Catholic Charities of Kansas City-St. Joseph 

CLIENT BILL OF RIGHTS

 

1. We will service you in a prompt, courteous and responsive manner, treat you with individual dignity and respect and give consideration to both your needs and those of your family.

2. We will respect your cultural background and remain conscious of your individual needs in terms of language, ethnicity, religion and gender. 

3. We will be sensitive to any special needs that you may have due to a physical or mental disability. 

4. We will respect your rights to privacy and all discussions, consultations and records pertaining to your case will be treated confidentially. 

5. You have the right to know the identity and professional status of any individuals providing service to you and to know which professional staff member is primarily responsible for providing service to you. 

6. You have the right to informed participation in decisions involving your case. 

7. You have the right to refuse any treatment or service that is offered to you. We will inform you about the effect a refusal may have on you, such as persistence of symptoms or worsening of your condition, a possible change in our ability to deliver service and so on. 

8. If you are a minor, we will obtain your parents’ or guardians’ consent before providing services beyond an assessment. 

9. We will provide you with written materials about our services and the cost to you, if any.

10. You have a right to a violence and harassment free environment. Any harassment or violence made towards you or if you display any harassment or violent behavior towards another person will not be tolerated. Those engaged in violent acts on the Agency’s premise will be reported to the proper authorities and fully prosecuted. Services will also terminate. 

11. If you feel that any of these rights have been violated, please refer to the grievance procedures as stated in the Client Letter of Understanding.

Catholic Charities of Kansas City-St. Joseph 

CLIENT LETTER OF UNDERSTANDING

WELCOME!  We’re Catholic Charities of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Inc.  We hope to work with you for positive change in your life or circumstance.  This letter is to help you understand who we are, what we do, how we will work together, and how we protect your information.  Please ask questions about anything in this Client Letter you do not understand.  We are happy to discuss any of this letter with you.

 

We serve a charitable purpose of the Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Missouri.  Our service area covers the Diocese.   This includes Missouri’s northwestern portion.  We have offices in Kansas City, St. Joseph, and Warrensburg.  Programs can, at times, extend to and serve people residing outside the Diocese.

 

In fulfilling our mission, we answer the commandment of Jesus Christ to love through service, advocacy, and empowerment.  We speak up and support initiatives to lessen human suffering. We are guided by Catholic Social Teaching, believe in the sanctity of life, and do not provide any information about or condone abortion.  We provide adoption services not only in our Diocese but also in Jefferson City and Springfield.

 

Range of Services:   We offer the following services:

 

• Children and Family Services
  • Adoption
  • Case management programs
  • Parenting education services
• Disability and Deaf Ministries
• Employment Services
  • General Employment Service activities
  • Veteran Employment
  • Financial Literacy
  • Case management employment services
• Community Housing Services
  • Permanent Housing
• Housing Development
  • Housing Development Programs
  • Residential Service Coordination
  • Supportive Housing for Veteran Families
• Welcome Center
  • Emergency Assistance
  • In-Home Services
  • Disaster Relief Services
  • Information and Referral
  • Single Point of Entry
• Outreach Including Information and Referral/Direct Service Delivery

 

Our website, www.catholiccharities-kcsj.org, describes these programs, and you can always ask us about them.  As community needs and our grants change, so do our service offerings.  Please check our website for the latest information.

 

Eligibility Requirements:  We make services available regardless of race, ethnic origin, sex, religion, or disabilities.  Due to funder requirements and program design, eligibility for our different programs varies and may depend on factors such as residence location, income status, and age. Please contact us to determine if you are eligible for a particular service.  Special rules apply if you are a minor seeking services without parent or guardian consent.

 

Hours of Service and Telephone Contact Information : Our general office hours are from 8:00 to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday.  Our phones have confidential voicemail so you can leave a message after hours, but messages may not be reviewed until our next business day.  Our phone numbers are Kansas City (816-221-4377), St. Joseph (816-232-2885), and Warrensburg (660-747-2241).  In case of an emergency, please call 911.  Depending on the program, we also serve clients after hours or on weekends by appointment, and, for certain services, our staff is available 24 hours a day 7 days a week by cell phone.

