Departmental - Confidentiality

PIERCE COUNTY DEPT OF HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT - CONFIDENTIALITY Privacy Notice

POLICY

Pierce County Department of Human Services recognizes:

• a client’s right to receive adequate notice of the uses and disclosures of their personal information, including protected health information; and
• the Department’s legal duties with respect to personal information.

To assure that clients are aware of their rights and the Department is in compliance with applicable state and federal laws and regulations, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), each client of mental health and/or alcohol and other drug abuse services shall receive a Privacy Notice on or before their first date of treatment.

The Privacy Notice is also posted in public waiting areas, posted on the Pierce County web site, and available upon request to any other client or the public.

PIERCE COUNTY DEPT OF HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT - CONFIDENTIALITY
Use and Disclosure of Private Information

POLICY

Pierce County Department of Human Services will use and disclose private client information, including identifying health information, only with a valid written authorization from the client or legal representative unless state or federal law allows for specific exceptions. The Department will verify the identity and/or authority of any person requesting access to private client information.

Requests to use or disclose private client information will be limited to the minimum information necessary to meet the purpose of the request. All information used or disclosed is maintained in a manner that allows for accurate reporting of use and disclosures.

All requests for disclosure of private client information will be acted on within thirty (30) days of receiving the request.

Emergencies, including disaster relief efforts, will be reviewed by the Director or Privacy Officer to determine if private client information is directly relevant to the emergency and should be released.

PIERCE COUNTY DEPT OF HUMAN SERVICES
DEPARTMENT - CONFIDENTIALITY
Privacy Complaints

POLICY

The Pierce County Department of Human Services assures that a formal complaint mechanism is available to those who believe that private information has been disclosed without authorization. Any client receiving services or supports or any workforce member, on behalf of a client, may file a privacy complaint with the Department. The Department will not retaliate against any person for filing a privacy complaint.The Department will:

• record all privacy complaints accurately;act upon all complaints according to applicable state and federal laws;retained privacy complaints for at least six years; and
• use privacy complaints as opportunities to improve the Department’s service delivery system.

PIERCE COUNTY DEPT OF HUMAN SERVICES
DEPARTMENT - CONFIDENTIALITY
Dual Relationships

POLICY

Pierce County Department of Human Services recognizes that at times a workforce member may have a personal relationship with an individual client (for example, a family member or close friend). In those cases, the Department will restrict access by the workforce member to the client record. The Department may also limit the amount or type of contact between workforce members when one member has a personal relationship with a client of the other member.

SECTION: Departmental
POLICY NUMBER: D-C-06
Confidentiality, Privacy, Client Rights  
SUBJECT: Equal Opportunity/Non-discrimination
EFFECTIVE DATE: December 14, 2006
REVISION DATE(S):

POLICY

It is the policy of the Pierce County Department of Human Services to uphold compliance with state and federal statutes, regulations, policies, and standards relating to equal opportunity and nondiscrimination in all service and program areas.

No client or potential client shall be excluded from participation, be denied benefits, or otherwise be subject to discrimination in any manner on the basis of race, color, national origin or ancestry, sex, religion, age, political belief or affiliation, disability or association with a person with a disability, or sexual orientation.  Language access services will be provided to persons with limited English proficiency.

REFERENCES

• Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
• Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
• 45 CFR Part 80
• Wisconsin Statutes, Chapter 111, Subchapter 11
• Wisconsin Administrative Code, Chapter DWD 218