Black Therapy Network Terms of Service, Website Use & Marketplace Agreement

1. Acceptance of Terms

These Terms of Service, Website Use & Marketplace Agreement (“Terms”) govern your access to and use of blacktherapy.net and Black Therapy Network’s related marketplace technology, account features, matching tools, scheduling features, communications, payment facilitation, memberships, subscriptions, and other platform services (collectively, the “Platform”). “BTN,” “we,” “us,” and “our” mean Black Therapy Network. “Provider” means an independent licensed or otherwise authorized mental health professional or professional practice available through or connected to the Platform.

By accessing or using the Platform, creating an account, making a purchase, or affirmatively accepting these Terms, you agree to be bound by them. If you do not agree, do not use the Platform.

2. BTN Is a Technology Marketplace – Not the Treating Healthcare Provider

BTN operates a technology marketplace designed to help users discover, evaluate, connect with, schedule with, communicate about, and/or facilitate payment for services offered by independent Providers. BTN itself is not the healthcare professional delivering psychotherapy, diagnosis, treatment, prescribing, medical advice, or other clinical services.

Using the Platform, submitting information to BTN, receiving a provider match, viewing a provider profile, communicating with BTN support, or paying through the Platform does not create a therapist-client, physician-patient, or other healthcare-provider relationship between you and BTN. A professional relationship, if any, is between you and the independent Provider who agrees to provide services.

3. Independent Providers

Providers available through BTN are independent professionals and are not agents of BTN for clinical decision-making. Each Provider is solely responsible for the professional services the Provider delivers, including clinical judgment, evaluation, diagnosis, treatment recommendations, documentation, informed consent, confidentiality, professional records, prescribing where applicable, mandatory reporting, and compliance with laws and professional standards applicable to that Provider.

BTN does not direct or control a Provider’s clinical judgment. Nothing on the Platform should be interpreted as BTN practicing medicine, psychology, counseling, social work, marriage and family therapy, substance-use treatment, or another licensed healing profession.

4. Provider Credentials and Profile Information

BTN may collect, review, verify, display, or periodically re-check certain credential or profile information. Any such process is a marketplace screening function and is not a guarantee that a Provider’s license, insurance, background, experience, availability, competence, or suitability will remain unchanged or meet every user’s needs. Providers are responsible for keeping information current. Users may independently verify licensure with the relevant licensing authority.

5. Matching Is Not a Clinical Recommendation or Guarantee

BTN may use user-selected preferences, location, availability, provider characteristics, platform data, or automated tools to suggest or prioritize Providers. A match, ranking, search result, profile display, or recommendation is a marketplace convenience and is not a clinical assessment, medical recommendation, endorsement, warranty, or guarantee of suitability, therapeutic fit, availability, acceptance, or outcome.

You are responsible for deciding whether to engage a Provider. A Provider may decline, discontinue, or refer services when clinically or legally appropriate.

6. No Emergency or Crisis Services

7. Eligibility, Location, and Provider Jurisdiction

You must provide accurate information and have legal capacity to use the Platform. The general Platform is intended for adults 18 and older unless BTN expressly offers a workflow for a minor through a parent, guardian, or other authorized person. Provider services may be restricted based on the user’s physical location, the Provider’s license, professional scope, payer rules, or other law. You agree to accurately disclose your location when required for telehealth or provider services.

8. Accounts and Security

You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your credentials, using accurate account information, and promptly notifying BTN of suspected unauthorized access. You may not share credentials in a manner that defeats security or identity controls. BTN may require identity or account verification and may suspend access where reasonably necessary for security, fraud prevention, legal compliance, or enforcement of these Terms.

9. Platform Functions

Depending on the feature, BTN may facilitate provider discovery, matching, scheduling, reminders, customer support, account tools, communications, membership benefits, payment processing, educational resources, and related marketplace functions. BTN may add, modify, suspend, or discontinue Platform features, subject to applicable law and any specific paid-service commitments.