 

Client Grievance Procedure: We want your relationship with us to be satisfying.  If problems arise with the service, or with the person serving you, you may take the following steps: (1) Bring the matter to the attention of the person serving you.  (2)  If that person cannot resolve the matter, or if the difficulty is with that person, contact that person’s supervisor. (3)  If you remain dissatisfied, contact the Program Director (see the Contact Information below). (4)  If you and the person serving you, the supervisor, or the Program Director cannot reach a satisfactory solution, contact the Chief Operating Officer (listed below). (5)  If you remain dissatisfied, contact the Chief Executive Officer (listed below).  It is your right to file a grievance without interference or retaliation.

 

Contacts:  To contact any of the following people, call our main number (816) 221-4377.

 

Chief Executive Officer Karen Noel

 

Chief Operating Officer Sunny Jones

 

Housing Development Director Christie Dade

 

Community Housing Director Kathy Ficcadenti

 

Employment Services Director Kisha Thomas

 

Children and Family Services Director Sam Womack

 

Welcome Center Director  Kisha Thomas

 

Executive Director, Outreach and Engagement Susan Walker

 

Director of Marketing and Communication Brigette Chirpich

 

These contacts can become outdated from time to time, and additional contacts are on our website.   Please check our website, or call our main number, for updates.

 

Client Satisfaction: We want to know how well we serve you.  During or at the conclusion of services, you will receive a Client Satisfaction form.  We appreciate your willingness to complete these surveys and return them to us.  You will be helping us continually improve.

 

Public Health; Infectious Disease:  We may disclose client health or other information to public health, legal, or other authorities charged with preventing or controlling disease, injury, or disability or protecting individuals or the public.  If you or your child has, is being tested for, or has symptoms of COVID19 or another infectious disease, or if you live with or are caring for someone who has or is being tested for COVID19 or another infectious disease, please share this information with the person completing your intake. We will consider two factors in sharing this information outside of our agency:  the best interest of you or your child in needing medical care and treatment and the health and safety of others.  Please respect our COVID19 and other public health and safety protocols.  You may be asked to leave our offices or discontinue services if you do not.

 

Client Confidentiality: We are required to obtain personal information from you because of funding, operational and other requirements that ensure your program eligibility, facilitate required audits and reporting for our programs,  and allow us to operate our programs.  Your case record contains personally identifiable information such as your name, address, and phone number.  It may contain your social security number.  Your record also contains our service notes.  Generally, we require a release by you before we share your personally identifiable information, but there are exceptions that you should understand.  Please review this entire letter, including the  MORE ON PRIVACY section, and be sure to ask us if you have any questions about it.  Subject to the exceptions in this letter, we endeavor, through reasonable procedures, to keep your information confidential.

 

Adding to or Requesting Information from Your File:  You have the right to insert information or statements into your case record. You may make a written request to review the information from your record.  If it contains information about more than one client, we need written authorization from the other client.  If the person serving you believes that your review of the record could be harmful to you or others, they will notify the Chief Operating Officer or Chief Executive Officer.  The CEO or COO will be asked to determine whether to authorize your review of the case record.  The legal guardians or parents of a client who is a minor must obtain the written permission of the CEO or COO to directly access the client records.

 

Fees:  Most of our services do not require payment of a fee, but, based on the program, some do.  If any fees apply, they may vary from depending on the type of service provided.  At the initial meeting for the service, we cover the details of the fee and the procedures that will apply to your payment.  It is important that your fee amount and payment schedule are clear to you at the start.

 

Agency Information Sharing: If we receive service, treatment or other information from another agency, organization, or provider, we may record it in your case record and use it to determine the services that should work best for you.  For certain services and for purposes of referrals, we participate in inter-agency information sharing databases.  We are not responsible for and cannot control the confidentiality protocols of other agencies.

