Privacy Policy
Center for Human Development, Inc. (CHD)
NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES
Effective Date: April 14, 2003
Revised: June 1, 2025
This notice describes how we may use and disclose your protected health information (PHI) to carry out your services and administer our agency. PHI is information about you that may identify you and that relates to your past, present and future physical or mental health or condition and related CHD services. Please review it carefully.
Parents or guardians should be aware that the terms ‘you’ or ‘your’ used in this notice refer to the person receiving CHD services which may be our child or someone under your legal custody.
YOUR RIGHTS
You have the right to:
– Get an electronic or paper copy of your record
- You can ask to see or get an electronic or paper copy of your record and other health information we have about you. Ask us how to do this.
- We 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 record
- You can ask us to correct health information about you that you think is incorrect or Ask us how to do this.
- We may say “no” to your request, but we’ll tell you why in writing within 60 days.
– Request confidential communications
- You can ask us to contact you in a specific way (for example, home or office phone) or to send mail to a different
- We will say “yes” to all reasonable requests.
– Ask us to limit the information we share
- You can ask us not to use or share certain health information for treatment, payment, or our
- 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 your 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 believe your privacy rights have been violated
- You can complain if you feel we have violated your rights by contacting us using the information on page 1.
- 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, W., Washington, D.C. 20201, calling 1-877-696-6775, or visiting www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/complaints/.
- We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.
YOUR CHOICES
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 an organization directory
- Contact you for fundraising efforts
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 will not share your information unless you give us written permission:
- Marketing purposes
- Sale of your information
- If you are receiving substance use treatment we will not share your information in civil, criminal, administrative and legislative proceedings against you without your consent or a court order.
In the case of fundraising:
- We may contact you for fundraising efforts, but you can tell us not to contact you again.
OUR USES AND DISCLOSURES
We may use and share your information as we:
– Treat you
- We can use your health information and share it with other professionals who are treating you.
- Example: A clinician treating you is making a referral to a prescriber for your medication services.
– Run our organization
- We can use and share your health information to run our organization and its programs, to improve your care, and contact you when necessary.
- Example: We use health information about you to manage your treatment and services.
– Bill for your services
- We can use and share your health information to bill and get payment from health plans or other entities.
- Example: We give information about you to your health insurance plan so it will pay for your services.
– Help with public health and safety issues
- We can share health information about you for certain situations such as:
- Preventing disease
- Helping with product recalls
- Reporting adverse reactions to medications
- Reporting suspected abuse, neglect, or domestic violence
– Do research
- We can use or share your information for health research.
– Comply with the law
- 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 federal privacy law.
– Respond to organ and tissue donation requests
- We can share health information about you with organ procurement organizations.
– 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.
– Address workers’ compensation, law enforcement, and other government requests
- We can use or share health information about you:
- For workers’ compensation claims
- For law enforcement purposes or with a law enforcement official other than such disclosures not allowed under Part 2 for persons receiving substance use treatment
- With health oversight agencies for activities authorized by law
- For special government functions such as military, national security, and presidential protective services
– Respond to lawsuits and legal actions
- We can share health information about you in response to a court or administrative order, or in response to a subpoena.
We currently do not create or manage a company directory
We do not create or maintain psychotherapy notes in this organization
We will only share your substance abuse treatment records without your written permission if you have signed a TPO (treatment, payment, healthcare operations) consent OR if you sign consents specific to particular individuals or entities.
Interest-Based Online Advertising and Google Analytics
-We may use Google Analytics to track user behavior. We may use this information for remarketing and demographics and interests reporting.
Opt-out Policy
You have the right to opt-out of Google Analytics tracking services at any time. Currently available opt-outs.
Use of 10 DLC Compliant Messaging
-We may use 10DLC compliant messaging services for secure text-based communication
Data Security
We implement various security measures to ensure the protection of your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction
Consent for 10DLC Messaging
By providing your mobile phone number, you consent to receive text messages from us for appointment reminders, treatment follow-up, and other healthcare-related communications. Standard message and data rates may apply.
Message Content and Frequency:
Our text messages are intended to provide valuable information related to our services or products. We commit to sending messages at a reasonable frequency and ensuring the content is relevant and appropriate.
Opt-Out Policy
You have the right to opt-out of 10DLC messaging services at any time. To opt-out, you can reply with a specific keyword like ‘STOP’ or contact our office directly.
Prohibited Content
We strictly adhere to regulations prohibiting certain types of content. This includes, but is not limited to, content related to SHAFT (Sex, Hate, Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco), as well as any fraudulent, malicious, abusive, or illegal content.
Our Responsibilities
- We are required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your protected health
- 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 offer you a copy of
- 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 on your HIPAA rights see:
www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/consumers/noticepp.html.
For more information on your PART 2—CONFIDENTIALITY OF SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER PATIENT RECORDS rights see: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/07/15/2020-14675/confidentiality-of-substance-use- disorder-patient-records OR https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/regulatory-initiatives/fact-sheet-42-cfr- part-2-final-rule/index.html
Changes to the Terms of this Notice
We can change the terms of this notice, and the changes will apply to all information we have about you. The new notice will be available upon request, in our office, and on our web site.
Effective Date: 6/1/2025
This Notice of Privacy Practices applies to the Center for Human Development and all of its programs
Questions about this Notice
You may contact the CHD Privacy Officer by calling our main number, 413-733-6624 and requesting to speak with the Privacy Officer.