Privacy Policy

HIPAA COMPLIANCE

NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES IN COMPLIANCE WITH: The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA)

Effective Date: May 1, 2003

THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW YOUR MEDICAL INFORMATION MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GAIN ACCESS TO THE INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.

YOUR PRIVACY RIGHTS, OUR RESPONSIBILITIES

Rutgers-Newark Psychological Services and Counseling Center is required by law to protect the privacy of your health information and provide you with this Notice of Privacy Practices. This notice describes how we may use and share your health information and explains your privacy rights. PsyACS will use or disclose your information only as described in this notice. We do however, reserve the right to change our privacy practices and terms of this notice and to make new provisions effective for all health information that we maintain. Revised notices will be posted in the waiting area, and we will make a copy of the revised notice for you upon request.

USE AND DISCLOSURE OF PROTECTED HEALTH INFORMATION WITHOUT AUTHORIZATION

The law permits the University Counseling Center to use or disclose your health information without your written consent or authorization for the following purposes:

Treatment: We may use health information about you to provide treatment and services. We may disclose your health information to counselors, supervisor, or administrators at the PsyACS who are involved in your treatment. In addition, counselors may share relevant details about your treatment during case staffing with other counselors and psychologists.

Center Operations: We may use your health information for the purposes of Center operations. For example, your records will be reviewed by the PsyACS staff in order to make sure that the Rutgers-Newark Psychological and Counseling Services Center is the best place for you to receive treatment. In addition, your records may be reviewed by our counseling staff for quality assurance purposes to assess the care, outcomes, and quality of services you receive.

Other Circumstances: In addition, we may use or disclose your health information for the following purposes without your consent or authorization:

• As required or permitted by law (e.g., cooperation with law enforcement, court officials, or government agencies)
• For health oversight activities (e.g., investigations, inspections, accreditation, licensure, etc.)
• To avoid serious threat to health or safety
• As authorized by worker's compensation laws or similar programs that provide benefits for work-related injuries or illness
• Research approved by the Rutgers University-Newark Human Subjects Protection Committee.

USE AND DISCLOSURE OF PROTECTED HEALTH INFORMATION THAT REQUIRES YOUR AUTHORIZATION

Except as provided in this Notice or Privacy Practices, Psychological and Counseling Services will not disclose your health information without your written authorization. If you sign an authorization form you may withdraw your authorization at any time, as long as your withdrawal is in writing.

YOUR RIGHTS REGRADING YOUR PROTECTED HEALTH INFORMATION

You have several rights with regard to your health information. Specifically, you have the right to:

• Obtain a paper copy of this notice. You may request a written copy of this notice at any time.
• Receive confidential communications. You have the right to request in writing that the center only communicate to you in a certain format (e.g., in writing) and/or location (e.g., your work address). We will accommodate all reasonable requests.
• Inspect and copy protected health information. This right is subject to certain legal restrictions. For example, this right does not apply to psychotherapy notes or information compiled for judicial proceedings. You may be charged a fee for copying or postage.
• Request restrictions on certain uses and disclosures.

You have the right to ask for restrictions on how your health information is used or to whom your information is disclosed. We are not required to agree to your requested restriction, but we will consider your request and the possibility of accommodating it.

• Request to amendment. You have a right to request in writing that portions of your records be corrected when you feel information is incorrect or incomplete. We may deny your request if the information is not created by this Center or if we believe the information is accurate.
• Receive an accounting of disclosures. You have a right to receive an accounting of disclosures of your health information made by the PsyACS, except for disclosures such as treatment, Center operations, and certain other disclosures as provided for by law.
• Complain. If you believe your health information privacy rights have been violated, you may contact the OCR Regional Manager, Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Atlanta Federal Center, Suite 3B70, 61 Forsyth St., S.W., Atlanta, GA 30303-8909, (404) 562-7886. Information is also available on the DHHS website at http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/hipaa/ . If you file a complaint, we will not take any action against you or change our treatment of you.

ADDITIONAL PROTECTIONS OF YOUR PRIVACY: In addition to being HIPAA compliant, the Department of Psychological and Counseling Services complies with all federal and state legislation pertinent to health and mental service provision regarding the practice of counseling, psychology, psychiatry and related services. If you have questions regarding your rights, please contact the Department of Psychological and Counseling Services.

CONTACT FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

Pamela Heard, Ph.D.

HIPAA Coordinator

(973) 353-5805