 

Service Plan and Your Participation: For services that include case management, the person serving you will involve you in developing a service plan for your case.  The plan will be developed shortly after your services begin and may include your description of the issues as well as goals designed for the program or your case.  Please actively embrace, work toward and cooperate to accomplish the goals in your service plan or the purposes of the program in which you are participating. It is key to positive results and our ability to serve you.

 

Termination of Service:  Should the person serving you leave our employment, we will transfer your case to another employee. If you need additional services after our services end, we will endeavor to make an appropriate referral for you.  You may request reinstatement of our services if you feel it is necessary, and we will consider your eligibility at that point in time.  We may terminate service in the event of client lack of cooperation, misconduct or failure to abide by program parameters.

 

Behavior Support Management: We strive to develop a positive relationship with the you, build on your strengths, encourage positive behaviors.  We strive to follow Catholic Social Teaching and social work principles when it is necessary to manage client behavior.  We do not permit the use of corporal punishment; manual or mechanical or chemical restraint; aversive stimuli such as electric shock, isolation or locked seclusion; withholding nutrition or hydration; inflicting physical or psychological pain; forced physical exercise to eliminate behavior; punitive work assignments; punishment by peers; or group punishment or discipline for individual behavior.

 

When de-escalation with a client is necessary, our interventions may include reflective listening, appropriate feedback, negotiation, non-verbal techniques, assisting the client in meditating or regaining control of the situation, separation from the client if necessary, and contacting proper authorities if needed. We will document the interventions used in the client’s case file and observe applicable laws and regulations.  We try to respond consistently to all incidents of harassment or violence.

 

Donations; Materials from Us: Donations may be sent to Catholic Charities of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Inc. 4001 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., Suite 250, Kansas City, Missouri 64130 or through our website at www.catholiccharities-kcsj.org.  Please make a written request to the CEO to designate your donation in support of a specific program.  It is not your caseworker’s role to handle donations so please do not give your donation to Agency staff other than Susan Walker.  If you do not wish to receive newsletters, event information, etc., please notify Susan.      

 

  

 

MORE ON PRIVACY

 

It’s important that you understand the general circumstances in which we may share your information, in addition to those described in prior sections of this letter.

 

Payment: A bill may be sent to a third-party payer such as an insurance company or a funder for a program, or, if your service has a client fee or charge, to you.  The information on the bill, or accompanying it, may include confidential information about you.

 

Agency Operations: When a team is involved in your service, team members may share information in your record to best meet your needs.  Designated members of the staff may review information in your case record to supervise our employees or to assess the quality of service and outcomes in your case or in a program.  We use this information to improve the quality and effectiveness of the services we provide.  We may have another of our programs contact you if we believe it would help you or your family.

 

Communication with Certain Individuals: We may use or disclose information to notify, or assist in notifying, a family member, personal representative, or person responsible for your care, location, and condition.

 

Abuse or Neglect:  We may disclose information from your case record to a public authority that is authorized by law to receive reports of, or that is investigating, child or elder abuse or neglect.  We may also disclose information from your case record to a governmental entity or agency if we believe that you have been a victim of abuse, neglect, or domestic violence.

 

Protected Health Information:  If the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) applies to the services we are providing, we will give you our Notice of Privacy Practice.  It explains your rights under HIPAA.  You may obtain a copy of this Notice on our website at www.catholiccharities-kcsj.org, by contacting us, or by picking up a copy at your next appointment.

 

Law Enforcement; Health and Safety: We may disclose information from your record for law enforcement or similar purposes if we believe in good faith that such disclosure is authorized or required by law or a professional standard.  We may use or disclose information from your record to law enforcement personnel or other appropriate persons to the extent necessary to prevent or lessen a serious or imminent threat to the health or safety of you, another person, or the public.

 

Self-Monitoring; Quality Improvement:  We may release information to an oversight agency, professional standards organization, public authority, health care provider, or attorney if we have questions or concerns about our compliance with contracts, obligations, or professional or clinical standards or about circumstances that could be potentially endangering.  We may use your information as a tool for evaluating or quantifying services or for making, or educating professionals with respect to, quality improvement.

