Privacy Policy

Peniel is committed to protecting the privacy of your health information. This notice describes how your medical information may be used and disclosed and how you can access this information.

Your Rights

• Access Your Records: You have the right to review or receive a copy of your health records.
• Request Corrections: You may request corrections to your health information if you believe it is inaccurate or incomplete.
• Confidential Communications: You can request that we communicate with you in a specific way or location to maintain your privacy.
• Limit Information Sharing: You have the right to ask us not to share certain health information; however, we may not be able to fulfill all requests if required by law.
• Obtain a List of Disclosures: You can request a list of times we’ve shared your health information.

How We Use and Disclose Your Information

Peniel collects health information about you and stores it in a health record, which is the property of Peniel, but the information belongs to you.

• Treatment: We use your health information to provide you with medical treatment and services.
• Payment: We may use and disclose your health information to bill and receive payment for services provided.
• Healthcare Operations: Your information may be used for internal operations, such as quality improvement and staff training.

Confidentiality in Substance Abuse Treatment

Information related to your treatment is protected by federal confidentiality regulations specific to drug and alcohol treatment under 42 CFR Part 2. These regulations protect the confidentiality of your identity, diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. Peniel cannot disclose these records without your written consent, except in limited circumstances allowed by law.

When we ask for your consent to disclose information, the consent will specify what information may be disclosed, to whom, for what purpose, and for what timeframe. You may revoke this consent at any time, either verbally or in writing.

Exceptions to Consent

Under 42 CFR Part 2, we may disclose information without your consent in specific situations, including:

• For medical emergencies.
• To report a crime on the premises or against Peniel personnel.
• For audits, evaluations, or research (subject to additional safeguards).
• For mandatory state reporting, such as child abuse or cause of death.
• When required by a court order that meets specific legal standards.

We may also disclose treatment information internally or to entities with administrative control over Peniel, as well as to qualified service organizations that agree to maintain confidentiality.

Our Responsibilities

We are required by law to:

• Maintain the privacy and confidentiality of your health information.
• Provide this notice outlining our privacy practices.
• Follow the terms of this notice.

Changes to This Notice

We reserve the right to change this Notice of Privacy Practices. Any changes will apply to all information we maintain, and the updated notice will be posted on our website.

For more information see:

www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/consumers/noticepp.html

Contact Us

If you have questions about this notice or would like more information, please contact us:

Peniel
PO Box 250
Johnstown, PA 15907
814-536-2111
info@penielrehab.com

Complaints Regarding Privacy Practices
Complaints about this Notice of Privacy Practices or how Peniel Residential Drug/Alcohol Treatment Center handles your health information should be directed to:

Peniel Residential Drug/Alcohol Treatment Center
PO Box 250
Johnstown, PA 15907
814-536-2111

If you are not satisfied with the manner in which a complaint is addressed, you may submit a formal complaint to one of the following:

PA Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs
https://forms.dhs.pa.gov/ddap-contact-us/
RA-DAAPI_DIVISION@pa.gov
717-783-8675

Department of Health and Human Services
Office of Civil Rights
200 Independence Avenue, SW Room 509F, HHH Building
Washington, DC 20201