1st Choice Advocacy

POLICY:         1^st Choice Advocacy shall insure the privacy of all clients at all sites.

 

PROCEDURE:

 

1. 1st Choice Advocacy shall inform all clients of the Notice of Privacy Practices and make available upon request to all individuals as specified in this policy.

2. 1st Choice Advocacy shall retain copies of the notices 1st Choice Advocacy issues, including the original and subsequent revisions. Copies may be printed or electronic, and shall be retained for at least six years from the date the notice was created or was last in effect, whichever is later.

3. 1st Choice Advocacy shall not use or disclose protected health information in a manner inconsistent with its Notice of Privacy Practices or those practices described in its HIPAA Policies and Procedures.

4. 1st Choice Advocacy shall promptly revise and distribute the Notice whenever there is a material change in a privacy practice as stated in the Notice. This could include a change to uses or disclosures, the individual’s rights, 1st Choice Advocacy’s legal duties, or other privacy practices.

5. Revisions to the Notice shall not be implemented prior to the effective date of the revised notice, except as required by law.

6. 1st Choice Advocacy shall make the Notice available on request to any person as specified in this policy.

7. 1st Choice Advocacy shall provide the notice to clients:

   • No later than the date of first service delivery, including services delivered electronically;

   • If the individual is a client prior to the compliance date of the HIPAA regulations, no later than the date of first service delivery after the compliance date;

   • In an emergency treatment situation, as soon as reasonably practicable after the emergency treatment situation.

     1. 1st Choice Advocacy shall make a good faith effort to obtain written acknowledgment of receipt of the Notice. If not obtained, 1st Choice Advocacy shall document his/her good faith efforts to obtain written acknowledgment and the reason why it was not obtained.

     2. In an emergency treatment situation, 1st Choice Advocacy is not required to obtain written acknowledgment of receipt of the Notice.

     3. 1st Choice Advocacy shall post the notice in a clear and prominent location where individuals seeking services can reasonably read the Notice.

     4. Whenever the Notice is revised, the revised Notice shall be made available and posted as described in this policy.