 

Audits and Investigations; Oversight:  We may disclose information from your record to a governmental agency or other regulatory, accrediting, funding, monitoring or oversight body that is responsible for oversight of our organization or a program or service, our internal governance, or our compliance or that is allowed by law, contract with us, or otherwise to receive reports from us or to conduct audits, investigations, inspections, civil or criminal proceedings or other oversight, compliance, enforcement, or governance activities.

 

Research: We may use or disclose information from your record for research purposes if additional steps have been taken to protect the privacy of your information, such as removal of identifying information or obtaining process approval of an Institutional Review Board or a privacy board.

 

Judicial and Administrative Proceedings; Legal Documents: We may disclose information from your record pursuant to a court order, subpoena, discovery request or other lawful process in the course of any judicial or administrative proceeding or as part of an arbitration, mediation, or other dispute resolution procedure.  Your information may be contained in a legal document describing services rendered.

 

Third-Party Access: In order to run our agency and fulfill our obligations and mission, we obtain services and support from and provide information to other entities and people who are not our employees.  We use and participate in databases for tracking client information.  Your information may be accessible to a vendor, donor, or other party with whom we contract, database provider, participants in or providers of an inter-agency coalition or referral group, or user, intern, volunteer, consultant, auditor, accrediting organization, or monitoring body.  These third parties may receive your information for various reasons.  Examples include facilitating work we have asked others to do in support of our organization , allowing others to provide monitoring or oversight of us, facilitating service referrals on your behalf, and working with others who gather and analyze social services data.  Incidental access to your information may occur from circumstances such as the proximity of case records to others besides your case worker, or due to audits, reporting or work on systems or databases.  We cannot guarantee the security of our records (including your information), systems or databases or the records, systems or databases of any other entity that may have access to your information.

 

Revised October 2020

 

Catholic Charities of Kansas City-St. Joseph 

 

NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES

 

 

 

ORIGINAL EFFECTIVE DATE: JANUARY, 2003
MOST RECENTLY REVISED IN AUGUST, 2017 

 

THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY!

 

It is the goal of Catholic Charities to ensure that we protect your health information as required by law. Timely, accurate, and complete health information from your case record (which includes personally identifiable information about you such as your name, address, phone number, SS#, your diagnosis and treatment) must be collected, maintained, and made available to members of the agency’s service team so that your needs can accurately be served. Most clients understand and have no objections to this use of their health information.

 

On the other hand, clients may not be aware of the fact that the health information in their case record may also be used in certain circumstances as: 

 

• A legal document describing the care rendered.
• Verification of services for which the client or a third-party payer is billed.
• A tool in evaluating your care for quality improvement.
• A tool in educating health professionals for quality improvement.
• A source of data for research.
• A source of information for tracking disease so that public health officials can manage and improve the health of the nation.
• A source of data for agency planning and program marketing.

 

Although clients trust their service providers to maintain the privacy of the information in their case record, increasingly, clients want to be informed about what information is collected and to have some control over how their information is used. With this in mind, the federal government enacted the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (“HIPAA”) requiring that we as a service provider furnish you with our Notice of Privacy Practices. To the extent state laws are more stringent than HIPAA, Catholic Charities will abide by the more stringent state laws when applicable.

 

This notice describes how protected health information about you may be used and disclosed, including how we may use and disclose your protected health information to carry out treatment, payment, or health care operations and for other purposes that are permitted or required by law. This notice also describes your rights to access and control your protected health information and how you can get access to this information. Please review this notice carefully. If you have any questions about this notice, please contact our Privacy Contact listed at the end of this document. “Protected health information” is information about you, including demographic information, that may identify you and that relates to your past, present or future physical or mental health or condition and related health care services.

