Terms of Service

Creative Counseling and Intervention Services, Inc. Website: www.ccsames.org

Effective Date: 9/1/2026 Last Updated:9/7/2026

1. Agreement to These Terms

These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your access to and use of www.ccsames.org and any related pages, forms, or content we make available (collectively, the "Site"). The Site is owned and operated by Creative Counseling and Intervention Services, Inc., an Iowa nonprofit corporation ("CCS," "we," "us," or "our").

By accessing or using the Site, you agree to be bound by these Terms and by our Privacy Policy and Website Disclaimer, which are incorporated here by reference. If you do not agree to these Terms, please do not use the Site.

2. Who May Use the Site

The Site is intended for users who are 18 years of age or older, or who are using it with the involvement of a parent or legal guardian. If you are under 18, please do not submit personal information through the Site without a parent or guardian's permission.

You agree to use the Site only for lawful purposes and in accordance with these Terms.

3. No Therapist-Client Relationship

Using this Site does not create a therapist-client, counselor-client, or any other professional relationship between you and CCS or any of its staff, supervisors, interns, contractors, or affiliates.

Content on the Site — including program descriptions, blog posts, resource pages, downloadable materials, and newsletters — is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for individualized assessment, diagnosis, or treatment by a qualified professional.

A professional relationship with CCS begins only after you have completed our intake process, signed our written informed consent and service agreement documents, and been formally accepted for services. Please see our Website Disclaimer for additional detail.

4. Emergencies

The Site is not monitored 24 hours a day and is not an emergency service. Do not use the Site, our contact forms, or email to communicate an emergency.

If you or someone else is in immediate danger, experiencing a mental health crisis, or considering harming yourself or another person:

  • Call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room

  • Call or text 988 — the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (24/7)

  • Call Your Life Iowa at (855) 581-8111 or text (855) 895-8398 (24/7)

5. Communications Submitted Through the Site

5.1 Contact, Intake, and Records Request Forms

The Site may allow you to request an appointment, ask about services, request records, sign up for a newsletter, register for an event, apply for employment or an internship, or otherwise contact us.

By submitting information through the Site, you acknowledge and agree that:

  • Email and web forms are not secure or encrypted methods of communication. Information you send may be intercepted, misdirected, or accessed by unauthorized parties.

  • You should not send sensitive health information, clinical details, diagnoses, treatment history, insurance identifiers, Social Security numbers, or payment card information through the Site or by email. Please limit web and email communication to scheduling logistics and general inquiries, and contact us by phone at 515-233-1699 for anything sensitive.

  • Submitting a form does not establish services, guarantee an appointment, or create any obligation on our part to provide services. We will respond as staffing allows, during regular business hours only.

  • Submitting a form does not, by itself, make your communication confidential or privileged. Confidentiality protections attach once you are an established client under our signed service agreements.

  • We may retain, use, and respond to your submission for the purpose for which you sent it, consistent with our Privacy Policy and applicable law.

5.2 Accuracy of Information You Provide

You agree that any information you submit through the Site is accurate, current, and complete, and that you have the authority to submit it. Do not submit another person's protected health information or personal information without that person's authorization.

6. Client Portal, Telehealth, and Other Third-Party Platforms

The Site may contain links to third-party platforms we use to support our work, including a client portal or electronic health record, a telehealth video platform, scheduling tools, payment processors, and a staff dashboard.

These platforms are operated by third parties, not by CCS. When you leave the Site and enter one of these platforms:

  • Your use of that platform is governed by that platform's own terms of use, privacy policy, and security practices, not by these Terms.

  • Your clinical relationship with CCS — including confidentiality, consent to telehealth, fees, cancellation policies, and release of information — is governed by the written agreements you sign directly with CCS, not by these Terms. If there is any conflict between these Terms and your signed clinical agreements, your signed clinical agreements control as to your care.

  • You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your portal login credentials, for using a private and secure internet connection, and for notifying us promptly of any suspected unauthorized access.

  • We do not control and are not responsible for the availability, uptime, performance, security, or content of third-party platforms.

Telehealth is not appropriate for every person or every situation. Suitability for telehealth is determined clinically, on an individual basis, as part of our intake and consent process.

