Notice of Privacy Practices

This notice describes how medical information about anyone who is served by Ohio Valley Goodwill Industries may be used and disclosed and how you can access this information. Please review it carefully.

We understand that medical records and other information we collect about services and supports we provide to you are personal. Keeping these records private is one of our most important responsibilities.

Ohio Valley Goodwill Industries (OVGI) must follow many laws to protect your privacy. We follow the Federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). In addition, we follow many laws specific to Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities and Ohio Jobs and Family Services. For this notice, we will use the term records to mean the paper or electronic records we maintain about you.

Your records may be used and disclosed by the employees and volunteers at OVGI who serve you, as well as persons or agencies who perform various activities on behalf of OVGI known as “Business Associates” (for example, billing, referral sources, and network and software services).   This includes communication with people served or person(s) identified as point of contact, as well as health care professionals.

In general, we use and disclose your information for:

• Teaching, behavioral and medical support and agency administration
  • Example: an agency administrator will review an individual’s progress data created by a case manager

• Providing a full range of services such as prevocational services, adult day supports, skills training and habilitation, supported employment, transportation and others
  • Example: your case manager will review your records to create an individual service plan which may be shared with you, your guardian, and everyone who provides services and supports to you as part of your identified team

• Getting payment for service provided
  • Example: staff use service records to submit bills to Medicaid or state/county agencies who are designated funding sources and for evaluating and improving quality, training, managing costs, and other business

• Communicating about our services and other community relations activities, though you always have the right to opt out of such communications

There are limited situations when we are permitted or required to disclose your records or parts of them without your signed permission. These situations include:

• As required by law, for protection of victims of abuse, neglect, violence, or domestic violence, or when offenses have been committed, responding to judicial or administrative proceedings, or to law enforcement officials

• Public health authorities when reporting to prevent or control disease or other public health activities

• Health oversight activities, investigations, audits, accreditation and inspections, such as are conducted by the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities and federal agencies

• To avert a serious threat to your health and safety or the health or safety of the public or another person

• Judicial and administrative proceedings, any court order, subpoena, discovery request or other lawful process

• Law enforcement, in cases of suspected crimes or in emergencies, or other situations when we are legally required to share information

• Coroners, medical examiners and funeral directors
• Worker’s compensation laws to comply with programs that provide benefit for

work related injuries or illness

• Specialized government functions including national security, intelligence activities, protecting the president, operating government benefit programs (including military status or to determine eligibility and/or benefits for veterans), and caring for prisoners

• Notification and communication with family in the event of a disaster, or with relief organizations

All other uses not described above require that we obtain your signed permission.

For any purpose not described above, we will release your information only with your explicit written authorization (or written permission by a legal guardian when applicable). This includes an expiration date that you specify and gives details about where, why, when, how and to whom the information can be given. You can cancel your permission at any time by letting us know in writing.

Your legal rights to privacy, access to your records, and accuracy of your records include:

• To see your records, or get a copy (including an electronic copy)
• To request a correction to your records if you believe they are incorrect
• To receive all communications at a confidential address or phone number
• To receive an accounting of disclosures that lists where your records were sharedwithout your authorization

• To request additional limits to how your information is used or disclosed although these requests do not have to be honored unless you choose to personally pay for services instead of using Medicaid funds

• To receive a paper copy of this notice

To exercise any of these rights, or if you have any questions or complaints regarding our privacy practices, call, deliver, mail or email your request to:

 

HIPAA Privacy Officer

10600 Springfield Pike

Cincinnati, Ohio 45215

(513) 771-4800

View our Privacy Policy and Contact our Privacy Team

Ask any staff person if you need help to put your request in writing.

We are obligated by law to maintain privacy of your information and to provide this notice. In the event of a breach-an improper disclosure of your information-we are required to notify you. We are required by law to abide by the terms of this notice.

From time to time we make changes to our policies and if we do, your records will be protected by the new, changed policies. Our current notice will always be available on our website listed below:

If you have any questions or complaints about our privacy practices, please contact us:

HIPAA Privacy Officer

10600 Springfield Pike

Cincinnati, Ohio 45215

(513) 771-4800

cincinnatigoodwill.org

We will never retaliate against you for filing a complaint. Further, if you are not satisfied with the results, you may also complain to the Secretary of Health and Human Services.