 

NOTE: Effective August 17, 2015, Catholic Charities has elected to become a hybrid entity for purposes of HIPAA. As a hybrid entity, only the departments and programs designated as health care components by Catholic Charities must comply with HIPAA. As a result of the hybrid entity election, this notice applies only to Catholic Charities’ provision of services through its health care components. The following programs are the health care components of Catholic Charities:

 

• Mental Health Counseling
• Senior Care Services In-Home Care
• Accounting Department (limited to employees whose positions require access to protected health information created or received by the above-designated programs and departments, which are currently the AR/Cash Receipt Specialist, Controller, and Grant Accountant)

 

We are required to abide by the terms of this Notice of Privacy Practices. We may change the terms of our notice at any time. The new notice will be effective for all protected health information that we maintain at that time. Upon your request, you may obtain any revised Notice of Privacy Practices by accessing our website, www.catholiccharities-kcsj.org, by contacting the agency and requesting that a revised copy be sent to you in the mail or by e-mail, or asking for one at the time of your next appointment. However, a Notice will not be sent by e-mail unless specifically requested by you, along with the specific e-mail address to which the Notice may be sent. 

 

As indicated above, this notice describes how protected health information about you may be used and disclosed and how you can get access to this information. Please review it carefully. We will not use or disclose protected health information from your case record without your authorization, except as described in this notice. 

 

Understanding Your Case Record/Information

 

Each time Catholic Charities provides a service, information is added to your case record. Among other things, this information serves as a: 

 

• Basis for planning your care, services and treatment
• Means of communication among the professionals who contribute to your care
• Legal document describing the care you received
• Means by which you or a third-party payer can verify that services billed were actually provided
• A tool in educating health professionals
• A source of data for research
• A source of information for public health officials charged with improving the health of the nation
• A source of data for planning and program marketing
• A tool with which we can work to improve the care you receive and the outcomes we achieve

 

 

 

Understanding what is in your record and how your information is used helps you to

 

• • Ensure it is accurate.
  • Better understand who, what, when, where, and why others may have access to information about you.
  • Make more informed decisions when authorizing the release of your information to others.

 

Your Information Rights:

 

Although your case record is the physical property of Catholic Charities, the information belongs to you. You have the right to:

 

• Request a restriction on certain uses and disclosures of your information as provided by 45 CFR 164.522. You have the right to request a restriction or limitation of how we use or disclose your protected health information for treatment, payment, or health care operations. For example, you may request that we not disclose information about a prior treatment to a family member or friend who may be involved in your care or payment for care. Your request must be made in writing. Except as noted below, we are not required to agree to your request if we feel it is in your best interest to use or disclose that particular information. However, if we do agree, we will comply with your request unless that information is needed for emergency treatment. We must agree to a requested restriction if (i) it restricts disclosures of your protected health information to a health plan for purposes of payment or health care operations (as opposed to treatment) and (ii) the protected health information subject to the restriction relates solely to a health care item or service for which we (or another health care provider) have been paid out of pocket in full.
• Obtain a paper copy of the Notice of Privacy Practices upon request as set forth above.
• Inspect and obtain a copy of your case record as provided for in 45 CFR 164.524. Generally, this allows you the right to inspect and copy the protected health information that we maintain about you in our designated record set for as long as we maintain that information. This designated record set includes your medical and billing records, as well as any other records we use for making health care or medical decisions about you. If we maintain an electronic health record of your protected health information, you have the right to obtain a copy of any protected health information comprising such electronic health record in electronic format and to direct us to transmit such electronic copy of your protected health information to another designated entity or person so long as your designation is clear, conspicuous and specific. For this purpose, “electronic health record” means an electronic record of your protected health information that is created, gathered, managed and consulted by us or by one or more of your other health care providers if it was delivered to us. Any psychotherapy notes that may be included in your records are not available for your inspection or copying by law. There are situations where we may deny you access to your records. In such situations, we would inform you of our reasons for denial and you would have the right to have this denial reviewed. We may charge you a fee for the costs of copying, mailing, or other supplies used in fulfilling your request. If you request an electronic copy of your electronic health record, we may charge you our reasonable labor costs incurred to comply with your request.
• Amend your case record as provided in 45 CFR 164.528. You have the right to request that we amend your protected health information if you feel that it is incomplete or inaccurate. You must make this request in writing, stating exactly what information is incomplete or inaccurate and the reasoning that supports your request. We are permitted to deny your request if it is not in writing or does not include a reason to support the request. We may also deny your request if under the following conditions: (i) we did not create the information or the person who created it is no longer available to make the amendment; (ii) the information is not part of the record which you are permitted to inspect and copy; (iii) the information is not part of the designated record set kept by us; or (iv) if in our opinion the information is accurate and complete.
• Obtain an accounting of disclosures of information from your case record as provided in 45 CFR 164.528. You have the right to request an accounting of the disclosures of your protected health information we have made for up to six years prior to your request. However, the accounting will not include any disclosures of your protected health information: (i) to carry out treatment, payment or health care operations; (ii) to you or your personal representative; (iii) incident to a use permitted or required by law; (iv) pursuant to your written authorization; (v) to persons involved in your care; (vi) for national security or intelligence purposes; (vii) to correctional institutions; or (viii) from which all of your identifying information has been removed in accordance with applicable law. Your request for an accounting must be in writing and state the time period for which an accounting is requested. The first accounting you request in any 12-month period will be free of charge. We may charge you a reasonable and cost-based fee for copying and postage for any subsequent request for an accounting during the same period.
• Request communications of information from your case record by alternative means or at alternative locations. For example, you may request that we send communications to you regarding your protected health information to a work address or via e-mail. Your request must be in writing. We will honor all reasonable requests, but may condition approval on you providing an alternative address or contact method, and information on how payment will be handled.
• Revoke your authorization to use or disclose health information except to the extent that action has already been taken as described below.

