Confidentiality of Mental Health Information
The privacy and confidentiality of mental health information maintained by this hospital is protected by Federal and State law and regulations. These protections go above and beyond the protections described in our hospital’s general Notice of Privacy Practices. Our Privacy Officer is Joyce A. Leahy, Esq. and if you have questions about this notice or would like further information, please contact Douglas Jablon, Special Assistant to the President and Vice President for Patient Relations at 718 283-7212.
We recommend that you also take time to review the hospital’s general Notice of Privacy Practices for information about how your health information may generally be used and disclosed by the hospital. The hospital’s general Notice of Privacy Practices also provides information about how you may obtain access to your health information, including mental health information. If there is any conflict between the general Notice of Privacy Practices and this notice, the protections described in this notice will apply instead of the protections described in the general Notice of Privacy Practices.
CONFIDENTIALITY OF MENTAL HEALTH INFORMATION
Generally, mental health information about you may be used by personnel within the hospital (or its business associates) in connection with their duties to provide you with treatment, obtain payment for that treatment, or conduct the hospital’s business operations. Generally the hospital may not reveal mental health information about you to other persons outside of the hospital, except in the following situations:
- When the hospital has obtained your written authorization;
- To a personal representative who is authorized to make health care decisions on your behalf;
- To government agencies or private insurance companies in order to obtain payment for services we provided to you;
- To comply with a court order;
- To appropriate persons who are able to avert a serious and imminent threat to the health or safety of you or another person;
- To appropriate government authorities to locate a missing person or conduct a criminal investigation as permitted under Federal and State confidentiality laws;
- To other licensed hospital emergency services as permitted under Federal and State confidentiality laws;
- To the mental hygiene legal service offered by the State;
- To attorneys representing patients in an involuntary hospitalization proceeding;
- To authorized government officials for the purpose of monitoring or evaluating the quality of care provided by the hospital or its staff;
- To qualified researchers without your specific authorization when such research poses minimal risk to your privacy;
- To coroners and medical examiners to determine cause of death; and
If you are an inmate, to a correctional facility which certifies that the information is necessary in order to provide you with health care, or in order to protect the health or safety of you or any other persons at the correctional facility.
Certain types of mental health information are accorded additional protections.
HOW TO OBTAIN COPIES OF THIS NOTICE
You have the right to a paper copy of this notice. You may request a paper copy at any time, even if you have previously agreed to receive this notice electronically. To do so, please call contact the Patient Relations Department at 718 283-7212. You may also request a copy at your next visit. You may print this page. We may change our privacy practices from time to time. If we do, we will revise this notice so you will have an accurate summary of our practices. The revised notice will apply to all of your information held by this program, and we will be required by law to abide by its terms. You will also be able to obtain your own copy of the revised notice by calling our contact the Patient Relations Department at 718 283-7212 or asking for one at the time of your next visit. The effective date of the notice will always be located in the top right corner of the first page.
HOW TO FILE A COMPLAINT
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with us or with the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. To file a complaint with us, please contact the Patient Relations Department at 718 283-7212. No one will retaliate or take action against you for filing a complaint.
We recommend that you also take time to review the hospital’s general Notice of Privacy Practices for information about how your health information may generally be used and disclosed by the hospital. The hospital’s general Notice of Privacy Practices also provides information about how you may obtain access to your health information, including mental health information. If there is any conflict between the general Notice of Privacy Practices and this notice, the protections described in this notice will apply instead of the protections described in the general Notice of Privacy Practices.