Notice of Privacy Practices

Right to request an amendment.
If you feel that medical information we have about you is incorrect or incomplete, you may ask us to amend the information. You have the right to request an amendment for as long as the information is kept by or for deBussy and Associates Behavioral Health in your medical and billing records or any other of our records that are used by us to make decisions about you.
You are required to submit your request in writing to the deBussy and Associates Behavioral Health Privacy Officer as explained at the end of this Notice, with an explanation as to why the amendment is needed. If we accept your request, we will tell you we agree and we will amend your records. We cannot change what is in the record. We add the supplemental information by an addendum. With your assistance, we will notify others who have the incorrect or incomplete medical information. If we deny your request, we will give you a written explanation of why we did not make the amendment and explain your rights.
We may deny your request if the medical information (i) was not created by deBussy and Associates Behavioral Health (unless the person or entity that created the medical information is no longer available to respond to your request); (ii) is not part of the medical and billing records kept by or for deBussy and Associates Behavioral Health; (iii) is not part of the information which you would be permitted to inspect and copy; or (iv) is determined by us to be accurate and complete.

Right to an accounting of disclosures.
You have the right to receive a list of the disclosures we have made of your medical information in the six years prior to your request. This list will not include every disclosure made, including those disclosures made for treatment, payment, and health care operations purposes. You are required to submit your request in writing to the deBussy and Associates Behavioral Health Privacy Officer as explained at the end of this Notice. You must state the time period for which you want to receive the accounting. The first accounting you request in a 12- month period will be free, and we may charge you for additional requests in that same period.

Right to request restrictions.
You have the right to request a restriction or limitation on the medical information we use or disclose about you for treatment, payment, or health care operations. To request a restriction, you must tell your caregivers or contact the deBussy and Associates Behavioral Health Privacy Officer using the contact information listed at the end of this Notice. In some cases, you may be asked to submit a written     request. We are not required to agree to your request. If we do agree, our agreement must be in writing, and we will comply with your request unless the information is needed to provide you emergency treatment or we are required or permitted by law to disclose it. We can end the restriction if we inform you that we plan to do so. If you request that we not disclose certain medical information to your health insurer and that medical information relates to a health care product or services for which we, otherwise, have received payment from you or on your behalf, and in full, then we must agree to that request.

Right to request confidential communications.
You have the right to request that we communicate with you about medical matters in a certain way or at a certain location. If you want us to communicate with you in a special way, you will need to give us details about how to contact you. You will also need to give us information as to how billing will be handled. We will honor reasonable requests. However, if we are unable to contact you using the requested ways or locations, we may contact you using any information we have.

Right to be notified in the event of a breach.  
We will notify you if your medical information has been “breached,” which means that your medical information has been used or disclosed in a way that is inconsistent with law and results in it being compromised.

Right to a paper copy of this Notice.  
You have the right to a paper copy of this Notice. You may ask us to give you a copy of this Notice at any time. Copies of this Notice will be available throughout deBussy and Associates Behavioral Health, or by contacting the deBussy and Associates Behavioral Health Privacy Officer as explained at the end of this Notice, or you may obtain an electronic copy at the deBussy and Associates Behavioral Health website, https://www.daabh.com/Privacy-Policy. Future Changes to deBussy and Associates Behavioral Health’s Privacy Practice and This Notice. We reserve the right to change deBussy and Associates Behavioral Health’s privacy practices and this Notice. We reserve the right to make the revised or changed Notice effective for medical information we already have about you as well as any information we receive in the future. We will post a copy of the current Notice on the deBussy and Associates Behavioral Healthwebsite, https://www.daabh.com/Privacy-Policy. In addition, at any time you may request a copy of the Notice currently in effect.

Use of e-mail.
If you choose to communicate with us via email, we may respond to you in the same way the communication was received and to the same email address from which you sent your email. Before using email to communicate with us, you should understand there are certain risks associated with the use of email. It may not be a secure transmission, which means it could be intercepted and seen by others. In addition, there are other risks associated with use of email, such as misaddressed/misdirected messages, email accounts shared with others, messages that can be forwarded on to others, or messages stored on portable electronic devices that have no security.
Additionally, you should understand that use of email is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Email communication should never be used in a medical emergency.

Patient Health Portal.
If you choose, you may enroll into the Patient Health Portal. This portal actively engages patients in their care by giving them access to valuable health information online. Patients and their authorized family members can manage a wide range of health data from a single portal wherever they are and at their convenience. deBussy and Associates Behavioral Health will provide access to the patient portal upon completion of appropriate release of information forms and proof of identification.

Questions or Complaints
If you believe that your privacy rights have not been followed as directed by applicable law or as explained in this Notice, you may file a complaint with us. Please send any complaint to the deBussy and Associates Behavioral Health Privacy Officer at the address provided below. You may also file a complaint with the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. You will not be penalized for filing a complaint. If you have questions or would like further information about this Notice, please contact: Mark deBussy, Privacy Officer deBussy and Associates Behavioral Health of New Castle County 412 Capital Trail Newark, Delaware 19711 mdebussy@daabh.com

Our Pledge Regarding Your Medical Information 
deBussy and Associates Behavioral Health is committed to protecting the privacy of medical information we create or obtain about you. This Notice tells you about the ways in which we may use and disclose medical information about you. It also describes your rights and certain obligations we have regarding the use and disclosure of your medical information. We are required by law to: (i) protect your health information; (ii) offer you this Notice describing your legal duties and privacy practices with respect to your medical information; and (iii) follow the term of the Notice that is currently in effect.
Who Will Follow This Notice?
The privacy practices described in this Notice will be followed by all health care professionals, employees, medical staff, trainees, students and volunteers of deBussy and Associates Behavioral Health. These entities may share Protected Health Information (PHI) with each other as it relates to your treatment, payment and any health care operations described in this Notice.