10. Professional Services Are Provided by the Provider

Any clinical service is provided by the Provider, not BTN. The Provider determines the appropriateness, scope, method, frequency, documentation, and continuation of professional services subject to applicable law and professional standards. Questions or complaints about clinical decisions should first be directed to the Provider, without limiting any rights you may have under law.

11. Fees, Memberships, and Purchases

Prices for BTN platform access, memberships, subscriptions, or other marketplace products will be shown before purchase. Provider professional-service fees, where applicable, may be displayed or collected through the Platform. You agree to pay charges you authorize. Taxes and third-party processing charges may apply where disclosed.

The checkout page, plan description, booking screen, or provider-specific disclosure presented at the time of purchase controls the amount and timing of a particular charge if it is more specific than these general Terms.

12. Recurring Charges and Cancellation

If you choose a recurring membership or subscription, you authorize BTN or its payment processor to charge the payment method you provide at the price and interval disclosed at checkout until you cancel. The renewal amount and cadence must be disclosed before enrollment. You may cancel using the account method provided or by contacting support@blacktherapy.net. Cancellation is prospective and stops future renewals after any applicable notice or processing period stated at checkout or required by law.

A membership cancellation does not automatically cancel an appointment already booked with a Provider, waive a Provider’s properly disclosed late-cancellation/no-show charge, or require refund of services already delivered, except where required by law or expressly stated.

13. Payment Facilitation

BTN may use third-party payment processors and may facilitate collection of amounts associated with Platform products and Provider services. Where BTN collects an amount payable for Provider services, BTN does so as a marketplace payment facilitator or collection intermediary to the extent provided in the applicable Provider arrangement; collecting payment does not make BTN the clinical service provider. Payment processors have their own terms and security practices.

14. Cancellations, No-Shows, Refunds, and Credits

Appointment cancellation, late-cancellation, no-show, refund, rescheduling, and credit rules may vary by Provider, service, membership, or promotion. Applicable terms should be displayed before booking or purchase. Unless required by law or expressly promised in writing, completed professional services and earned platform charges are not automatically refundable. BTN may issue discretionary credits or refunds without creating an obligation to do so in future cases.

15. Insurance and Reimbursement

Unless BTN expressly states otherwise for a particular offering, the Platform is self-pay and BTN does not guarantee insurance coverage, reimbursement, out-of-network benefits, eligibility, coding, or acceptance of documentation by an insurer, employer, court, government program, or other third party. Users are responsible for confirming any desired reimbursement directly with the applicable payer and Provider.

16. SMS / Text Messaging Terms

If you separately and voluntarily opt in to BTN text messaging, Black Therapy Network may send recurring customer-care SMS messages concerning inquiries, intake follow-up, scheduling, appointments, account notices, and service support. Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply. Consent to SMS is not a condition of purchasing or receiving services.

Reply STOP to opt out. Reply HELP for help. You may also contact support@blacktherapy.net or 888-383-6002. Carriers are not liable for delayed or undelivered messages. Wireless carrier and device terms may apply. BTN’s Privacy Policy is available at blacktherapy.net/privacy-policy.

SMS consent is separate from acceptance of these Terms. BTN will not treat acceptance of these Terms as SMS consent.

17. Email and Other Communications

BTN may send transactional, security, account, billing, or service communications as reasonably necessary to operate the Platform or complete a transaction. Marketing communications, where used, will be handled according to applicable law and available unsubscribe or preference controls.

18. Privacy

BTN’s collection and use of personal information for its marketplace functions is described in the Privacy Policy. Independent Providers may have separate privacy notices governing their clinical records and professional services.

19. Sensitive Information and User Responsibility

Do not submit more sensitive information to general website forms, support channels, or SMS than is reasonably necessary. BTN may provide designated workflows or third-party systems for specific information. You are responsible for using the correct channel when instructed. SMS and ordinary email may not be appropriate for highly sensitive clinical details or emergencies.

