Terms of Service
Last updated: July 29th, 2025
1) Scope and who we are
These Terms of Service (“Terms”) govern your access to and use of the websites, pages, and online services owned or controlled by Sierra Meadows Behavioral Health and our affiliates and program brands, including Ascend Behavioral Health, Oasis Eating Disorder Recovery, Shine Mental Health, and Touchstone Recovery Center (collectively, the “SMBH Network,” “we,” “our,” or “us”). These Terms apply to SMBH Network websites and online services that link to these Terms (collectively, the “Sites”), including any subdomains and redirected URLs.
Covered domains include:
- https://sierrameadowsbehavioralhealth.com
- https://ascendbh.com
- https://oasiseatingrecovery.com
- https://shinemh.com
- https://touchstonerecoverycenter.com
By accessing or using any of the Sites, you agree to be bound by these Terms and our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, do not use the Sites.
Healthcare disclaimer (read this first):
- The Sites provide general educational and informational content only.
- They are not medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment and do not create a clinician–patient relationship.
- Do not use the Sites for emergencies. If you are in crisis or considering harm to yourself or others, call 911, go to the nearest emergency room, or contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (dial 988).
2) Eligibility and geographic scope
You may use the Sites only if you are at least 13 years old. If you are under 18, you may use the Sites only with a parent or legal guardian. The Sites are intended for users located in the United States. If you access the Sites from outside the U.S., you are responsible for compliance with local laws.
3) No medical advice; no clinician–patient relationship
Content on the Sites—including articles, blogs, FAQs, screening tools, or messages—may describe behavioral health topics in general terms. It is not a substitute for professional judgment. You should consult a qualified clinician for advice about your specific situation. Using the Sites, contacting us through general forms or email, or requesting an appointment through the Sites does not, by itself, establish a clinician–patient relationship. Any relationship is created only after you are accepted as a patient and complete the applicable intake and consent processes.
4) Do not send Protected Health Information (PHI) via general forms or email
Do not submit sensitive or confidential health information through general Site contact forms, chat widgets, SMS, social media, or email. These channels may not be secure. If you are an established patient, please use our patient portal (currently KIPU) for clinical messages or PHI, or call us at 559-326-7775.
Substance Use Disorder programs: Certain SMBH Network services are subject to 42 C.F.R. Part 2. Additional privacy protections apply to those programs as described in our Notice of Privacy Practices (NPP) and program-specific consent documents.
5) Accounts, patient portal, and security
If you create an account or use a patient portal, you must provide accurate information, keep your credentials confidential, and promptly notify us of any unauthorized use. You are responsible for all activity under your account. Portal access may be subject to additional portal-specific terms and consent.
6) Appointments and payments (if available)
If any Site allows you to request or manage appointments, purchase services, or make payments, you agree to follow the instructions presented during those processes. Insurance information on the Sites is general and not a guarantee of coverage. You are responsible for confirming coverage and for any non-covered amounts. We may post separate Scheduling/Cancellation and Financial policies; if and when posted, those policies will apply in addition to these Terms and may vary by program brand.
7) Communications & SMS Program Terms (Appointment Reminders)
By providing your email address or mobile number, you consent to receive non-marketing operational messages (e.g., appointment reminders and confirmations) via email, SMS, or phone. Message and data rates may apply; message frequency varies.
- Opt-in/out and support:
- You can opt out of SMS at any time by replying STOP. For help, reply HELP.
- After you opt out, we may still send you non-SMS communications as permitted by law (e.g., important administrative emails).
- SMS and email are not secure channels for PHI—use the patient portal whenever possible.
- Wireless carriers are not liable for delayed or undelivered messages.
8) Acceptable use
You agree not to:
- Violate any law or the rights of others;
- Post or transmit content that is unlawful, threatening, harassing, defamatory, obscene, or otherwise inappropriate;
- Attempt to interfere with the Sites’ security or operation;
- Scrape, crawl, or use automated means to access the Sites except for standard search engine indexing;
- Upload viruses or malicious code;
- Misrepresent your identity or affiliation.
We may suspend or terminate access to the Sites for any violation of these Terms.
