START HERE.CARETM | PRIVACY POLICY

Legal Entity: StartHere.care LLC (a Michigan limited liability company)

Business Address: East Lansing, Michigan

Effective Date: February 25, 2026

Version: 1.8

1. OVERVIEW

  1. This Privacy Policy explains how StartHere.care collects, uses, shares, and protects information when you use the StartHere.care website, applications, and related features (the "Service").
  2. StartHere.care is a structured platform intended to help Clients identify potential fit and alignment with independent Therapists. StartHere.care is not a healthcare provider and does not provide therapy.
  3. StartHere.care aims to minimize free-text and encourage structured inputs. Please do not submit sensitive personal details you do not want shared.

2. INFORMATION WE COLLECT

1. Account and Contact Information.

  1. Email address and account identifiers used for authentication and account access.
  2. Password credentials are managed by our authentication provider(s) and stored in hashed form by those systems.
  3. Google Sign-In: If you choose to sign in with Google, we receive your email address and basic profile information (name) from Google. We use this information solely to create and authenticate your account. We do not access your Google contacts, calendar, drive files, or any other Google services. We store only the email and name; we do not store your Google password or access tokens beyond the session.

2. Client Inputs Supporting Fit and Alignment.

  1. Structured selections and responses you provide (for example, preferences, logistics, and availability) to support fit and alignment.

3. Therapist Profile and Credential Information.

  1. Profile details a Therapist chooses to provide (for example, approaches, specialties, modalities, logistics, and availability).
  2. Video introductions that Therapists upload to their profiles. Videos are stored with third-party hosting providers.
  3. Licensure details (for example, license type, license number, state, and licensee name) and verification metadata (for example, status, dates, and internal notes).

4. Waitlist Information.

  1. If you join a waitlist (for example, for coverage expansion or early access), we collect your email address, ZIP code, and optional first name.

5. Usage, Device, and Log Information.

  1. IP address, device type, browser type, pages viewed, and interaction data used for security, performance, and service operation.
  2. Approximate location may be inferred from IP address.

6. Cookies and Similar Technologies.

  1. Cookies and local storage for login sessions, security, and site functionality.

7. Analytics and Service Improvement Data.

  1. StartHere.care uses Google Analytics (GA4) and Vercel Analytics to collect anonymized interaction data (for example, pages viewed, features used, page load times, and general traffic patterns) to understand how the Service is used and to improve user experience.
  2. Google Analytics may set cookies on your device (such as _ga and _ga_*). For more information, see Google's Privacy Policy.
  3. Analytics data is not linked to individual identities for advertising purposes.
  4. StartHere.care does not use advertising-related tracking and does not sell analytics data to third parties.

8. Publicly Available Professional Information.

  1. StartHere.care may collect professional contact information (such as name, practice name, and email address) from publicly available sources, including the National Provider Identifier (NPI) Registry, professional therapist directories, and therapist practice websites, for the purpose of informing therapists about the Service.
  2. If you receive an outreach email from StartHere.care and do not wish to be contacted, you may unsubscribe using the link provided in each email or by contacting us at info@StartHere.care.

3. HOW WE USE INFORMATION

1. To Provide and Operate the Service.

  1. To create accounts, authenticate Users, save progress, and provide the fit-and-alignment experience.
  2. To facilitate connection between Clients and Therapists, including exchanging contact information and suggested first messages where applicable.

2. To Maintain Safety, Integrity, and Security.

  1. To prevent fraud, detect abuse, troubleshoot issues, and enforce these Terms.

3. To Support Limited Credential Review.

  1. To review Therapist credential information against public sources and information provided by Therapists, recognizing that verification is limited and not a guarantee.

4. To Improve the Service.

  1. To analyze Service performance and improve user experience using analytics tools (Google Analytics and Vercel Analytics).
  2. Where feasible, StartHere.care uses aggregated and/or de-identified information for analytics.

5. To Communicate with You.

  1. To send operational messages (for example, account notices, verification requests, license expiration reminders, and critical updates).
  2. To send automated notifications and reminders (for example, new match notifications, pending request reminders, weekly activity digests, and re-engagement nudges).
  3. To send informational outreach to therapists whose contact information is publicly available, for the purpose of informing them about the Service.
  4. To respond to support inquiries.
  5. You may unsubscribe from non-essential communications using the unsubscribe link in each email.

4. HOW WE SHARE INFORMATION

1. Sharing with Therapists (Client-to-Therapist).

  1. When you request, accept, or otherwise pursue a connection, StartHere.care may share your relevant structured inputs and contact information with the Therapist to facilitate fit and alignment and enable outreach.

2. Sharing with Clients (Therapist-to-Client).

  1. Therapist profile information and availability information may be shown to Clients to support fit and alignment.

3. Therapist-to-Therapist Referral Coordination.

  1. When a Therapist creates a peer referral, de-identified referral details (such as presenting issues and therapy format preferences) may be visible to other verified Therapists in the same state.
  2. If you are a Therapist and express interest in a referral, the referring Therapist will see your response and profile information.
  3. Client identifying information is only shared between Therapists after the Client provides explicit consent via a secure consent link.

