Your Rights
You have the right to:
- Get a copy of your paper or electronic medical record.
- Correct your paper or electronic medical record.
- Request confidential communication.
- Ask us to limit the information we share.
- Get a list of those with whom we’ve shared your information.
- Get a copy of this privacy notice.
- Choose someone to act for you.
- File a complaint if you believe your privacy rights have been violated.
Your Choices
You have some choices in the way that we use and share information as we:
- Tell family and friends about your condition.
- Provide disaster relief.
- Provide mental health care.
- Raise funds.
Our Uses and Disclosures
We may use and share your information as we:
- Treat you.
- Engage your children in Social Skills Group sessions.
- Run our organization.
- Bill for your services.
Help with public health and safety issues. - Do research.
- Comply with the law.
- Respond to organ and tissue donation requests.
- Work with a medical examiner or funeral director.
- Address workers’ compensation, law enforcement, and other government requests.
- Respond to lawsuits and legal actions.
Electronic Communications and Text Messaging (SMS)
We may communicate with you through electronic means such as email and text messaging (SMS) for administrative and service-related purposes.
Types of Messages Electronic: Communications may include appointment reminders, scheduling updates, administrative notices, billing or invoice follow-ups, routine forms, and general service-related information. Marketing or promotional messages are sent only with separate written authorization.
Use of Information: We do not include sensitive protected health information (PHI) in text messages. Standard SMS messages are not encrypted and may be subject to interception. Electronic communications are not used for urgent or emergency matters.
Message Frequency: Message frequency varies depending on your interaction with our services. Marketing messages, if authorized, will not exceed four messages per month.
Opt-Out and Help: You may opt out of receiving SMS messages at any time by replying STOP. For help, reply HELP or contact us using the information provided in this Notice.
Third-Party Vendors: Electronic communications, including SMS, may be delivered through third-party service providers with whom we maintain appropriate contracts and Business Associate Agreements (BAAs) as required by law.
When it comes to your health information, you have certain rights.
This section explains your rights and some of our responsibilities to help.
Get an electronic or paper 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.
- The Company 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.
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.
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
We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.
For certain health information, you can tell us your choices about what we share.
If you have a clear preference for how we share your information in the situations described below, talk to us. Tell us what you want us to do, and we will follow your instructions.
In these cases, you have both the right and choice to tell us to:
- Share information with your family, close friends, or others involved in your care.
- Share information in a disaster relief situation.
- Include your information in a hospital directory.
If you are not able to tell us your preference, for example if you are unconscious, we may go ahead and share your information if we believe it is in your best interest. We may also share your information when needed to lessen a serious and imminent threat to health or safety.
In these cases, we never share your information, unless you give us written permission:
- Marketing purposes
- Sale of your information
- Most sharing of psychotherapy notes
In the case of fundraising:
We may contact you for fundraising efforts, but you can tell us not to contact you again.
Our Responsibilities
We are required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your PHI. We will let you know promptly if a breach may have compromised your information’s privacy or security.
We must follow the duties and privacy practices described in this notice and give you a copy of it.
We will not use or share your information other than as described here unless you tell us we can in writing. If you tell us we can, you may change your mind at any time. Let us know in writing if you change your mind.
For more information, see:
www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/consumers/noticepp.html
Miscellaneous
This policy is effective October 20, 2022.
If you have any questions regarding the privacy of your records, please contact our Privacy Officer, Katie Talerico, at 443.884.5540 or via e-mail at compliance@childrens-aba.org.
