Privacy Policy

Notice of Privacy Practices

Privacy Policy

Child Focus, Inc. is committed to your privacy and guards any data which you provide in a confidential manner. The Child Focus, Inc website does not collect personal information. Child Focus staff will respond to an e-mail when you request a response. Child Focus, Inc. does not share, sell or make public any information provided to the agency. Individual donors or companies may be identified in materials associated with a gift or special event. Donors who do not wish to receive public recognition must specify in writing, at the time of their donation.

Computer Tracking and Cookies

Our web sites are not set up to track, collect or distribute personal information not entered by visitors. Our site logs do generate certain kinds of non-identifying site usage data, such as the number of hits and visits to our sites. This information is used for internal purposes by technical support staff to provide better services to the public and may also be provided to others, but again, the statistics contain no personal information and cannot be used to gather such information. If you have questions about Child Focus, Inc. online privacy policy, please contact us at OnlinePrivacyReview@child-focus.org.

Our Duty to Safeguard Your Protected Health Information

In order to protect your privacy, Child Focus follows all federal regulations related to privacy including HIPAA Privacy Rules (45 CFR Parts 160 and 164) and 42 CFR, Part 2 which pertains to substance use treatment.

Individually identifiable information about your past, present, or future health or condition, the provision of health care to you, or payment for health care is considered “Protected Health Information” (PHI). We are required to extend certain protections to your PHI, and to give you this Notice about our privacy practices that explains how, when, and why we may use or disclose you PHI. Except in specified circumstances, we must use or disclose only the minimum necessary PHI to accomplish the intended purpose of the use or disclosure. We are required to follow the privacy practices described in the Notice though we reserve the right to change our privacy practices and the terms of this Notice at any time. You may request a copy of the new Notice from the front desk at any of our facilities, from your service provider, or from the Privacy Officers.

·        We are required to obtain your consent for most uses and sharing your information.

·        We will not use or share your information other than as described here unless you tell us we can in writing. If you tell us we can, you may change your mind at any time. Let us know if you change your mind. Understand if you change your mind and no longer give us written permission to use or share your health information, that it would not change information previously used or shared when we had your permission.

For more information see: www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/consumers/noticepp.html.

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.

Consent for Treatment, Payment and Health Care Operations

You may provide a single consent for all future uses or disclosures for treatment, payment and healthcare operations purposes  You may provide consent for more limited purposes; however, doing so may affect the services we can provide or how you pay for services.

Get a Copy of Your Medical Record

Unless your access to your records is restricted for clear and documented treatment reasons, you have a right to see your protected health information upon your written request. We will respond to your request within 30 days. If we deny your access, we will give you written reasons for the denial and explain any right to have the denial reviewed. If you want copies of your PHI, a charge for copying will be imposed. You have a right to choose which portions of your information you want copied and to have prior information about the cost of copying.

Ask Us to Correct Your Medical Record

If you believe that there is a mistake or missing information in our record of your PHI, you may request, in writing, that we correct or add to the record. We will respond within 60 days of receiving your request. We may deny the request if we determine that the PHI is: (1) correct and complete; (2) not permitted to be disclosed, or; (3) not created by us/or not part of our records. Any denial will state the reasons for denial and explain your rights to have the request and denial, along with any statement in response that you provide, appended to your PHI. If we approve the request for amendment, we will change the PHI and so inform you, and tell others that need to know about the change in the PHI.

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 we agree to your request, we may still share this information in the event you need emergency treatment.   

If you pay for a health care service 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.

To the extent that we do agree to any restrictions on our use/disclosure of your PHI, we will put the agreement in writing and abide by it except in emergency situations.

Get a List of Those with Whom We’ve Shared Information

You can ask for a list (accounting) of the times we’ve shared your health information for six years prior to the date you ask including when, to whom, for what purpose and what content has been released.  We will include all the disclosures except for those about treatment, payment, and health care operations.  We will respond to your request for such a list within 60 days.  We’ll 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 and/or electronic copy promptly.

Discuss This Notice with Someone in Our Program

You can ask questions or obtain more information about this notice and our privacy practices by calling or emailing the contact person at the bottom of this notice.

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 make sure 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 using the information on the back page. 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/hipaa/filing-a-complaint/index.html. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

Fundraising

You have the right to clear and obvious notice in advance of, and a choice about whether to receive, fund raising communications for our program. 

