NOTICE OF PRIVACY POLICY AND PRACTICES
Purpose of this Notice
Next Life Recovery Center respects the privacy of personal information and understands the
importance of keeping this information confidential and secure. This Notice describes how we
protect the confidentiality of the personal information we receive, how we may use and disclose
it, and how you can access this information. Please review it carefully.
General Information
Information regarding your health care, including payment for health care, is protected by two
federal laws: the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), 42 U.S.C.
§ 1320d et seq., 45 C.F.R. Parts 160 & 164, and the Confidentiality Law, 42 U.S.C. § 290dd-2,
42 C.F.R. Part 2.
HIPAA Protections Afforded All Next Life Recovery Center Clients
Under HIPAA, you have the right to request restrictions on certain uses and disclosures of your
health information. Next Life Recovery Center is not required to agree to any restriction you
request, but if it does agree, then it is bound by that agreement and may not use or disclose any
information that you have restricted except as necessary in a medical emergency. Next Life
Recovery Center is only required to agree to your request if you request a restriction on
disclosures to your health plan for payment or health care operations purposes and you pay for
the services you receive yourself (out-of-pocket). You have the right to request that we
communicate with you by an alternative means or at an alternative location. Next Life Recovery
Center will accommodate such requests that are reasonable and will not request an explanation
from you.
Under HIPAA, you also have the right to inspect and copy your own health information
maintained by Next Life Recovery Center, except to the extent that the information contains
psychotherapy notes or information compiled for use in a civil, criminal, or administrative
proceeding or in other limited circumstances. Additionally, you have the right, with some
exceptions, to amend health care information maintained in our records and to request and
receive an accounting of disclosures of your health-related information made by Next Life
Recovery Center during the six years prior to your request. You may obtain an electronic copy of
your record upon request. You also have the right to receive a paper copy of this notice. We will
let you know promptly if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of
your information. Next Life Recovery Center is required to obtain your written consent prior to
disclosing information about you for marketing purposes and must obtain your written consent
before disclosing any of your treatment records.
Permitted Uses and Disclosures
A covered entity is permitted, but not required, to use and disclose protected health information,
without an individual’s authorization, for the following purposes or situations: when required by
law (such as reporting suspected abuse/neglect); for public health activities (such as reporting
vital statistics to the public health authority); for health oversight activities (such as audits); when
relating to decedents (such as disclosing information to a coroner); for research purposes; to
avert a threat to health or safety; and for specific government functions.
Next Life Recovery Center's Duties
Next Life Recovery Center is required by law to maintain the privacy of your health information
and to provide you with notice of its legal duties and privacy practices with respect to your
health information. We reserve the right to change the terms of this notice and to make new
notice provisions effective for all protected health information we maintain. We are required by
law to abide by the terms of this Notice. The most recent copy of this notice will be posted in the
lobby of each site and will be available on our website.
Specific Client Protections for Alcohol and Drug Services
Under the Confidentiality Law (42 C.F.R., Part 2) for Alcohol and Drug Services, Next Life
Recovery Center may not disclose to a person outside the program that you attend the program,
nor may we disclose any information identifying you as an alcohol or drug client or disclose any
other protected information except as permitted by federal law.
Next Life Recovery Center must obtain your written consent before it can disclose information
about you for payment purposes. For example, we must obtain your written consent before we
can disclose information to your health insurer to be paid for services. Generally, you must also
sign a written consent before we can share information for treatment purposes or for health care
operations.
However, federal law specifies that we may disclose information without your written permission:
● Pursuant to an agreement with a qualified service organization/business associate;
● For research, audit, or evaluations;
● To report a crime committed on our premises or against our staff;
● To medical personnel in a medical emergency;
● To appropriate authorities to report suspected child abuse or neglect;
● As allowed by a specific type of court order.
For example, Next Life Recovery Center can disclose information without your consent to obtain
legal or financial services or to another medical facility to provide health care to you, as long as
there is a business associate agreement in place. Before we can use or disclose any
information about your health in a manner that is not described above, we must first obtain your
specific written consent allowing us to make the disclosure. You may revoke any such written
consent verbally or in writing. Note: Special revocation restrictions apply to certain releases to
the criminal justice system. Violation of the Alcohol and Drug Client Confidentiality Law by a
program is a crime.
Complaints and Reporting Violations
You have the right to ask Next Life Recovery Center and the United States Department of
Health and Human Services for assistance if you believe your privacy rights have been violated.
If you believe that any information that we have about you has been used or disclosed
inappropriately, you can contact:
Region V, Office of Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 233 N.
Michigan Avenue, Suite 240 Chicago, Illinois 60601 Fax: (312) 886-1807 Phone: (312)
886-2359 TDD: (312) 353-5693
Complaints must be in writing, and no retaliatory action will be made against you for contacting
the agents listed above.
