NOTICE OF PRIVACY POLICIES
Jewish Family & Children's
Services of the East Bay
  THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.

INTRODUCTION
At Jewish Family and Children's Services, we are committed to treating and using protected health information (PHI), about you responsibly. This Notice of Health Information Practices describes the personal information we collect and how and when we may use or disclose that information. It also describes your rights as they relate to your PHI. This Notice is effective 4/14/03, and applies to all PHI as defined by applicable federal regulations.

Understanding your Health Record Information:
As part of our ongoing commitment to quality care, we keep records for the clients we serve. This information serves as a:

  • Basis for planning your care and treatment,
  • Means of communication among the health care professionals involved in your care,
  • Legal document describing the care you received,
  • Means by which you or a third-party payor can verify that services billed were provided,
  • Source of information for public health officials charged with improving the health of this state and the nation,
  • Source of data for planning and marketing,
  • Tool with which we can assess and work to improve the care we provide and the outcomes we attempt to achieve. Understanding what is in your record and how your health information is used helps you to: ensure its accuracy, better understand who, what, when, where and why others may access your health information, and make informed decisions when authorizing disclosures.
Your Health Information Rights:
Although your record is the physical property of JFCS, the information belongs to you. You have the right to:
  • Obtain a paper copy of this Notice of information practices on request,
  • Inspect and receive a copy of your health record as provided in 45CFR 164.524,
  • Amend your health record as provided in 45 CFR 164.528,
  • Obtain an accounting of disclosures of your PHI as provided in 45 CFR 164.528,
  • Request communications of your PHI by alternative means or at alternative locations,
  • Request a restriction on certain uses and disclosures of your PHI as provided in CFR 164.522, and
  • Revoke your authorization to use or disclose PHI except to the extent that action has already been taken.
Our Responsibilities:
JFCS is required to:
  • Maintain the privacy of your PHI,
  • Provide you with this Notice regarding our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to information we collect and maintain about you,
  • Abide by the terms of this Notice,
  • Notify you if we are unable to agree to a requested restriction,
  • Accommodate reasonable requests you may have to communicate PHI by alternative means or alternative locations. We reserve the right to change our practices and to make the provisions effective for all PHI we maintain. Should our information practices change, we will mail a revised notice to the address you have supplied us, or if you agree, we will e-mail the revised notice to you.

We will not use or disclose your health information without your written authorization, except as described in this Notice. We will also discontinue to use or disclose your health information after we have received a written revocation of the authorization according to the procedures included in the authorization.

For more Information or to Report a Problem:
If you have questions or would like additional information, you may contact the agency's Privacy Officer:

Jody Bove (925) 927-2000 x562

If you feel your privacy rights have been violated you can file a complaint with the Privacy Officer or with the Office for Civil Rights. There will be no retaliation for filing a complaint with either the Privacy Officer or the Office for Civil Rights

Office for Civil Rights
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Ave., S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20201

Examples of Disclosures for Treatment, Payment and Health Operations that do not require your consent:
Disclosures for treatment: Our policy is to obtain a release before sharing information, yet licensed health care providers may disclose your PHI without a release to physicians and others who are involved in your care.
Disclosures necessary for payment: We may use and disclose your PHI to bill and collect payment for the treatment of services provided by us to you. We might send your PHI to your insurance company or health plan to get paid for the services we have provided to you. The information or accompanying bill may include information that identifies you, your diagnosis and basic health information.
Disclosures necessary for health operations: Our staff or the risk/quality improvement manager may use information in your record to assess the quality of services you have received. This information may then be used in an effort to improve the quality and effectiveness of the services we provide.
Disclosures necessary to avoid harm: We may provide PHI to law enforcement personnel or persons able to prevent or lessen a serious threat to the health or safety of a person or the public.
Disclosures required by Law Enforcement: We may make a disclosure if required by federal, state or local law; judicial or administrative proceedings. For example, in response to a subpoena.
Disclosures to business associates: There are services provided in our agency through contacts with business associates. Examples include outside consultants and computer services. We may disclose your PHI to our business associates so that they can perform their job and bill you or your third-party payor for services rendered. To protect your PHI, however, we require the business associates to safeguard your information.
Disclosures for Notification Purposes: We may disclose information to notify or assist in notifying a family member, personal representative or another person responsible for your care, location or condition. We may leave a message on your answering machine, voice mail, e-mail or mail you a written notice as a means of communication.
Disclosures to family: Health professionals, using their best judgment, may disclose to a family member, other relative, close personal friend or any other person you identify, PHI relevant to that person's involvement in your care or payment related to your care.
Disclosures for research purposes: We may disclose PHI to conduct research. Disclosures for fundraising purposes: We may contact you as part of a fundraising event or donation request.
Disclosures related to Workers Compensation: We may disclose your PHI to the Public Health Department in order to protect public safety or, as applicable, to other government agencies to assist with public health or national security.

Federal Law makes provisions for your PHI to be released to an appropriate health oversight agency, public health authority or attorney, provided that a staff person or business associate believes in good faith that we have engaged in unlawful conduct or have otherwise violated professional or clinical standards.