Privacy Policy

Updated 3/19/2025

THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW THIS NOTICE CAREFULLY.

Your health record contains personal information about you and your health. State and federal law protect the confidentiality of this information. “Protected health information” is information about you, including demographic information, that may identify you and that relates to your past, present, or future physical or mental health condition and related health care services. The confidentiality of alcohol and drug abuse patient records is specifically protected by Federal law and regulations. SoCal Trust Services is required to comply with these additional restrictions.

This includes a prohibition, with very few exceptions, on informing anyone outside the program that you attend the program or disclosing any information that identifies you as an alcohol or drug abuser. The violation of Federal laws or regulations by this program is a crime. If you suspect a violation you may file a report to the appropriate authorities in accordance with Federal regulations.

How We May Use and Disclose Health Information About You

For Treatment

We may use medical and clinical information about you to provide you with treatment or services.

For Payment

With your authorization, we may use and disclose medical information about you so that we can receive payment for the treatment services provided to you.

For Health Care Operations

We may use and disclose your protected health information (“PHI”) for certain purposes in connection with the operation of our program.

Without Authorization

Applicable law also permits us to disclose information about you without your authorization in a limited number of other situations, such as with a court order. These situations are explained on the following pages.

With Authorization

We must obtain written authorization from you for other uses and disclosure of your PHI.

Your Rights Regarding Your PHI

You have the following rights regarding PHI we maintain about you:

• Rights of Access to Inspect and Copy: You have the right, which may be restricted in certain circumstances, to inspect and copy PHI that may be used to make decisions about your care. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee for copies.
• Right to Amend: If you feel that the PHI we have about you is incorrect or incomplete, you may ask us to amend the information although we are not required to agree to the amendment.
• Right to an Accounting of Disclosures: You have the right to request an accounting of the disclosures that we make of your PHI.
• Right to Request Restrictions: You have the right to request a restriction or limitation on the use of your PHI for treatment, payment, or health care operations. We are not required to agree to your request.
• Right to Request Confidential Communication: You have the right to request that we communicate with you about medical matters in a certain way or at certain locations.
• Right to a Copy of this Notice: You have a right to a copy of this notice.

You have the right to file a complaint in writing to us or the Secretary of Health and Human Service if you believe we have violated your privacy rights. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

If you have any questions about this Notice of Privacy Practices, please contact us here.

Uses and Disclosures of PHI for Treatment, Payment and Health Care Operations

Treatment

Your PHI may be used and disclosed by your physician, counselor, program staff and others outside of our program that is involved in your care for the purpose of providing, coordinating, or managing your health care treatment and any related services. This includes coordination or management of your health care with a third party, consultation with other health care providers, or referral to another provider for health care treatment. For example, your protected health information may be provided to the state agency that referred you to our program to ensure that you are participating in treatment. In addition, we may disclose your protected health information from time to time to another physician or health care provider (e.g. a specialist or laboratory) who, at the request of the program, becomes involved in your care.

Payment

We will not use your PHI to obtain payment for your health care services without your written authorization. Examples of payment-related activities are: making a determination of eligibility or coverage for insurance benefits, processing claims with your insurance company, reviewing services provided to you to determine medical necessity, or undertaking utilization review activities.

Healthcare Operations

We may use or disclose, as needed, your PHI in order to support the business activities of our program including, but not limited to, quality assessment activities, employee review activities, training of students, licensing, and conducting or arranging for other business activities. For example, we may use a sign-in sheet at the registration desk where you will be asked to sign your name and indicate your physician or counselor. We may also call you by name in the waiting room when it is time to be seen. We may share your PHI with third parties that perform various business activities (e.g. billing or typing services) for SoCal Trust Services, provided we have a written contract with the business that prohibits it from re-disclosing your PHI and requires it to safeguard the privacy of your PHI.

We may contact you to remind you of your appointments or to provide information to you about treatment alternatives or other health-related benefits and services that may be of interest to you.

Other Uses and Disclosures That Do Not Require Your Authorization

Required by Law

We may use or disclose your PHI to the extent that the use or disclosure is required by law, made in compliance with the law, and limited to the relevant requirements of the law.

Health Oversight

We may disclose PHI to a health oversight agency for activities authorized by law, such as audits, investigations, and inspections.

Medical Emergencies

We may use or disclose your protected health information in a medical emergency situation to medical personnel only.

Child Abuse or Neglect

We may disclose your PHI to a state or local agency that is authorized by law to receive reports of child abuse or neglect.

Deceased Patients

We may disclose PHI regarding deceased patients for the purpose of determining the cause of death.

Research

We may disclose PHI to researchers with appropriate approvals and agreements to ensure privacy.

Criminal Activity on Program Premises/Against Program Personnel

We may disclose your PHI to law enforcement officials if you have committed a crime on program premises or against program personnel.

Court Order

We may disclose your PHI if the court issues an appropriate order.

Rights Regarding Your Protected Health Information

Your rights with respect to your protected health information are explained below. Any request with respect to these rights must be in writing. A brief description of how you may exercise these rights is included.

• Right to Inspect and Copy Your Protected Health Information:
  You may inspect and obtain a copy of your PHI that is contained in a designated record set for as long as we maintain the record. A “designated record set” contains medical and billing records and any other records that the program uses for making decisions about you. Your request must be in writing. We may charge you a reasonable cost-based fee for the copies. We can deny you access to your PHI in certain circumstances. In some cases, you will have the right to appeal the denial of access. Please contact our Privacy Officer if you have questions about accessing your medical record.
• Right to Amend Your Protected Health Information: You may request, in writing, that we amend your PHI that has been included in a designated record. In certain cases, we may deny your request for an amendment. If we deny your request, you have the right to file a statement of disagreement with us. We may prepare a rebuttal to your statement and will provide you with a copy. Please contact SoCal Trust Services’ Privacy Officer if you have questions about amending your medical records.
• Right to Receive an Accounting of Some Types of Protected Health Information Disclosures: You may request an accounting of disclosures for up to six years, excluding disclosures made to you, for treatment purposes, or as a result of your authorization. We may charge a reasonable fee if you request more than one accounting in a 12-month period. Please contact our Privacy Officer if you have questions about the accounting of disclosures.
• Right to Receive a Paper Copy of This Notice: You have the right to obtain a copy of this notice from us. Any questions should be directed to our Privacy Officer.
• Right to Request Added Restrictions on Disclosures and Uses of Your Protected Health Information: You may ask us not to use or disclose any part of your PHI for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations, or to family members involved in your care. Your request must be in writing, and we are not required to agree to the restrictions. Please contact our Privacy Officer if you would like to request restrictions on the disclosure of your PHI.
• Right to Request Confidential Communications: You have the right to request that we communicate with you by alternative means or at an alternative location. We will accommodate reasonable written requests. We may condition this accommodation by asking how payment will be handled or specifying an alternative address or other method of contact. We will not ask why you are making the request. Please contact the Privacy Officer if you would like to make this request.