This notice describes how medical and health information about you may be used and disclosed, and how you can get access to this information. Please review this notice carefully.
You have the right to:
Get an electronic or paper copy of your medical record
Ask us to correct your medical record
Request confidential communications
Ask us to limit what we use or share
Get a list of our disclosures of your health information
Get a copy of this Notice of Privacy Practices
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
File a complaint if you feel your rights are violated
If you believe we have violated your privacy rights, you have the right to:
We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.
Information about health care you receive from Mana Recovery Center is protected by two federal laws:
The Part 2 law and regulations are more restrictive than HIPAA. When Part 2 applies, we follow Part 2’s more restrictive privacy protections.
For certain health information, you can tell us your choices about what we share. Because we comply with the Part 2 law and regulations, there are very limited circumstances in which we may share your health information without your written consent to do so. In most circumstances we will ask you for your written permission before sharing health information.
However, as explained below, there might be circumstances where your health information is not protected by Part 2 but is protected by HIPAA. In these circumstances, we may use and disclose such health information as permitted by HIPAA. However, 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.
You have both the right and choice under HIPAA to give us permission to:
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 and, if applicable, permitted by Part 2. We may also share your information when needed to lessen a serious and imminent threat to health or safety and, if applicable, will do so in compliance with Part 2 requirements.
Unless you give us written permission, we will never:
We may contact you for fundraising efforts, but you can tell us not to contact you again.
Unless you give us written permission, we generally will not share any psychotherapy notes relating to you (that is, your mental health professional’s impressions from your individual or group therapy sessions that are kept separate from the rest of your medical record).
We typically use your health information (including substance use disorder information) in the following ways:
To treat you
We can use your health information for purposes of providing treatment to you.
Example: Sharing information with your Primary Care Physician
To run our organization
We can use your health information to run our business, improve your care, and contact you when necessary.
Example: We use health information about you to manage your treatment and services.
A Part 2 program may not say whether you are receiving services from the Part 2 program (or have received services) if doing so would reveal your substance use disorder. We will not disclose any information that identifies you as a patient of Mana Recovery Center, as someone who has (or had in the past) a substance use disorder unless:
Federal law and regulations do NOT protect any information about:
If Part 2 does not apply to your health information, we may share that non-Part 2 information without your written consent in the following ways:
If Part 2 does not apply, we may be allowed or required to share your information in other ways – usually in ways that contribute to the public good, such as public health and research. We provide a summary of those other purposes below. But we have to meet many conditions in the law before we can share your information for these purposes.[1] However, if Part 2 applies, we may not be allowed to share your health information in these ways unless we get your written consent.
Public health and safety issues
If Part 2 does not apply, we may share health information about you for certain public health situations (and if certain conditions are met), such as:
Research
We can use or share your information for health research if certain conditions are met.
Complying with the law
Unless Part 2 prevents us from making the disclosure, we will share information about you if state or federal laws require it, including with the Department of Health and Human Services if it wants to see that we’re complying with HIPAA.
Respond to organ and tissue donation requests
If Part 2 does not apply, we may share health information about you with organ procurement organizations (and if certain conditions are met).
Work with a medical examiner or funeral director
We can share health information with a coroner, medical examiner, or funeral director when an individual dies (and if certain conditions are met).
Address workers’ compensation, law enforcement, and other government requests
If Part 2 does not apply, we may use or share health information about you (if certain conditions are met):
Respond to lawsuits and legal actions
If Part 2 does not apply, we may share health information about you in response to a court or administrative order, or in response to a subpoena.
We are required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information and substance use disorder records.
We will let you know promptly if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your information.
We must follow the duties and privacy practices described in this Notice, and give you a copy of the Notice.
We will not use or share your information other than as described in this Notice unless you tell us we can in writing. If you tell us we can, you may change your mind at any time. If you change your mind, please let us know in writing.
We reserve the right to change our privacy policy and practices, and the terms of this Notice of Privacy Practices, at any time. Any changes to this Notice will apply to all information we have about you. Updated versions of this Notice will be available:
If you have any questions about this Notice, or how we handle your health information, please contact office@manarecoverycenter.com
For more information about your privacy rights, please go to www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/consumers/noticepp.html
For more information see: www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/consumers/index.html.
Carmen Cook, LMFT, is a dedicated and experienced licensed marriage and family therapist with a passion for helping individuals, couples, and families overcome challenges and improve their well-being.
She specializes in complex trauma treatment, anxiety disorders, substance addiction, and EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing).