIPAA or other health-information laws, may be exempt from some general consumer privacy requirements or may instead be governed by separate health-information privacy rules.
To submit a privacy request, contact Summit using the information in the Contact Us section below. We may need to verify your identity before processing a request.
11. Third-Party Websites
Our website may contain links to websites operated by other organizations, community partners, government agencies, payment providers, social networks, or other third parties.
Summit does not control the privacy practices of independent third-party websites. When you leave our website, the privacy policy of the third party will govern the information you provide to that organization.
12. Children’s Privacy
Summit’s public website is not directed to children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly use the website to solicit personal information directly from children under 13.
If we learn that information was collected from a child in a manner inconsistent with applicable law, we will take appropriate steps to address the information.
13. Employment Information
If you submit information in connection with employment or a career opportunity, Summit may use the information to evaluate your qualifications, communicate with you regarding employment opportunities, perform lawful background or credentialing activities, and administer the hiring process.
Employment-related information may be subject to different privacy requirements than information submitted by individuals seeking treatment.
14. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our website, practices, technology, services, or legal requirements.
When we make material changes, we will update the “Last Updated” date at the beginning of this policy. We encourage visitors to review this page periodically.
15. Contact Us
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, our privacy practices, or a request concerning your personal information, please contact:
Summit Maryland
Phone: (800) 641-5814
For questions specifically concerning medical records, treatment information, or your rights regarding protected health information, please contact Summit’s Privacy Officer and review our Notice of Privacy Practices.