HOUSE OF HOPE / STEPPING STONES

NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES AS REQUIRED BY THE HEALTH INSURANCE PORTABILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF 1996

THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL AND DRUG AND ALCOHOL RELATED INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED, AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION.

PLEASE REVIEW THIS INFORMATION CAREFULLY

Our Commitment to your Privacy

House of Hope/Stepping Stones (HOH/SS) is dedicated to maintaining the privacy of your protected health information (PHI).  In providing treatment to you, we will create records regarding you and the treatment and services we provide to you.  We are also required by law to provide you with this notice of our legal duties and the privacy practices we have for protecting your PHI.  By federal and state law, we must follow the terms of the notice of privacy practices we have in effect at the time, and may not say to any person outside of HOH/SS that you attend the program.  HOH/SS also may not disclose any information identifying you as an alcoholic or drug abuser, or disclose any other protected information except as permitted by law.

We know these laws are complicated, but we must provide you with the following important information:

v      How we may use and share your PHI

v      Your privacy rights in your PHI

v      Our responsibilities concerning the use and sharing of your PHI.

HOH/SS May Use and Share Your Protected Health Information in These Cases.

v      To provide you with the best care that we can.

v      With your health insurer or government agencies in order to be paid for services.

v      Pursuant to an agreement with a qualified service organization or business associate.

v      For research, audit or evaluations.

v      To report a crime committed on HOH/SS premises or against HOH/SS personnel.

v      To medical personnel in a medical emergency.

v      To authorities to report suspected child abuse or neglect.

v      As allowed by a court order.

For example, HOH/SS can share information without your permission to obtain legal or financial services, or to another medical facility to provide health care to you, as long as we have a qualified service organization or business associate agreement with them.

Before HOH/SS can use or share any health information about you in a way which is not described above, it must first obtain your specific written permission allowing it to share the information.  You may tell us to take back the written consent.

Your Rights

Under the law you have the right to request limits on certain uses and sharing of your health information.  HOH/SS does not have to agree to any limits you request, but if it does agree then it is bound by the agreement and may not use or share any information which you have limited except as needed in a medical emergency.

You have the right to ask that we communicate with you, such as by telephone or letter, by an alternative means or at an alternative location, such as at home instead of at work.  HOH/SS will agree to such requests that are reasonable and will not ask for an explanation from you.  Under the law you also have the right to look at and copy your own health information that we have, except in limited circumstance.

Under the law you also have the right, with some limits, to change health care information kept in HOH/SS’s records, and to ask for and get an accounting of your health related information by HOH/SS during the six years prior to your request.  You also have the right  to get a paper copy of this notice.

Complains and Reporting Violations

You may complain to HOH/SS and the Secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human Services if you believe that your privacy right has been violated under the law.  Contact the HOH/SS Privacy Officer at the phone number listed below to file a written complaint or get a Complaint Submission Form to file with the Department of Health and Human Services.  You will not be retaliated against for filing such a complaint.

Violation of the Confidentiality Law by a program, such as HOH/SS, is a crime.  Suspected violations of the Confidentiality Law may be made to the United States Attorney in the district where the violation occurs.

Contact

For further information, contact HOH/SS’s Privacy Officer at (954) 524-8989.