Our Special Partners

Confidentiality of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Patient Records

The confidentiality of alcohol and drug abuse patient records maintained by this program is protected under the Federal Regulation 42 CFR Part 2. Generally, the program may not say to a person outside the program that a person attends the program or disclose any information identifying a patient as an alcohol or drug abuser unless:

1. The patient consents in writing
2. The disclosure is allowed by a court order and a subpoena.
3. The disclosure is made to medical personnel in a medical emergency or to qualified personnel for research, audit or program evaluations

HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices

For the agency to be in compliance with HIPAA, we are required to provide you with the following information. However, in most cases, federal regulation 42 CFR Part 2 would not allow us to use your private health information without your written consent.

The privacy of your protected health information (PHI) is protected under the federal HIPAA Privacy Rule. “Protected Health Information” is information about you, including demographic information, that may identify you and that relates to your past, present or future physical or mental health or condition and related health care services.

We use and disclose health information about you for treatment, payment and healthcare operations: For example:

Treatment: We may use or disclose your health information to a physician or other healthcare provider providing treatment to you.

Payment: We may use and disclose your health information to obtain payment for services we provide.

Healthcare Operations: We may use and disclose your health information in connection with our healthcare operations. Healthcare operations include quality assessment and improvement activities, reviewing the competence or qualifications of healthcare professionals, evaluating practitioner and provider performance, conducting training programs, accreditation, certification, licensing or credentialing activities.

Patient contact: We may use or disclose your health information to provide you with appointment reminders or for required “call backs.”

Required by law: We may use or disclose your health information when we are required to do so by law.

In addition to our use of your health information for treatment, payment or healthcare operations, you may give us written authorization to use and/or disclose your health information and patient records to anyone for any purpose. If you give us an authorization, you may revoke it in writing at any time. Your revocation will not affect any use of disclosures permitted by your authorization while it was in effect. Unless you give us a written authorization, we cannot use or disclose your health information for any reason except those described above in this notice.

Violations of these Federal laws and regulations by a program are a crime. Suspected violations may be reported to appropriate authorities in accordance with Federal regulations. Federal laws and regulations do not protect any information about a crime committed by a patient either at the program or against any person who works for the program or about any threat to commit such a crime. Federal laws and regulations do not protect any information about suspected child abuse or neglect from being reported under state law to appropriate state or local authorities.

You also have the right to get an copy of your medical record • You can ask to see or get an electronic or paper copy of your medical record and other health information we have about you. Ask us how to do this. • We will provide a copy or a summary of your health information, usually within 30 days of your request. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee. Ask us to correct your medical record • You can ask us to correct health information about you that you think is incorrect or incomplete. Ask us how to do this. • We may say “no” to your request, but we’ll tell you why in writing within 60 days. Request confidential communications • You can ask us to contact you in a specific way (for example, home or office phone) or to send mail to a different address. • We will say “yes” to all reasonable requests. Ask us to limit what we use or share • You can ask us not to use or share certain health information for treatment, payment, or our operations. We are not required to agree to your request, and we may say “no” if it would affect your care. • If you pay for a service or health care item out-of-pocket in full, you can ask us not to share that information for the purpose of payment or our operations with your health insurer. We will say “yes” unless a law requires us to share that information. Get a list of those with whom we’ve shared information • You can ask for a list (accounting) of the times we’ve shared your health information for six years prior to the date you ask, who we shared it with, and why. • We will include all the disclosures except for those about treatment, payment, and health care operations, and certain other disclosures (such as any you asked us to make). We’ll provide one accounting a year for free but will charge a reasonable, cost-based fee if you ask for another one within 12 months. Get a copy of this privacy notice • You can ask for a paper copy of this notice at any time, even if you have agreed to receive the notice electronically. We will provide you with a paper copy promptly. Choose someone to act for you • If you have given someone medical power of attorney or if someone is your legal guardian, that person can exercise your rights and make choices about your health information. • We will make sure the person has this authority and can act for you before we take any action. File a complaint if you feel your rights are violated • You can complain if you feel we have violated your rights by contacting us using the information on page 1. • You can file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights by sending a letter to 200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20201, calling 1-877-696-6775, or visiting www.hhs.gov/ocr/ privacy/hipaa/complaints/. • We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.