How We May Use and Disclose Medical Information about You
The following sections describe different ways we may use and disclose your medical information. We abide by all applicable laws related to the protection of this information. Not every use or disclosure will be listed. All the ways we are permitted to use and disclose information will fall within one of the following categories

Treatment.
We may use or disclose medical information about you to provide you with medical treatment or services. For example, a provider treating you for a mental health condition may need to know if you have diabetes because some medications may increase your glucose levels. We may also share medical information about you with other deBussy and Associates Behavioral Health personnel or non-deBussy and Associates Behavioral Health health care providers, agencies or facilities to provide or coordinate the different need; such as, prescriptions, or lab work.

Payment.
We may use and disclose medical information about you so treatments and services you receive at deBussy and Associates Behavioral Health or from others, such as an laboratory, may be billed to you and payment collected from you, an insurance company or another third party. For example, we may need to give information to your health insurance company about treatment you received at deBussy and Associates Behavioral Health so your health insurance company will pay us or reimburse you for the treatment.

Health Care Operations.
We may use and disclose medical information about you for deBussy and Associates Behavioral Health operations. These uses and disclosures are made to enhance quality of care and for staff activities. For example, we may disclose information to providers, nurses, technicians, students, and other deBussy and Associates Behavioral Health personnel for performance improvement and educational purposes. 

Health Information Exchanges.
We may share information that we obtain or create about you with other health care providers or other health care entities, such as your health plan or health insurer, as permitted by law.

Chesapeake Regional Information System for our Patients (CRISP):
We have chosen not to participate in the Chesapeake Regional Information System for our Patients (CRISP), a regional health information exchange serving Maryland and D.C. Your health information will not be shared with this exchange. Public health reporting and Controlled Dangerous Substances information, as part of the Maryland Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP), will still be available to providers.

Delaware Health Information Network (DHIN).
We have chosen not to participate in the Delaware Health Information Network (DHIN) a regional health information exchange serving Delaware, Maryland and D.C. Your health information will not be shared with this exchange. Public health reporting and Controlled Dangerous Substances information, as part of the Delaware Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP), will still be available to providers.

 Additional uses and disclosures of your medical information.
We may use or disclose your medical information without your authorization (permission) to the following individuals, or for other purposes permitted or required by law, including: 
• To tell you about, or recommend, possible treatment alternatives 
• To inform you of benefits or services we may provide 
• As required by state and federal laws 
• To prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to your health and safety or the health and safety of the public or another person
• To authorized federal officials for intelligence, counter-intelligence or other national security activities
• To coroners, medical examiners and funeral directors, as authorized or required by law as necessary for them to carry out their duties 
• To the military if you are a member of the armed forces and we are authorized or required to do so by law 
• For workers’ compensation or similar programs providing benefits for work-related injuries or illnesses 
• To authorized federal officials so they may conduct special investigations or provide protection to the U.S. President or other authorized persons 
• To governmental, licensing, auditing and accrediting agencies 
• To a correctional institution as authorized or required  by law if you are an inmate or under the custody of  law enforcement officials
• To third parties referred to as “business associates” that provide services on our behalf, such as a billing, software   maintenance and legal services 
• Unless you say no, to anyone involved in your care or payment of your care, such as a friend, family member, lay caregiver, or any individual you identify 
• For public health purposes 
• To courts and attorneys when we get a court order, subpoena or other lawful instructions from those courts or public bodies or to defend ourselves against a lawsuit brought against us 
• To law enforcement officials as authorized or required   by law

Other uses of medical information.
Other uses and disclosures of medical information not covered by this Notice will be made only with your written authorization. Most uses and disclosures of psychotherapy notes and most uses and disclosures for marketing purposes fall within this category and require your authorization before we may use your medical information for these purposes. Additionally, with certain limited exceptions, we are not allowed to sell or receive anything of value in exchange for your medical information without your written authorization. If you provide us authorization to use or disclose medical information about you, you may revoke (withdraw) that authorization, in writing, at any time. However, uses and disclosures made before your withdrawal are not affected by your action and we cannot take back any disclosures we may have already made with your authorization.

Your Rights Regarding Medical Information about you
The records of your medical information are the property of deBussy and Associates Behavioral Health.  You have the following rights regarding medical information we maintain about you;

Right to inspect and copy.
With certain exceptions, you have the right to inspect and/or receive a copy of your medical and billing records or any other of our records that are used by us to make decisions about you. You have the right to request that we send a copy of your medical or billing records to a third party. You are required to submit your request in writing to deBussy and Associates Behavioral Health. We may charge you a reasonable fee for providing you a copy of your records. We may deny access, under certain circumstances. You may request that we designate a licensed health care professional to review the denial. We will comply with the outcome of the review of our records that are used by us to make decisions about you.