Breach Notification

Affected individuals will be notified of any breach of unsecured PHI no later than 60 calendar days after the breach is discovered. An exception applies when law enforcement determines a notification would impede a criminal investigation or threaten national security.

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.

Friends, Family and Others Involved in Your Care

With your consent we may share information with your family, close friends, or others involved in your care. We may also share information in a disaster relief situation. If you are not able to tell us your preference, we may go ahead and share your information if we determine it is in your best interest. We may also share your information to lessen a serious and imminent threat to health or safety.

We Never Share Your Information

We never share your information for marketing purposes or sale of your information

Fundraising

We may contact you for fund raising efforts, but you can tell us not to contact you again.  

How We May Use and Disclose Your Protected Health Information

We use and disclose Protected Health Information for a variety of reasons. We have a limited right to use and/or disclose your PHI for purposes of treatment, payment and for our health care operations. For uses beyond that, we must have your written authorization unless the law permits or requires us to make the use or disclosure without your authorization. If we disclose your PHI to an outside entity in order for that entity to perform a function on our behalf, we must have in place an agreement from the outside entity that it will extend the same degree of privacy protection to your information that we must apply to your PHI. However, the law provides that we are permitted to make some uses/disclosures without your authorization. The following describes and offers examples of our potential uses/disclosures of your PHI.

Our Uses and Disclosures Relating to Treatment, Payment and Health Care Operations

With your consent, we typically use your health information in the following ways:

For treatment

We may disclose your PHI to private therapists, psychologists, or psychiatrists; primary care providers and specialists when the purpose of the exchange is to facilitate continuity of care. For example, your PHI will be shared among members of your treatment team, including your service provider(s) and supervisor(s).

To obtain payment

We may use/disclose your PHI in order to bill and collect payment for your health care services. For example, we may release portions of your PHI to the Medicaid program, the ODMH central office, the local ADAMH/CMH Board through the Multi-Agency Community Information Services Information System (MACSIS), and/or a private insurer to be paid for services that we delivered to you. We may release your PHI to a collection agency to obtain payment.

For health care operations

We may use/disclose your PHI in evaluation the quality of services provided, or disclose your PHI to our accountant or attorney for audit purposes. Since we are an integrated system, we may disclose your PHI to designated staff in our other facilities. Release of your PHI to the Multi-Agency Community Services Information System and/or state agencies might also be necessary to determine your eligibility for publicly funded services.

Appointment reminders

Unless you provide us with alternative instructions, we may send appointment reminders and other similar materials to your home.

Substance Use Disorder Specifically

With your consent, we can share your information to prevent multiple enrollments in withdrawal management or maintenance treatment programs, to report participation in treatment required by the criminal justice system, and to report prescribed substance use disorder treatment medications to a state prescription drug monitoring program when required by law.

Under Confidentiality Law 42 CFR, Part 2, Child Focus must gain your written consent prior to disclosing information related to treatment purposes, health care operations, and payment for service.

Uses and Disclosures Requiring Authorization

For uses and disclosures beyond treatment, payment and operations purposes we are required to have your written authorization, unless the use or disclosure falls within one of the exceptions described below. Authorizations can be revoked at any time to stop future uses/disclosures except to the extent that we have already undertaken an action in reliance upon your authorization. We are required to have your written authorization to release psychotherapy notes. We are required to have your written authorization before using or disclosing your PHI to market a product or service. We are required to have your written authorization in order to sell your PHI.

Additional Uses and Disclosures for Mental Health 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 records and research.  We have to meet any conditions in the law before we can share your information for these purposes.

Help with Public Health and Safety Issues

We can share information about you for certain situations such as preventing disease, assisting with product recalls, reporting adverse reactions to medications, reporting suspected abuse, neglect and domestic violence, & preventing or reducing serious threat to anyone’s health or safety.

For health oversight activities:

We may disclose PHI to our central office, the protection and advocacy agency, or another agency responsible for monitoring the health care system for such purposes as reporting or investigation of unusual incidents, and monitoring of the Medicaid program.

To Do Health Research

In certain circumstances, and under supervision of a privacy board, we may use or share your health information for health research.

To Comply with the Law

We will share information about you if a state or federal law requires it, including the Department of Health and Human Services, if it wants to see that we are complying with federal privacy law.  We may disclose PHI when a law requires that we report information about suspected child abuse and neglect, when felonious behavior is reported to a social worker or counselor (or to someone supervised by a social worker or counselor) when a crime has been committed on the program premises, or against program personnel, or in response to a court order.