9) Intellectual property; limited license
The Sites and their content, features, and functionality—including text, graphics, logos, icons, images, audio, video, and software—are owned by the SMBH Network or our licensors and are protected by intellectual-property laws. We grant you a limited, revocable, non-exclusive, non-transferable license to access and use the Sites for your personal, non-commercial use, subject to these Terms. You may not reproduce, distribute, create derivative works from, publicly display, or exploit any part of the Sites without our prior written permission, except as allowed by law.
10) User content; feedback
If you submit comments, reviews, feedback, or other content to us through a Site (“User Content”), you grant the SMBH Network a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to use, reproduce, and display that User Content in connection with operating and improving the Sites. Do not submit PHI in User Content. We may remove User Content that violates these Terms.
11) Third-party services and links
The Sites may link to or integrate with third-party sites and services (e.g., maps, video platforms, scheduling tools, payment processors, analytics, or social networks). We are not responsible for third-party content, policies, or practices. Your use of third-party services is governed by their terms and privacy policies.
12) Privacy
Please review our Privacy Policy and related notices:
- Privacy Policy: https://sierrameadowsbehavioralhealth.com/privacy-policy/
- HIPAA Statement (Notice of Privacy Practices): https://sierrameadowsbehavioralhealth.com/hipaa-statement/
- Billing Policy: https://sierrameadowsbehavioralhealth.com/billing-policy/
Our Notice of Privacy Practices explains how we use and disclose Protected Health Information (PHI) as a covered entity under HIPAA and, where applicable, 42 C.F.R. Part 2.
13) Accessibility
We are committed to accessibility. For assistance accessing any content on a Site, please contact us using the information in Section 21. Program-specific contact information may be available on the respective program’s Site.
14) No warranties
The Sites are provided on an “AS IS” and “AS AVAILABLE” basis. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the SMBH Network disclaims all warranties, express or implied, including implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, title, and non-infringement. We do not warrant that the Sites will be uninterrupted, secure, or error-free, or that defects will be corrected.
15) Limitation of liability
To the fullest extent permitted by law, the SMBH Network and our affiliates, clinicians, employees, and agents will not be liable for any indirect, incidental, consequential, special, exemplary, or punitive damages, or for lost profits, lost data, or business interruption, arising out of or related to your use of (or inability to use) the Sites, even if advised of the possibility of such damages. Our total liability for any claim arising out of or relating to the Sites will not exceed $100 or the amount you paid to use the Sites in the 3 months before the claim, whichever is greater. Some jurisdictions do not allow certain limitations; some limitations may not apply to you.
16) Indemnification
You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the SMBH Network and our affiliates, clinicians, employees, and agents from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, judgments, awards, losses, costs, expenses, or fees (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising out of or relating to your violation of these Terms or your misuse of the Sites.
17) Governing law and venue (no arbitration)
These Terms and any dispute related to the Sites are governed by the laws of the State of California, without regard to its conflicts-of-law rules. You agree to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of the state and federal courts located in Fresno County, California for any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to the Sites or these Terms.
18) Changes to the Sites and to these Terms
We may update the Sites and these Terms from time to time. If we make material changes, we will post the updated Terms and change the “Last updated” date above. Your continued use of the Sites after changes become effective constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.
19) Termination
We may suspend or terminate your access to any Site at any time, with or without notice, for any reason, including if we believe you have violated these Terms.
20) Miscellaneous
Entire agreement. These Terms (and the documents they reference) are the entire agreement regarding the Sites.
Severability. If any provision is found unenforceable, the remainder remains in effect.
No waiver. Our failure to enforce any provision is not a waiver.
Assignment. You may not assign these Terms without our consent; we may assign them as permitted by law.
Headings. Headings are for convenience only.
Trademarks. Program names and logos, including Sierra Meadows Behavioral Health, Ascend Behavioral Health, Oasis Eating Disorder Recovery, Shine Mental Health, and Touchstone Recovery Center, are trademarks or service marks of their respective owners and may be used only with permission.
21) Contact us
Sierra Meadows Behavioral Health (for SMBH Network)
Address: 1781 E Fir Ave, Suite 102, Fresno, CA 93720
Phone: 559-326-7775
Email: info@sierrameadowsbh.com
Primary Website: https://sierrameadowsbehavioralhealth.com
For program-specific locations or contact details, please see the Contact/Locations page on each program’s Site.