7. Donations and Event Registrations

CCS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The Site may allow you to make a donation or register for an event, including in support of the Gap to Growth program and CCS fundraising events.

By making a donation or registration payment through the Site, you acknowledge and agree that:

  • Payments are processed by third-party payment processors (such as PayPal). CCS does not collect or store your full payment card or bank account information. Your use of a payment processor is governed by that processor's own terms and privacy policy.

  • Donations are generally non-refundable. If you believe a donation was made in error or in a duplicate or incorrect amount, contact us at info@ccsames.org and we will review the request in good faith.

  • Event registration fees are non-refundable unless otherwise stated in the materials for that specific event. Events may be rescheduled, relocated, or canceled; if CCS cancels an event outright, we will communicate options for registrants.

  • Designated gifts: We make every reasonable effort to honor donor designations. Consistent with IRS requirements and nonprofit accounting standards, CCS retains ultimate discretion and control over the use of all contributed funds, including the authority to redirect funds to the area of greatest need if a designated program is fully funded, discontinued, or modified.

  • Tax deductibility: CCS is recognized as a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions may be tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. Where a donor receives goods or services in exchange for a contribution (for example, event entry or merchandise), only the amount exceeding the fair market value of those goods or services may be deductible. CCS does not provide tax or legal advice — please consult your own tax advisor.

  • We will provide a written acknowledgment of contributions as required by IRS regulations.

  • Recurring donations may be canceled at any time by contacting us at info@ccsames.org or through your payment processor account.

8. Acceptable Use

You agree not to:

  • Use the Site for any unlawful, fraudulent, harassing, defamatory, or harmful purpose

  • Attempt to gain unauthorized access to the Site, the client portal, the staff dashboard, or any connected system, account, or network

  • Introduce viruses, malware, or other harmful code

  • Use automated means (bots, scrapers, crawlers, harvesters) to access, copy, or collect content or contact information from the Site

  • Impersonate any person or entity, or misrepresent your affiliation with any person or entity

  • Post or transmit another individual's protected health information or personal information without authorization

  • Interfere with or disrupt the Site, its servers, or its security features

  • Copy, reproduce, republish, distribute, or create derivative works from Site content except as expressly permitted in Section 9

  • Use the Site or its content for any commercial purpose without our prior written consent

We reserve the right to investigate suspected violations, to restrict or terminate access to the Site, and to report unlawful activity to law enforcement.

9. Intellectual Property

All content on the Site — including text, graphics, logos, program names, photographs, videos, blog posts, downloadable materials, page layouts, and design elements — is the property of CCS or its licensors and is protected by United States copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws.

"Creative Counseling and Intervention Services," "Gap to Growth," and associated logos and program names are marks of CCS. You may not use them without our prior written permission.

Limited license: You may view, download, and print content from the Site for your own personal, non-commercial, informational use, provided you do not remove any copyright or proprietary notices. Any other use — including reproduction, modification, distribution, public display, republication, or incorporation into training data or another product — requires our prior written consent.

Your submissions: If you send us feedback, suggestions, testimonials, or other materials, you grant CCS a non-exclusive, royalty-free, perpetual, worldwide license to use, reproduce, and adapt them for our organizational purposes, unless we have agreed otherwise in writing. We will not publish a client testimonial or identifiable client information without a separate signed authorization.

10. Third-Party Links and Resources

The Site may link to third-party websites, articles, hotlines, referral directories, and community resources. These links are provided as a convenience only. CCS does not control, endorse, guarantee, or assume responsibility for the content, accuracy, availability, privacy practices, or services of any third party. Accessing a third-party site is at your own risk and subject to that site's terms and privacy policy.

11. Privacy and HIPAA

Your use of the Site is also governed by our Privacy Policy, which explains what information we collect through the Site and how we use it.

Please note the distinction: our Privacy Policy addresses information collected through the Site. Protected health information created or maintained in connection with clinical services is governed separately by HIPAA and by our Notice of Privacy Practices, which is provided to clients at intake and available on request. The Site itself is a public, general-audience website and should not be treated as a HIPAA-secured channel.

