Notice of Privacy Practice

Uses and Disclosures with Your Authorization: Protected Health Information

At Horizon Services, we will only use or share your protected health information (PHI) when you give us written permission through a form that meets the legal and regulatory requirements. However, there are certain situations where your authorization is not required for us to use or disclose your information.

You have the right to revoke your authorization at any time, as long as we have not already acted based on your prior permission. If you are currently receiving care and wish to withdraw your authorization, you can do so by contacting your counselor. After you have been discharged, you will need to reach out to the Health Information Department to proceed. Additionally, please note that a court or another authorized third party may request or require you to provide authorization in certain cases. We do not sell client PHI under any circumstances.

Uses and Disclosures Without Your Authorization: Protected Health Information

In specific circumstances, Horizon Services may use or disclose your PHI without your written authorization. This applies to all PHI, including any information gathered during your application for or participation in substance use disorder treatment. Below are the conditions under which we may do so:

Treatment Purposes
We may use or disclose your PHI as necessary to provide treatment, including activities such as diagnosis, therapy, and discharge planning. For example, our counselors may share your information with one another to coordinate your individual and group therapy sessions, or they may provide you with information about additional treatment options or health-related benefits.

Health Care Operations
We may use or disclose PHI for operational purposes such as internal planning, quality assessments, and other activities to enhance the effectiveness of our care. For instance, we might review your PHI to evaluate staff performance or conduct audits, program evaluations, and financial assessments. These activities are strictly regulated, and no identifiable information will be included in any public reports. Additionally, we may share PHI with third-party service providers under qualified service organization agreements or business associate agreements, where these third parties agree to follow federal privacy regulations, including 42 CFR Part 2 and HIPAA.

Other Permissible Uses and Disclosures without Authorization

• Appointment Reminders: We may contact you to remind you about upcoming appointments related to your treatment.
• Medical Emergencies: In the case of a medical emergency, we may disclose PHI to medical professionals as needed, including, where applicable, information such as HIV status.
• Minors: We may share certain information about a minor with parents, guardians, or individuals authorized by law to act on the minor’s behalf if it is necessary to protect their well-being.
• Incompetent or Deceased Individuals: We may release PHI to authorized representatives, guardians, or individuals as required by state law and federal regulations.
• Legal Proceedings: We may disclose PHI as required by a court order in compliance with federal regulations related to substance use disorder confidentiality (42 CFR Part 2).
• Criminal Activity: If a crime is committed on our premises or against our staff, we may report relevant PHI to law enforcement.
• Adult or Child Abuse Reporting: PHI may be disclosed when required by law to report cases of adult or child abuse, neglect, or prenatal substance exposure.
• Threats to Others: If we learn that a client has made a specific, credible threat of serious harm to another person, we may disclose PHI as required by law to protect public safety.
• Audits and Evaluations: We may disclose PHI to auditors or evaluators working for licensing bodies or agencies that ensure compliance with health regulations.
• Research: We may use de-identified PHI for research purposes without your permission, provided our research review board grants approval.

Uses and Disclosures WITHOUT Your Authorization: PHI Not Related to Substance Use Disorder Treatment
For services unrelated to substance use disorder treatment, we may use or disclose PHI without your authorization under specific conditions. These include legal obligations, public health concerns, health oversight activities, or safety threats. We may also disclose information during legal proceedings if required by a valid court order, or to your authorized representative, and for audits by the Department of Health and Human Services when needed to enforce privacy regulations.