Terms of Service

Last updated: 09/01/2025

Welcome to TLHMH.org (“TLHMH,” “we,” “us,” or “our”). These Terms of Service (“Terms”) govern your access to and use of TLHMH.org, our subdomains, content, community features, and any related services (collectively, the “Services”). By accessing or using the Services, you agree to these Terms. If you do not agree, do not use the Services.

Eligibility and accounts

• Minimum age: You must be at least 13 years old (or the minimum age of digital consent in your region) to use the Services. If you are under 18, you need permission from a parent or legal guardian.

• Account accuracy: You agree to provide accurate information and to keep it current.

• Security: You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials and for all activity under your account. Notify us promptly of any unauthorized use.

• One person, one account: Do not share your account or create accounts to impersonate others.

Community use and acceptable conduct

Our space is trauma‑informed and dignity‑centered. Use the Services with care for yourself and others.

• Be respectful: No harassment, hate, threats, doxxing, or targeted abuse. Do not attempt to retraumatize or exploit others.

• No illegal activity: Do not use the Services to break the law, facilitate fraud, or infringe intellectual property rights.

• No harm or exploitation: No content that depicts or promotes self‑harm, sexual exploitation, or violence. Crisis content should be framed as personal experience and support‑seeking, not as instructions.

• Protect privacy: Do not post others’ personal information without explicit permission. Remove identifying details when sharing sensitive stories.

• Platform integrity: No spamming, scraping, reverse engineering, or interfering with security or access controls. Do not attempt to circumvent rate limits or content protections.

• Appropriate use of tools: Use any forms, uploads, or interactive features only for their intended purpose and within posted limits.

We may, at our discretion and without prior notice, remove content, limit features, or suspend accounts that violate these Terms.

User content and licenses

You retain ownership of your content. By submitting, posting, or uploading content to the Services, you grant us the rights necessary to operate the platform.

• Your rights remain: You own your text, stories, images, and other materials (“User Content”).

• License to us: You grant TLHMH a worldwide, non‑exclusive, royalty‑free license to host, store, reproduce, modify (for formatting), publish, display, distribute, and create derivative works of your User Content solely to operate, improve, and promote the Services and to comply with legal obligations.

• Attribution and anonymity: We honor your chosen attribution (name, alias, or anonymous) and consent settings. You may request edits, changes to attribution, or removal as described in our Privacy Policy.

• Your responsibilities: You represent and warrant you have the rights to submit User Content and that it does not violate law or others’ rights.

• Moderation: We may review, refuse, or remove User Content at our discretion, including for safety, quality, or legal reasons. We aim to do so in a trauma‑informed way.

Intellectual property

• Our IP: The Services, including logos, designs, text, and software, are owned by TLHMH or our licensors and protected by law. Except as permitted by these Terms, you may not copy, modify, or create derivative works.

• Limited license to you: We grant you a limited, revocable, non‑exclusive, non‑transferable license to access and use the Services for personal, non‑commercial purposes, subject to these Terms.

• Feedback: If you provide ideas or suggestions, you grant us a perpetual, worldwide, royalty‑free license to use them without restriction or obligation to you.

• Copyright complaints (DMCA): If you believe content infringes your copyright, send a notice including your contact details, identification of the work and allegedly infringing material, a good‑faith statement, and your signature to [Insert designated agent email and mailing address]. We may remove content and, where appropriate, terminate repeat infringers.

Safety, support, and no professional advice

• Supportive, not clinical: TLHMH provides community support and resources. We do not provide medical, psychological, legal, or crisis services, and nothing on the Services constitutes professional advice.

• Emergency matters: If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call your local emergency number right away. For crisis support in the U.S., you can call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

• Resource links: Third‑party resources are offered for convenience. We do not control or endorse third‑party services and are not responsible for their practices or outcomes.

Privacy and data

• Privacy commitment: Our practices are described in the TLHMH Privacy Policy, which is incorporated into these Terms by reference.

• Consent and choices: We honor your consent, attribution, and visibility preferences to the extent technically feasible and consistent with safety and law.

• Data requests: You can exercise your privacy rights via the process outlined in the Privacy Policy.

Donations, payments, and third‑party services

• Processors: Donations or payments (if offered) may be processed by third‑party providers under their terms and privacy policies.

• No warranties: We do not guarantee the availability or performance of third‑party services, embeds, or links.

• No refunds policy notice: Where applicable, any refund or cancellation terms will be stated at the point of donation or purchase.

Service changes, availability, and termination

• Changes: We may modify, suspend, or discontinue any part of the Services at any time, with or without notice.

• Maintenance and outages: The Services may be unavailable due to maintenance, updates, or events beyond our control.

• Termination by us: We may suspend or terminate your access for any reason, including safety concerns, violations, or legal requirements.

• Termination by you: You may stop using the Services at any time and request account closure or content removal per our Privacy Policy.

• Effect of termination: Some provisions survive termination, including those on intellectual property, disclaimers, liability limits, indemnity, and dispute resolution.

Disclaimers, limitations, and indemnity

• No warranty: The Services are provided “as is” and “as available,” without warranties of any kind, express or implied, including implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, non‑infringement, and quiet enjoyment.

• Risk acknowledgment: You use the Services at your own risk. We do not guarantee accuracy, completeness, or availability, and we do not control User Content or third‑party services.

• Limitation of liability: To the maximum extent permitted by law, TLHMH and its directors, officers, volunteers, partners, and affiliates will not be liable for indirect, incidental, special, consequential, exemplary, or punitive damages; loss of profits, data, goodwill; or service interruptions, even if advised of the possibility. Our aggregate liability for any claim related to the Services will not exceed the greater of $50 or the amount you paid to us in the 12 months preceding the claim.

• Indemnification: You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless TLHMH and its affiliates from any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising from your use of the Services, your User Content, or your violation of these Terms or applicable law.

Governing law and dispute resolution

• Venue and law: These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Kentucky, without regard to conflict of law principles, and applicable federal law.

• Informal resolution: Contact us first to try to resolve disputes informally within 30 days.

• Arbitration and class action waiver (optional—customize to your needs): Except for claims eligible for small claims court or injunctive relief, disputes will be resolved by binding individual arbitration. You and TLHMH waive any right to a jury trial or to participate in a class or representative action. If this clause is not enforceable in your jurisdiction, the exclusive venue will be the state or federal courts located in Kentucky, and you consent to their jurisdiction.

• Time to file: Any claim must be filed within one year after it arises, or it is permanently barred (to the extent permitted by law).

Miscellaneous

• Changes to Terms: We may update these Terms from time to time. Material changes will be indicated by an updated “Last updated” date and, when appropriate, additional notice. Your continued use signifies acceptance.

• Severability: If any provision is deemed unenforceable, the remaining provisions remain in effect.

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

• Assignment: You may not assign your rights or obligations under these Terms without our written consent. We may assign these Terms in connection with a merger, acquisition, or asset transfer.

• Entire agreement: These Terms, together with the Privacy Policy and any posted guidelines or policies, constitute the entire agreement between you and TLHMH regarding the Services.

• Headings: Section headings are for convenience only.

Contact

• Email: legal@tlhmh.org

• Website: tlhmh.org/terms

Trauma‑informed commitments within these Terms

• Consent‑aligned publishing: Stories and attributions follow explicit consent and can be edited, anonymized, or removed upon request where feasible.

• Least data, most dignity: We limit data collection and minimize exposure of sensitive details.

• Moderation with care: Safety decisions aim to reduce harm while communicating clearly and respectfully when possible.

• Accessibility and inclusion: We seek to maintain accessible content and interfaces and welcome feedback to improve.