12. Accessibility

CCS is committed to making the Site accessible to as many people as possible. If you encounter a barrier to accessing content on the Site, please contact us at info@ccsames.org or 515-233-1699 and we will work to provide the information you need in an accessible format.

13. Disclaimer of Warranties

THE SITE AND ALL CONTENT ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE," WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED. To the fullest extent permitted by law, CCS disclaims all warranties, including implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, non-infringement, accuracy, and uninterrupted or error-free operation.

CCS does not warrant that the Site will be available at all times, that defects will be corrected, or that the Site or its servers are free of viruses or other harmful components. Content may become outdated, and CCS is under no obligation to update it.

14. Limitation of Liability

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, CCS AND ITS DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, SUPERVISORS, INTERNS, VOLUNTEERS, CONTRACTORS, AND AGENTS WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, OR FOR ANY LOSS OF DATA, PROFITS, GOODWILL, OR BUSINESS, ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO YOUR ACCESS TO OR USE OF (OR INABILITY TO USE) THE SITE, ANY CONTENT ON IT, OR ANY THIRD-PARTY SITE OR PLATFORM LINKED FROM IT — WHETHER BASED IN CONTRACT, TORT, NEGLIGENCE, STRICT LIABILITY, OR ANY OTHER LEGAL THEORY, AND EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

TO THE EXTENT ANY LIABILITY IS NOT DISCLAIMED, CCS'S TOTAL AGGREGATE LIABILITY ARISING FROM OR RELATING TO THE SITE WILL NOT EXCEED ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS ($100.00) OR THE AMOUNT YOU PAID TO CCS THROUGH THE SITE IN THE TWELVE (12) MONTHS PRECEDING THE CLAIM, WHICHEVER IS GREATER.

Nothing in this Section limits or excludes liability that cannot be limited or excluded under applicable law, and nothing in these Terms limits, waives, or alters any right, remedy, or protection you may have as a client of CCS arising from the professional services CCS provides to you. This Section addresses use of the Site only.

Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion of certain warranties or the limitation of certain damages; in those jurisdictions, the above limitations apply to the greatest extent permitted by law.

15. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless CCS and its directors, officers, employees, supervisors, interns, volunteers, contractors, and agents from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising out of or related to your misuse of the Site, your violation of these Terms, your violation of any applicable law, or your infringement of any third party's rights.

16. Suspension and Termination

We may modify, suspend, or discontinue the Site or any part of it at any time, with or without notice. We may also restrict or terminate your access to the Site at our discretion, including for conduct that violates these Terms.

17. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. The "Last Updated" date at the top reflects the most recent revision. Changes are effective when posted. Your continued use of the Site after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms. We encourage you to review this page periodically.

18. Governing Law and Venue

These Terms and any dispute arising out of or relating to them or to the Site are governed by the laws of the State of Iowa, without regard to its conflict-of-laws provisions. You agree that any action or proceeding will be brought exclusively in the state or federal courts located in Story County, Iowa, and you consent to the personal jurisdiction of those courts.

19. General Provisions

  • Severability. If any provision of these Terms is held unenforceable, that provision will be modified to the minimum extent necessary or severed, and the remaining provisions will remain in full force and effect.

  • No waiver. Our failure to enforce any provision is not a waiver of our right to do so later.

  • Assignment. You may not assign these Terms. CCS may assign them in connection with a merger, reorganization, or transfer of assets.

  • Entire agreement. These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy and Website Disclaimer, constitute the entire agreement between you and CCS regarding your use of the Site, and supersede any prior understandings on that subject. They do not supersede any separate written agreement you have signed with CCS regarding clinical services, employment, internship placement, or board service.

  • Headings. Section headings are for convenience only and have no legal effect.

20. Contact Us

Questions about these Terms may be directed to:

Creative Counseling and Intervention Services, Inc. 605 E Lincoln Way, Suite 104 Ames, IA 50010

Phone: 515-233-1699 Fax: 515-233-2957 Email: info@ccsames.org

These Terms of Service are provided as a general template for informational purposes and do not constitute legal advice. CCS should have this document reviewed by an attorney licensed in Iowa and, where applicable, by its professional liability carrier before publication.