Effective Date: 2026-05-11
Last Updated: 2026-05-11
This page explains how Dr. Chase Espinoza, Psy.D. (“we,” “us,” “our,” or “the Practice”) handles telephone calls and text messages routed through the Practice’s RingCentral business line, which is operated under a HIPAA Business Associate Agreement. Read this page together with the Practice’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
1. Why This Page Exists
California is a two-party consent jurisdiction under California Penal Code section 632. To record a confidential communication in California, all parties must be made aware that the communication may be recorded. This page provides that notice, together with the parallel notices required for AI-assisted call handling and for SMS messaging under federal telecommunications and consumer-protection law.
If you call, text, or otherwise communicate with the Practice through the channels published on the Site, you acknowledge the practices described below.
2. Call Recording and AI-Assisted Reception
The Practice uses RingCentral AI Receptionist to handle incoming calls.
- Recording and transcription. Incoming calls may be recorded, transcribed, and processed by automated systems for the purpose of screening, scheduling, intake routing, and quality assurance.
- Caller notice. Callers receive a recorded notice at the beginning of the call indicating that the call may be recorded and processed by an AI receptionist. Continuing the call after this notice constitutes consent under California Penal Code section 632.
- Purpose limitation. Recordings and transcripts are used only for the operation of the Practice, including screening of inquiries, scheduling, routing of urgent matters to the clinician, training of intake handling, and compliance with applicable law. Recordings are not used for marketing to third parties and are not sold.
- AI processing scope. The AI receptionist is used for non-clinical reception tasks: triage of inquiry type, identification of cash-pay versus insurance-driven inquiries, scheduling of free initial consultations, and routing of urgent matters. The AI receptionist is not used to provide clinical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
- Free consultation cap. Initial complimentary consultations are limited to ten minutes. Continued engagement beyond that point is by paid evaluation under the Practice’s standard fee schedule.
- HIPAA coverage. RingCentral operates under a signed Business Associate Agreement with the Practice. Recordings and transcripts that contain Protected Health Information are stored, transmitted, and processed in accordance with HIPAA’s Security Rule and Privacy Rule.
- Caller rights. If you do not consent to recording, you may (a) end the call, (b) state on the call that you do not consent to recording, in which case the call will be terminated and you may use email at DrChase@DrChasePsych.com for non-urgent inquiry, or (c) communicate by another channel published on the Site.
3. SMS and AI-Assisted Text Messaging
Mobile Opt in, SMS Consent, and phone numbers collected for SMS communication purposes will not be shared with any third party and affiliates for marketing purposes.
The Practice uses RingCentral text messaging, with AI-assisted handling for routine non-clinical exchanges, to communicate by SMS.
- Opt-in. You opt in to SMS communication with the Practice by one of the following:
- Texting the Practice’s published business number first. Submitting a web form does not enroll you in SMS.
- Texting a keyword such as START or YES to the Practice’s published business number.
- Providing verbal consent on a recorded line where the verbal consent is documented in the call record.
- Permitted message types. SMS messages from the Practice relate to scheduling, intake instructions, appointment reminders, brief follow-up to a prior inquiry, and routine non-clinical practice communication. The Practice does not use SMS for clinical treatment, marketing to third parties, or solicitation unrelated to your inquiry.
- AI handling scope. The AI text functionality may draft replies, classify inquiries, and route messages. A human at the Practice reviews any clinically meaningful exchange before it influences scheduling or care decisions.
- Frequency. Message frequency varies based on your inquiry and appointment activity. Typical volume is fewer than ten messages per month.
- Message and data rates. Standard message and data rates from your wireless carrier may apply.
- STOP — opt out. Reply STOP to any message at any time to opt out of further SMS. The Practice will send one confirmation message and will not send further messages unless you opt in again.
- HELP — assistance. Reply HELP at any time to request assistance. You will receive a message with contact information and basic instructions.
- Supported carriers and carrier liability. Most major United States wireless carriers are supported. Wireless carriers are not liable for delayed or undelivered messages.
- HIPAA in SMS. The Practice minimizes Protected Health Information in text messages. Where PHI is unavoidable for scheduling or care coordination, transmission occurs within the BAA-covered RingCentral environment. Sending PHI to the Practice by SMS from your own device is at your discretion; standard SMS from a personal device is not inherently encrypted end-to-end.
- A2P 10DLC compliance. The Practice’s business SMS sending is registered under the Application-to-Person 10-digit long-code framework established by United States wireless carriers. Registration includes brand verification, campaign approval, and adherence to messaging guidelines.
4. Data Retention
- Call recordings and transcripts. Retained for the period required for clinical, operational, and legal purposes, then deleted or de-identified. Recordings that become part of a clinical record are retained under California professional record-retention requirements applicable to licensed psychologists.
- SMS message logs. Retained for the period required to support continuity of care and to evidence consent, then deleted or de-identified.
- Aggregate metrics. Aggregate, de-identified metrics derived from call and SMS activity (volume, response time, routing outcome) are retained for quality improvement and are not used to identify individual callers.
5. Your Rights
You have the right to:
- Decline to be recorded and to use an alternative communication channel.
- Withdraw SMS consent at any time by replying STOP.
- Request access to or deletion of recordings, transcripts, or message logs concerning you, subject to legal and clinical record-retention requirements.
- Receive a copy of the Practice’s HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices, which controls with respect to your Protected Health Information.
To exercise any of these rights, contact the Practice using the information in Section 7.
6. Related Documents
This page is part of a set of consent and disclosure documents that govern your interaction with the Practice through the Site and its associated channels.
- Privacy Policy — how information is collected, used, shared, and protected.
- Terms of Use — the agreement governing your use of the Site and the Practice’s communication channels.
- Notice of Privacy Practices — the HIPAA-required document governing Protected Health Information, provided at intake.
Where this page conflicts with the Notice of Privacy Practices with respect to Protected Health Information, the Notice of Privacy Practices controls.
7. Contact
Dr. Chase Espinoza, Psy.D.
Licensed Psychologist, PSY29339
Email: DrChase@DrChasePsych.com
Telephone: (please use the number published on the Site contact page)
Mailing address: (Orange County, California — provided on request)