Privacy Policy

Your information. Your Rights. Our Responsibilities. This notice describes how medical/clinical information about you may be used and disclosed and how you can get access to this information. Please review it carefully.

Your Rights

When it comes to your health information, you have certain rights. This section explains your rights and some of our responsibilities to help you. 

Notice of Privacy Practices

  • Get an electronic or paper copy of your medical record

    You can ask to see or get an electronic or paper copy of your medical 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 medical record

    • You can ask us to correct health information about you that you think is incorrect or incomplete. Ask us how to contact the Health Information Department. 
    • We may say “no” to your request, but we will 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 address. 
    • We will say “yes” to all reasonable requests. 

  • Ask us to limit what we use or share

    • You can ask us not to use or share certain health information for treatment, payment, or our operations. 
    • 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 have shared information

    • You can ask for a list (accounting) of the times we have 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 will 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 upon your request 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 ask you to provide or the person to provide documentation to ensure the person has this authority and can act for you before we take any action. 

  • File a complaint if you feel your rights are violated

    You can complain if you feel we have violated your rights by contacting us:


    Call Us: 1-860-579-3606

    Email Us: Compliancedept@scadd.org 


    Southeastern Council for Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc. (SCADD) 

    321 Main Street

    Norwich, CT 06360

    Attention: Chief Compliance Officer 

       

    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, S.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 by completing and signing Release of Information form. 

  • Share information with your family, close friends, or others involved in your care. 


We may also share your information when needed to lessen a serious and imminent threat to yours or other persons health or safety. 

In these cases, we never share your information unless you give us written permission: 

  • Marketing purposes 
  • We never sell any of your information
  • Most sharing of psychotherapy notes 

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

  • How do we typically use or share your health information? We typically use or share your health information in the following ways.
    • We can use your health information and share it with other professionals who are treating you. Example: A doctor treating you for substance use and/or mental health and your doctor treating you for medical conditions can discuss your overall health conditions. 
    • We can use and share your health information to run our practice, improve your care, and contact you when necessary. Example: We use health information about you to manage your treatment and clinical 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. 

  • We are 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 must meet many conditions in the law before we can share your information for these purposes. For more information see: www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/consumers/index.html. 


    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
    • Preventing or reducing a serious threat to anyone’s health or safety 
    • We can use or share your information for health research. 
    • 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 are complying with federal privacy law. 
    • 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 
    • 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.

Special Considerations

  • We comply with CFR 42 Part 2 regulations which outline additional protections for those individuals who are being treated for substance use/abuse. In the last several years there have been numerous changes affecting, CFR 42 Part 2, in attempts to reduce the burden to providers and individuals in need of such services.
  • Recently in March 2020, Congress amended the CFR 42 Part 2 statute as part of the CARES Act. 
  • On July 15, 2020, Us. Department of Health &Human Service issued a Final Rule Amending 42 CFR Part 2 Regulations, to be effective August 14, 2020. Additionally, effective March 27, 2021 post one year from the CARES Act requires the federal SUD privacy law to further align with HIPAA. Now with the written consent for Treatment, Payment and Operation SCADD Substance Use Disorder records may be used, disclosed and redisclosed following an initial client written consent of the Consent for Treatment, Payment and Operations.


 If you would like further information. please contact: 

Call Us: (860)-579-3606, email  Compliancedept@scadd.org or mail:

Southeastern Council for Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc. (SCADD) 

321 Main Street

Norwich, CT 06360

Attention: Chief Compliance Officer