20. Prohibited Uses

You may not:

• use the Platform for unlawful, fraudulent, abusive, threatening, harassing, discriminatory, or deceptive activity;
• impersonate another person or misrepresent identity, eligibility, location, or payment authority;
• attempt to gain unauthorized access to an account, system, provider data, or nonpublic area;
• scrape, crawl, harvest, reverse engineer, copy, or commercially exploit the Platform except as allowed by law or written permission;
• interfere with security, availability, authentication, communications, or payment systems;
• use provider information for spam, unauthorized recruiting, data brokerage, or unrelated commercial solicitation;
• upload malware or content that infringes rights, violates confidentiality, or is unlawful; or
• use the Platform in a way that jeopardizes users, Providers, BTN, or third parties.

21. Intellectual Property

The Platform, software, designs, branding, text, graphics, workflows, databases, and other BTN-owned content are protected by intellectual-property and other laws. Except for limited personal use of the Platform as permitted by these Terms, no rights are transferred to you. “Black Therapy Network,” BTN logos, and related brand assets may not be used without written authorization.

22. User Content, Reviews, and Feedback

If you submit a review, testimonial, feedback, suggestion, or other content intended for publication, you represent that you have the right to submit it and that it is truthful to your knowledge. You grant BTN a nonexclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to host, reproduce, format, display, and distribute that content for Platform and business purposes, subject to applicable privacy law and any separate consent required for health-related testimonials. BTN may moderate or remove content that violates these Terms or creates legal, safety, or privacy concerns.

23. Third-Party Services

The Platform may integrate or link to third-party services, including payment processors, video/telehealth platforms, calendars, provider websites, maps, analytics, communications, or other tools. BTN is not responsible for a third party’s independent acts, terms, content, availability, or privacy practices except to the extent required by law or contract.

24. Automated Tools and Marketplace Recommendations

BTN may use software, rules, algorithms, or artificial-intelligence-enabled tools to organize information, assist support, rank or suggest Providers, detect fraud, or improve the Platform. These tools are used for marketplace or administrative functions and are not a substitute for a Provider’s professional judgment. Automated outputs are not a diagnosis, treatment plan, clinical instruction, or guarantee of provider suitability.

25. No Guarantee of Availability or Outcome

BTN does not guarantee that a particular Provider will be available, accept a user, remain on the Platform, have a particular credential indefinitely, offer a particular appointment time, or achieve a particular clinical or personal outcome. Therapy and other professional services involve individual circumstances and no outcome can be guaranteed.

26. Suspension and Termination

BTN may suspend or terminate access for material violation of these Terms, fraud, security risk, unlawful conduct, abuse of the Platform, nonpayment, risk to users or Providers, or where required by law. Users may stop using the Platform at any time, subject to outstanding payment obligations, recurring-plan cancellation procedures, provider appointment obligations, and provisions that by their nature survive termination.

27. Disclaimer of Warranties

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, THE PLATFORM IS PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE.” BTN DISCLAIMS IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT, AND ANY WARRANTY ARISING FROM COURSE OF DEALING OR USAGE. BTN DOES NOT WARRANT THAT THE PLATFORM WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED, ERROR-FREE, SECURE, OR THAT A PROVIDER OR SERVICE WILL MEET EVERY USER’S EXPECTATIONS. NOTHING IN THIS SECTION DISCLAIMS RIGHTS THAT CANNOT LAWFULLY BE DISCLAIMED.

28. Independent Provider Acts and Clinical Responsibility

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, BTN IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR AN INDEPENDENT PROVIDER’S CLINICAL ACTS OR OMISSIONS, PROFESSIONAL JUDGMENT, DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENT, ADVICE, DOCUMENTATION, PRESCRIBING, CONFIDENTIALITY PRACTICES, OR PROFESSIONAL-SERVICE OUTCOME SOLELY BECAUSE THE PROVIDER WAS DISCOVERED, DISPLAYED, MATCHED, SCHEDULED, COMMUNICATED WITH, OR PAID THROUGH THE PLATFORM. THIS PROVISION DOES NOT EXCLUDE LIABILITY THAT APPLICABLE LAW DOES NOT ALLOW BTN TO DISCLAIM, INCLUDING LIABILITY BASED ON BTN’S OWN NON-WAIVABLE DUTIES.

