Privacy Policy
SMHA commits to following and meeting all guidelines outlined in the HIPAA laws and regulations. Clinicians sign a contract affirming they, too, will abide by HIPAA laws and regulations in accordance with their professional licensing board requirements and the code of ethics of their profession. While licensed professionals have the ability to discern when information disclosure is appropriate, it must always be done with the best interests of the client in mind and must be the least amount possible for the purpose of the disclosure. Every contractor therapist, as a licensed professional, has independent obligation to protect sensitive information from anyone and/or anyplace that is not authorized to have it. As such, it is the licensed professional’s responsibility to understand the laws and regulations to their own comfort level. Not knowing is not a defense of liability if a breach of PHI occurs. For SMHA clinical business, the following identifiers of an individual or of relatives, employers, or household members of the individual, are considered PHI:
1. Name
2. Geographic subdivisions smaller than a state; (street address, city, county, zip code).
3. All elements of dates (except year) including birth date, admission and discharge dates, date of death; all ages over 89 and all elements of dates (including year) indicative of such age
4. Telephone numbers
5. Fax numbers
6. Email address
7. Social security number
8. Medical record numbers
9. Health plan beneficiary numbers
10. Account numbers
11. Certificate/License numbers
12. Full face photographic images and any comparable images