Privacy and HIPAA

Catholic Charities is committed to the privacy and confidentiality of client’s personal information. This commitment is the shared responsibility of all employees, volunteers, and business associates. This responsibility relates to any client information in our possession. Further, Catholic Charities is committed to client rights relating to information in our records or possession.

Catholic Charities makes every effort to protect a client’s information from inappropriate access, use or disclosure, including: taking reasonable steps to protect all client information, including health information from entities or persons not entitled to it; using or disclosing the minimum amount of information necessary to accomplish specific purposes in financial and business operations; and assuring that clients can exercise their rights relating to their protected health information.

Catholic Charities Privacy Officer is Patti Clevenger. If you have questions about our privacy policy or HIPAA, please contact her by e-mail at pclevenger@wkscatholiccharities.org or at 264-8344, ext. 250.

Clients’ Personal Health Information (PHI), any information in client files, is protected by law. The Notice of Privacy Practices explains how this information may be used and how a client can access his/her information.

• For planning for and providing services to the client (treatment).
• To get payment for services provided to client (payment). For example, when we bill the insurance company for services provided.
• To meet the requirements for running our agency (operations). For example when we conduct a review of client files to make sure it is complete, has the required forms, etc.

• To send clients a reminder of an appointment or other health information that might be of interest.
• When we are required by law (i.e. in cases of abuse), or by a public health authority (i.e. required reporting of some diseases), to avoid a threat to health or safety (i.e. if a person is dangerous), or if required by another government agency (i.e. for eligibility for benefits like workers? compensation).
• For oversight activities, such as licensing reviews or investigations that help us provide safe, high quality services and surroundings for clients.
• If we participate in a research study and share non-identifying information about clients that would benefit people with similar health conditions.
• In the case of a client’s death, we would need to share information about the client to people handling the arrangements.
• We may invite clients to participate in fund-raising activities for the organization. You are not obligated to participate.
• If a client has health insurance, we may share information with his/her health plan.

• We need to contact a client’s family or other person responsible for the client’s care about the location or general condition of the client, for example, if the client is hurt or sick. If we can, we will ask the client if this is acceptable. If the client is not able to give his/her permission, we will use our best judgment in contacting the family. For all other uses of clients’ PHI, except those mentioned here, we need each client’s permission.
• This permission is known as an authorization.
• Each client can change his/her mind and withdraw the authorization at any time.
• We will ask clients to sign a paper to do this.

• Clients can ask that we do not share certain information. Sometimes we may not be able to do this. If this happens, we will explain why.
• If a client wants us to contact him or her at a certain location or communicate with him/her in a certain way (for example, to explain documents to you), we will try to do this.
• A client can see his/her PHI and have copies, if he/she wishes. Clients should ask the program to get a copy of their file. There may need to charge for the copies.
• A client can ask that we change certain information in his/her file, but we might not be able to do this. If this happens, we will explain why.
• Clients can have a list of information that has been shared with individuals outside our agency, except for treatment, payment and operations that was addressed above.
• Clients can have a paper copy of the Privacy Notice. Each client has a the right to make a complaint if they think we have violated his/her privacy rights or if he/she doesn’t agree with a decision we made about his/her PHI.
• Call or write to: Patti Clevenger, Chief Privacy Officer Catholic Charities, Inc. 437 North Topeka Wichita, KS 67202 (316) 264-8344, ext. 250
• Clients may also write to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
• No one will be upset with the client and nothing will happen to the client if he/she makes a complaint.

For questions about our privacy practices, please contact: Patti Clevenger, Chief Privacy Officer Catholic Charities, Inc. 437 North Topeka Wichita, KS 67202 (316) 264-8344, ext. 250