29. Limitation of Liability

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, BTN AND ITS OWNERS, OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, AND AFFILIATES WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, PUNITIVE, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, LOST PROFITS, LOST DATA, OR LOSS OF GOODWILL ARISING FROM THE PLATFORM. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, BTN’S AGGREGATE LIABILITY FOR CLAIMS ARISING FROM THE PLATFORM WILL NOT EXCEED THE GREATER OF (A) THE AMOUNT YOU PAID DIRECTLY TO BTN FOR PLATFORM FEES DURING THE SIX MONTHS BEFORE THE EVENT GIVING RISE TO THE CLAIM OR (B) $100. THESE LIMITATIONS DO NOT APPLY WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW, OR TO LIABILITY THAT CANNOT BE LIMITED, INCLUDING AS APPLICABLE FRAUD, WILLFUL MISCONDUCT, GROSS NEGLIGENCE, OR OTHER NON-WAIVABLE LIABILITY.

30. Indemnification

To the extent permitted by law, you agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless BTN and its owners, officers, directors, employees, and affiliates from third-party claims, liabilities, damages, losses, and reasonable costs arising from your unlawful use of the Platform, material breach of these Terms, infringement of another person’s rights, fraud, or content you submit. This obligation does not require you to indemnify BTN for BTN’s own unlawful conduct or non-waivable liability.

31. Dispute Resolution – Informal Process, Arbitration, and Class-Action Waiver

Informal notice first. Before filing arbitration, the party asserting a claim must send a written notice describing the dispute, requested relief, and contact information. Notices to BTN must be emailed to support@blacktherapy.net with the subject “LEGAL NOTICE – DISPUTE.” The parties will attempt in good faith to resolve the dispute for at least 30 days before arbitration is filed, unless a limitations period or emergency requires earlier action.

Arbitration. If unresolved, the dispute will be resolved by binding individual arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association (“AAA”) under its applicable Consumer Arbitration Rules, as modified by these Terms. Arbitration may occur by video, telephone, document submission, or another format permitted by the arbitrator and applicable rules. The Federal Arbitration Act governs the interpretation and enforcement of this arbitration agreement to the extent applicable.

No class or representative proceedings. To the fullest extent permitted by law, disputes must be brought only in an individual capacity and not as a plaintiff or class member in a purported class, collective, consolidated, private-attorney-general, or representative proceeding. The arbitrator may award relief only to the individual party seeking relief, except where applicable law requires otherwise.

Opt out. You may opt out of this arbitration agreement by emailing support@blacktherapy.net within 30 days after you first accept these Terms. Use the subject “ARBITRATION OPT-OUT” and include your full name, account email, and a clear statement that you are opting out of the arbitration provision. Opting out of arbitration does not cancel the rest of these Terms.

If a court determines that a specific portion of this arbitration or class-waiver section is unenforceable as to a particular claim or remedy, that portion will be severed to the minimum extent necessary and the remaining enforceable portions will continue to apply.

32. Governing Law and Courts for Non-Arbitrable Disputes

Except where federal law applies or a consumer’s non-waivable home-state law requires otherwise, these Terms are governed by the laws of the State of North Carolina without regard to conflict-of-law principles. Any dispute not subject to arbitration will be brought in a court of competent jurisdiction serving Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, unless applicable law requires another forum.

33. Changes to These Terms

BTN may update these Terms to reflect changes in the Platform, law, business model, or risk requirements. The Effective Date identifies the current version. Where required, BTN will provide notice of material changes and obtain renewed acceptance. Continued use after an effective update may constitute acceptance where permitted by law.

34. Miscellaneous

If a provision of these Terms is held invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions remain in effect to the fullest extent permitted by law. BTN’s failure to enforce a provision is not a waiver. You may not assign your account or obligations without BTN’s consent. BTN may assign these Terms in connection with a merger, reorganization, financing, asset transfer, or similar business transaction, subject to applicable law. Headings are for convenience only.

35. Contact

Black Therapy Network
525 N Tryon Street, Ste 1640
Charlotte, North Carolina 28202
Phone: 888-383-6002
Email: support@blacktherapy.net