Notification: 
Your Rights and Your Child’s Records

 

Notice

Information that relates to your child's health or treatment and that identifies your child is protected under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996. This protection covers both written and electronic information. This protection lasts as long as the information is in the hands of The Alliance for Infants & Toddlers, Inc.

This notice describes how The Alliance may use or disclose your child's personal health information, with whom that information may be shared, and the safeguards we have in place to protect it.  This notice also describes your rights to access and amend your child's information.  Please ask your Service Coordinator if you have any questions regarding this notice.

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OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO YOU REGARDING YOUR CHILD'S PROTECTED HEALTH  INFORMATION

Protected health information is individually identifiable health information. This includes demographics (for example, age, address, e-mail address), and information relating to past, present, or future physical or mental health condition, or any related health care services. The Alliance is required by law to:

• Make sure that your child's protected health information is kept private.

• Give you this notice of our responsibilities and privacy practices related to the use and disclosure of your child's information.

• Follow the terms of the notice currently in effect.

• Communicate any changes in the notice to you.

 

INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS

You have the right to know how your child's medical and developmental service records will be used, and with whom the information will be shared.

You have the right to give informed consent before providers can use or share your child's health care and developmental service information, even for routine purposes such as treatment, payment, and the operation of a health plan. Providers may require that treatment and participation in services be based upon obtaining your consent.

You have the right to refuse consent to share your child's health information. If you do give consent, you have the right to restrict information if it is to be used for non-routine purposes, such as marketing and fundraising.

You have the right to ask for restrictions or limits on release of your child's information (such as requesting that information not be shared with a particular individual). This request should be documented in writing. The Alliance for Infants & Toddlers, Inc. will notify you in writing as to whether your request can be honored. 

You have the right to ask that communications from those requesting information be made in a certain way (such as no phone calls, written requests only). Your request will be honored unless it is unreasonable and creates too great a burden for the Alliance. 

You have the right to see and copy your child's health and developmental service information and to be provided documentation on who has been able to see this information. You may not be able to see their records if it would endanger the life or physical safety of the child. 

You have the right to ask for a change to your child's record if you believe it contains incorrect or unnecessary information. Your request must be in writing. The Alliance for Infants & Toddlers, Inc. will decide whether your request can be honored, and will notify you in writing if your request is denied. 

The information in your child's record will be kept until their eighth birthday, after this date it will be destroyed. 

Information Sharing/Disclosures 

The information from your child's record that is shared must be limited to what is necessary for that specific incidence, except if the information is to be shared for treatment purposes, then the entire record may be shared.

The Alliance for Infants & Toddlers, Inc. has established business practices to protect the privacy of your child's health records. These include employee training, naming a 'privacy officer' to assist with complaints, and establishing business guidelines for privacy with others who have contracts with the Alliance for Infants & Toddlers, Inc. The Alliance for Infants & Toddlers, Inc. will share your child's health information in response to a subpoena, court order, or warrant, without your additional consent. You will be notified in writing should such a request be received. 

Your Child's information may be shared with Alliance for Infants & Toddlers, Inc. funders (Medical Assistance Office, PA Department of Public Welfare) or government monitors (Office of Child Development and Early Learning, Office of Special Education Programs) without your additional consent. 

Your child's health information may be shared for public health activities with the Allegheny County Health Department or Department of Human Services, without your additional consent. 

Other uses and disclosures of your child's health information will only be made with your explicit written authorization.

 

Complaints
If you believe these privacy rights have been violated, you may file a written complaint with The Alliance For Infants & Toddlers, Inc. Privacy Officer, with the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services, or Office of Civil Rights Compliance. If this is the case, please contact the Privacy Officer at (412) 885-6000.