NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES

THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW PROTECTED HEALTH INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW CAREFULLY.

OUR DUTY TO PROTECT YOUR PRIVACY

Care Resource Community Health Center (Care Resource) is required by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) to maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information (PHI). In addition, when patients receive substance use disorder (SUD) treatment, their SUD records are protected by another federal law, 42 CFR Part 2 (Part 2). Part 2 provides heightened privacy protections for SUD records, which limit how SUD records may be used and disclosed by Care Resource.

Care Resource is committed to protecting your PHI. We are required by law to:

• Maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information (PHI), including SUD records if you are receiving SUD treatment services;
• Give you this Notice explaining our legal duties and privacy practices;
• Follow the terms of the Notice; and
• Notify you promptly if a breach occurs that may have compromised your information.

We may change this Notice and make the new terms effective for all information we maintain. A current copy will always be posted at each Care Resource site and on our website.

HOW WE MAY USE AND DISCLOSE YOUR HEALTH INFORMATION

Care Resource may use and disclose PHI and/or SUD records about you for the following purposes allowed by law:

Treatment –To provide, coordinate, or manage your care. We may also disclose your PHI and/or SUD Records to other providers for treatment, care coordination or quality improvement activities. Example: Your provider may share information with a specialist or lab to assist with your treatment. In addition, we may contact you to remind you about appointments, give you instructions prior to tests or surgery, or inform you about treatment alternatives or other health-related benefits or services.

Payment – To bill and receive payment for services rendered to you. Example: We may send your diagnosis and procedure codes to your insurance company.

Health Care Operations – To improve the quality of our services, which include evaluating treatment effectiveness, evaluating the quality of our services, and investigating complaints related to services. Example: Your record may be reviewed during a quality improvement project.

Business Associates/Qualified Service Organizations – We may share information with companies that provide services to Care Resource (e.g., billing, IT, auditing). They must safeguard your information in accordance with federal law.

Public Health And Safety Activities – To report diseases, births, deaths, abuse, or adverse events, and to prevent serious threats to health or safety.

Required by Law – We may disclose information when required by law (for example, in response to court orders, subpoenas, or government inspections).

Worker’s Compensation – To comply with laws relating to workers’ compensation or similar programs.

Health Oversight, Research, And Public Benefit – To health oversight agencies or approved research programs that protect your privacy.

USES AND DISCLOSURES YOU CAN LIMIT OR OBJECT TO

We may share your PHI with third parties unless you object, for example:

• With family or friends involved in your care or payment for care;
• For appointment reminders; or
• To tell you about health-related services or programs that may benefit you.

If you do not want us to make these disclosures, please submit a written request to us detailing your request.

OTHER USES AND DISCLOSURES REQUIRING YOUR AUTHORIZATION

We will obtain your written authorization before using or sharing your information for purposes not covered by this Notice, including:

• Marketing communications;
• Sale of your information; or
• Release of psychotherapy notes or SUD counseling notes (if applicable)

You may revoke your authorization in writing at any time.

YOUR RIGHTS REGARDING YOUR HEALTH INFORMATION

You have the right to:

1. Inspect and obtain a copy of your medical record (paper or electronic). We will provide a copy or a summary of your health information within 30 days of your request. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee.
2. Request an amendment if you believe your record is incorrect or incomplete. You must complete a form explaining your request. As us how to do this.
3. Receive an accounting of disclosures made for purposes other than treatment, payment, or operations.
4. Request restrictions on how we use or disclose your information (however, we are not required to agree to all requests).
5. Request confidential communications. Identify how you would like us to contact you with confidential information. We will accommodate all reasonable requests.
6. Obtain a paper copy of this Notice at any time.
7. 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 information. We will make sure the person has this authority and can act for you before we take any action.
8. Receive breach notification if your information is involved in a privacy incident.

To exercise these rights, send a written request to the Medical Care Services Manager at any of the following locations:

Midtown – 3510 Biscayne Blvd, Miami, FL. 33137

Broward – 871 West Oakland Park Blvd, Fort Lauderdale, FL. 33311

Little Havana – 1800 S.W. 1st Street, Miami, FL. 33135

Miami Beach – 1680 Michigan Avenue, Suite 912, Miami Beach, FL 33139

LIMITING SHARING YOUR INFORMATION (OPT-OUT OPTION)

Consistent with Care Resource’s Consent Form, you can limit the sharing of your information beyond what is required by law or necessary for your direct treatment.

To exercise this option:

• Select check box under “Optional Opt-Out of Information Sharing” in Patient Registration Packet.
• Understand that limiting sharing may affect our ability to coordinate care or refer you to external programs.
• This does not restrict disclosures required by law or for treatment, payment, and health care operations.

You may change your decision at any time by submitting a written request.

SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER RECORDS

SUD records and treatment information receive additional privacy protections under Part 2.

Subject to limited exceptions under Part 2, we will not acknowledge your presence as a client or disclose your SUD records without your written authorization.

SUD treatment records are protected by Part 2 in the following ways:

• Your SUD records will not be used or disclosed in any civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative proceeding against you without your written consent, unless a court issues an order after giving you notice and an opportunity to be heard. Any such court order must also be accompanied by a subpoena or other legal mandate before disclosure may occur.
• Care Resource may use or disclose your SUD records for treatment, payment, and healthcare operations (TPO) following your execution of a single written consent.
• If Care Resource receives SUD records from another Part 2 program, we must continue to protect and limit the use and disclosure of those records in accordance with Part 2.
• SUD counseling notes will not be shared without your written authorization, except when permitted or required by Part 2 (such as for emergencies, public health reporting, or when there is a risk of harm to self or others).
• Any SUD records and treatment information disclosed with your consent to other providers, health plans, and healthcare clearinghouses, and their business associates, may only be redisclosed in accordance with HIPAA.

COMPLAINTS AND QUESTIONS

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with:

Privacy Officer
Care Resource Community Health Centers, Inc.
3510 Biscayne Boulevard, Miami, FL 33137
Phone: 305-576-1234

You may also submit a complaint or grievance online at https://careresource.org/patient-info/grievance-procedure/.

Or contact:
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Office for Civil Rights
200 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20201
https://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints

Care Resource will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

LANGUAGE ACCESS AND ASSISTANCE

This Notice is available in Spanish and Haitian Creole. If you need help understanding any part of this Notice or require an interpreter, please ask a staff member. Language assistance is provided at no cost.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

If you have questions about this Notice or need more information about Care Resource’s privacy practices, you may contact the Privacy Officer at 3510 Biscayne Boulevard, Miami, FL 33137 or call 305-576-1234.