4. Service Providers.

  1. StartHere.care may share information with vendors that provide hosting, authentication, storage, email delivery, analytics, and operational support.
  2. Service providers are permitted to process information only as needed to provide services to StartHere.care and under appropriate safeguards.

5. Legal and Safety.

  1. StartHere.care may disclose information to comply with law, respond to lawful requests, or protect the rights, safety, and security of Users, Therapists, and the public.

6. Business Transfers.

  1. If StartHere.care is involved in a merger, acquisition, financing, reorganization, bankruptcy, or sale of assets, information may be transferred as part of that transaction.

5. CONSUMER HEALTH-RELATED INFORMATION

  1. Some information you provide may relate to mental health preferences, therapy goals, or other sensitive topics.
  2. StartHere.care seeks to limit what is collected to what is reasonably necessary to provide the fit-and-alignment experience.
  3. StartHere.care encourages Users to avoid submitting free-text sensitive details unless specifically requested for a defined purpose.

6. DATA RETENTION

  1. StartHere.care retains information for as long as reasonably necessary to:
    1. Provide the Service;
    2. Comply with legal obligations;
    3. Resolve disputes; and
    4. Enforce agreements.
  2. Referral records (including referral requests, offers, consents, and introductions) are retained for 2 years for audit and compliance purposes.
  3. StartHere.care may retain de-identified or aggregated information longer.

7. SECURITY

  1. StartHere.care uses reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational safeguards designed to protect information, including the following measures:
  • Encryption in transit: All connections to the Service are encrypted using TLS/HTTPS, enforced sitewide with HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS).
  • Encryption at rest: User data is stored on infrastructure that encrypts data at rest and is SOC 2 Type II certified.
  • Row-level access control: Database tables enforce row-level security policies, so users can only access their own data.
  • Structured inputs only: The client intake collects only structured selections (for example, dropdowns and checkboxes). There are no free-text fields where sensitive clinical details could be inadvertently submitted.
  • Content Security Policy: The Service uses strict Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to help prevent cross-site scripting and code injection.
  • Authentication: User authentication is managed by a dedicated provider. Passwords are stored in hashed form by that provider; StartHere.care does not access or store plaintext credentials.
  • No advertising or cross-site tracking: The Service does not use advertising trackers, retargeting pixels, or cross-site tracking technologies.
  1. No system can be guaranteed secure. StartHere.care continually reviews and updates its security practices, but you use the Service at your own risk.

8. YOUR CHOICES AND REQUESTS

1. Account Updates.

  1. You may update certain information through account settings where available.

2. Deletion Requests.

  1. You may request deletion of your account and associated information, subject to legal and operational requirements.

3. Communications.

  1. You may opt out of non-essential communications where such options are provided.

4. Referral Network (Therapists).

  1. You may request to withdraw from the peer referral network by contacting StartHere.care.
  2. You may request a copy of your referral history (referrals created, offers submitted, and consents received).

5. Analytics Opt-Out.

  1. You may opt out of Google Analytics by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.

9. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS

If you are a California resident, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), as amended by the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA), provides you with additional rights regarding your personal information.

1. No Sale or Sharing of Personal Information.

  1. StartHere.care does not sell your personal information as defined under the CCPA.
  2. StartHere.care does not share your personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising.

2. Categories of Personal Information Collected.

  1. Identifiers: Email address, name, account identifiers.
  2. Internet or network activity: Pages viewed, interaction data, IP address, device and browser type.
  3. Professional information: License type, license number, practice details (Therapists only).
  4. Inferences: Preferences and fit-alignment results derived from structured inputs.

3. Your California Privacy Rights.

  1. Right to Know: You may request the categories and specific pieces of personal information we have collected about you.
  2. Right to Delete: You may request deletion of your personal information, subject to certain exceptions (such as legal compliance obligations).
  3. Right to Correct: You may request correction of inaccurate personal information.
  4. Right to Opt-Out of Sale/Sharing: StartHere.care does not sell or share personal information, so no opt-out is necessary. If this changes, we will provide a "Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information" link.
  5. Right to Non-Discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising any of your CCPA rights.

4. Analytics Opt-Out.

  1. StartHere.care uses Google Analytics for site-improvement purposes only. Analytics data is not used for advertising or sold to third parties.
  2. You may opt out of Google Analytics by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.

5. How to Submit a Request.

  1. To exercise your rights, contact us at info@StartHere.care.
  2. We will verify your identity before processing your request and respond within 45 days, as required by law.

10. CHILDREN

  1. The Service is not intended for children under 18. StartHere.care does not knowingly collect information from children.

11. CHANGES TO THIS POLICY

  1. StartHere.care may update this policy by posting a revised version with an updated effective date and version number.
  2. If changes are material, StartHere.care will provide reasonable notice.

12. CONTACT

  1. Questions may be sent to info@StartHere.care.

Last updated: February 25, 2026 (Version 1.8)

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