Client Bill of Rights
Notice of Privacy Practices
The Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and Health Insurance Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act of 2009 (HITECH) are federal programs which require that all medical records and other individually identifiable health information used or disclosed by Family Innovations, Inc. in any form, whether electronically, on paper, or orally, are kept properly confidential. These Acts give you, the client, significant new rights to understand and control how your health information is used. HIPAA and HITECH provide penalties for covered entities that misuse protected health information.
As required by HIPAA and HITECH, Family Innovations, Inc. has prepared this explanation of how we are required to maintain the privacy of your health information and how we may use and disclose your treatment information.
We may use and disclose your medical records only for each of the following purposes: treatment, payment and health-care operations.
Treatment means providing, coordinating, or managing health care and related services by one or more health-care therapists. An example of this would include treatment session notes.
Payment means such activities as obtaining reimbursement for services, confirming coverage, billing or collection activities, and utilization review. An example of this would be sending a bill for your visit to your insurance company for payment.
Health-care operations include the business aspects of running our practice, such as conducting quality assessment and improvement activities, auditing functions, cost-management analysis, confirming appointments, and customer service. An example would be an internal quality assessment review.
We may also create and distribute de-identified health information by removing all references to individually identifiable information.
We may contact you to provide appointment reminders or information about treatment alternatives or other health-related benefits and services that may be of interest to you.
Any other uses and disclosures (such as for marketing purposes, or disclosures that constitute the sale of protected health information) will be made only with your written authorization. Furthermore, any disclosure of psychotherapy notes will be made only with your written authorization. You may revoke such an authorization at any time by sending written notification to our Privacy Officer listed below. We are required to honor and abide by that written request except to the extent that we have already taken actions based on your previous authorization.
You have the following rights with respect to your protected health information, which you can exercise by presenting a written request to the Privacy Officer:
The right to request restriction on certain uses and disclosures of protected health information, including those related to disclosures to family members, other relatives, close personal friends, or any other person identified by you. We are, however, not required to agree to a requested restriction. If we do agree to a restriction, we must abide by it unless you agree, in writing, to remove it.
The right to restrict disclosure of protected health information to your health plan if you are paying out-of-pocket in full for services provided.
The right to reasonable requests to receive confidential communications of protected health information from us by alternative means or at alternative locations.
The right to inspect and request an electronic or paper copy of your protected health information.
The right to amend your protected health information.
The right to obtain from us, and we have the obligation to provide to you, a paper copy of this notice at your first service delivery date.
The right to provide, and we are obligated to receive, written acknowledgement that you have received a copy of our Notice of Privacy Practices.
The right to receive, and we are obligated to provide, notice of any breach of confidentiality of your protected health information.
We are required by law to maintain the privacy of your protected health information and to provide you with a notice of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to protected health information.
This notice is effective as of April 14, 2003 and we are required to abide by the terms of the Notice of Privacy Practices currently in effect. We reserve the right to change the terms of our Notice of Privacy Practices and to make the new notice provisions effective for all protected health information that we maintain. We will post and you may request a written copy of a revised Notice of Privacy Practices from this office.
You have recourse if you feel that your privacy protections have been violated. You have the right to file a formal written complaint with us at the address below or with the Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Civil Rights, about violations of the provisions of this notice or the policies and procedures of our office. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.
Please contact us for more information:
Privacy Officer
Family Innovations, Inc.
7041 20th Avenue South
Centerville, MN 55038
(651) 407-3631
For more information about HIPAA/HITECH or to file a complaint:
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
Office of Civil Rights
200 Independence Avenue South West
Washington, D.C. 20201
(202) 619-6775
(877) 696-6775
Client Bill of Rights
Effective communication between the client and the therapist is very important. The following information covers many of the questions that may arise about the therapy process. The Bill of Rights of clients obtaining psychological services is not a legal bill of rights but a statement of what you can reasonably expect from a therapist.
You have the right:
To be informed of fees for therapy and method of payment, including insurance reimbursements.
To be informed of a therapist’s availability and the length of time you can expect to wait for an appointment.
To be informed of the therapist’s areas of specialization and limitations.
To ask questions about issues related to your treatment.
To negotiate therapeutic goals and to renegotiate when necessary.
To ask questions about written materials pertaining to your treatment.
To refuse a specific intervention or treatment strategy.
To discuss aspects of treatment with others outside of therapy, including obtaining a second opinion.
To request a written report (with your written authorization) regarding services rendered to a qualified therapist or organization.
To know the ethics code to which the therapist adheres.
To solicit help from the appropriate board in the event of a grievance regarding the therapist’s conduct.
To terminate therapy at any time.
If a grievance with Family Innovations, Inc. is not resolved to your satisfaction you may file a complaint with the State of Minnesota Department of Human Services, Licensing at: 651-296-3971.
Psychotherapy can involve both risks and benefits to the client.
Benefits may include a reduction in problematic symptoms and an improved level of functioning in daily life.
Sometimes the client will not obtain the desired results or goals from psychotherapy in the time period expected. This can result in frustration and dissatisfaction. During the process of therapy, psychological pain and distress can occur as difficult issues are addressed and worked through. When an alternative method of care is recommended, the therapist may recommend a referral for supplemental or more specialized form of care.
Confidentiality is maintained for all clients except in the following cases:
If child abuse is either reported or suspected.
When the client is a minor. The parents/guardians are entitled to know the condition, diagnosis, and progress of therapy.
If the client poses a “clear and imminent danger” either to themselves or someone else. The therapist is required to report such a danger to the appropriate parties, including family members, police, or the threatened party.
If the client is or becomes a “vulnerable adult.”
If the client releases information with written authorization.
If a court subpoenas the client’s records.
When consultation or supervision with another therapist is desired in order to provide the best possible therapy. Such discussions will remain private within the consultation or supervisory relationship.