Organ and Tissue Donation

We can share information about you with organ procurement organizations.

Medical Examiner

We can share health information with a coroner, medical examiner, or funeral director when an individual dies.

Workers’ Compensation, Law Enforcement and Other Government Request

We can share health information about you for workers’ compensation claims, for law enforcement purposes, with health oversight agencies for activities authorized by law, for special government functions such as military, national security, and protection of the President.

Respond to Lawsuits and Legal Action

We can share information about you in response to a court or administrative order, or in response to a subpoena.

Additional Uses and Disclosures for Substance Use Disorder Services

The law provides that we may use/disclose your PHI from alcohol and other drug records without authorization under the following circumstances:

To communicate within our program and with contractors

We can share your information within our program, with an organization that has administrative control over our program, and with contractors who help us run our program.

For medical emergencies

We can share your information during a bona fide medical emergency with the personnel and health care providers responding to your emergency, even when you are unable to consent because of the emergency.  We can also share your identifying information to assist the federal Food and Drug Administration in notifying you or your doctor about unsafe products you may be using.

Help with public health

We can share health information that does not identify you for certain situations such as preventing disease and reporting adverse reactions to medications.

Aid scientific research

We can use or share your information to conduct or help with health research. Researchers cannot include any patient identifying information in their reports about the research.

Respond to management and financial audits and program evaluations

We can use or share your information to improve the quality of our services, obtain needed credentials, and cooperate with oversight agencies for activities authorized by law, as long as those who view or receive the information agree to destroy or return the information when they are finished and agree not to use it against you.

Assist with cause of death inquiries

We can share patient identifying information about a patient’s death if state or federal law requires the information for collection of vital statistics or inquiry into cause of death.

Report suspected child abuse and neglect

We will only report the information required by law.

Prevent or reduce crime in our program

We may report to law enforcement when a patient commits or threatens to commit a crime within our program or against our staff.

Redisclosure of Substance Use Disorder Services According to HIPAA

When you consent to uses and disclosures for all future treatment and payment purposes and to run our business, we may share your information with other substance use disorder treatment programs, doctors’ offices, and health care businesses for those activities. If the person who receives it is subject to HIPAA, then they are allowed to use and share your information again without your consent for the purposes that HIPAA allows. Your information still cannot be used in legal proceedings against you unless (1) you consent or (2) based on a Part 2 court order and a subpoena (or similar legal requirement).

Legal Proceedings and Court Orders for Substance Use Disorder Services

We must follow certain procedures before using or sharing your information for investigations and legal proceedings.

•       We will not use or share your information or provide testimony about your information in any civil, administrative, criminal, or legislative proceedings against you without your written consent or a court order.

•       We will only respond to a court order to use or share your health information if it is accompanied by a subpoena or other similar legal mandate requiring us to comply.

•       We will only use or share your information in proceedings against you based on a court order after we have received notice and an opportunity to be heard or you tell us that you have received notice.

•       We may use or share your information to respond to legal proceedings against our program based on a court order and you may not be notified in advance. You have the right to seek to overturn or change the court order after you learn about it.

Submitting a Complaint About Our Privacy Practices:

If you think we may have violated your privacy rights, or if you disagree with a decision we made about access to your PHI, you may file a complaint with Child Focus, Inc.’s Chief or Associate Privacy Officer. You also may file a written complaint with the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Human Services at 200 Independence Avenue SW, Washington D.C., 20201 or call 1-877-696-6775. We will take no retaliatory action against you if you make such complaints.

To Submit a Complaint:

If you have questions about this Notice or any complaints about our privacy practices, please contact our Client Right Officers, or the statewide Clients Rights Advocate at:

 

Ohio Department of Mental Health

30 East Broad Street, 8th Floor Columbus, OH 43215-3430

Telephone: (614) 466-2333

 

Child Focus Client’s Rights Officers

Jennifer Brinkdopke                                                 Laura Stith

Email: jbrinkdopke@child-focus.org                     Email: lstith@child-focus.org

Phone Number: 513-752-1555                                 Phone Number: 513-752-1555

 

Changes to this Notice

We are required by law to follow the terms of this notice that currently in effect.  We may change the terms of this notice, and the changes will all apply to all information we have about you. The new notice will be available upon request, in our office and on our website.   

 

Originally Effective: April 2003

Revised February 16, 2026