 

The Responsibilities of Catholic Charities: 

 

This organization is required to: 

 

• Maintain the privacy of information in your case record.
• Provide you with a copy of our Notice of Privacy Practices.
• Notify you and other affected individuals in the event of a breach of your unsecured protected health information.
• Abide by the terms of this notice.
• Notify you if we are unable to agree to a requested restriction.
• Accommodate reasonable requests you may have to communicate information from your record by alternative means or at alternative locations.

 

Uses and Disclosures that Require Authorization. We will not use or disclose your protected health information under any of the following circumstances without first obtaining your authorization: 

 

• Psychotherapy notes. We will generally not use or disclose psychotherapy notes that contain your protected health information without your authorization. However, we may use or disclose psychotherapy notes:
  • To provide treatment to you;
  • For our own training programs involving mental health students;
  • To defend ourselves in any legal action or other proceeding brought by you;
  • In connection with an investigation by the Secretary of Health and Human Services or a health agency that has oversight over us;
  • If necessary to prevent a serious an imminent threat to the health or safety of any person or if otherwise required by law; and
  • To a coroner or medical examiner after your death.
• Marketing. We will not use or disclose your protected health information for marketing purposes without your authorization, unless the marketing is in the form of a face-to-face communication or a promotional gift of nominal value. “Marketing” does not include communications to you for treatment, case management, or care coordination purposes or to describe a product or service that we provide.
• Sale. We will not sell your protected health information without your authorization.

 

 

 

Examples Of How We Will Disclosure Your Information For Treatment, Payment And Health Operations

 

We will use information from your case record for treatment.

 

For example: Information obtained by your service provider will be recorded in your case record and used to determine the course of treatment and services that should work best for you. When a team of individuals are involved in your service delivery, we will share certain agreed upon components of your record. This is to ensure that the team can best meet your needs. 

 

We will use your information in your case record for payment. 

 

For example: A bill may be sent to you or a third-party payer i.e. an insurance company or a funder for a program. The information on or accompanying the bill may include information that identifies you, as well as your diagnosis (if applicable), procedures, and supplies used. 

 

We will use information in your case record for continuous quality improvement of agency operations.

 

For example: Designated members of the staff may review information in your case record to assess the care and outcomes in your case and others like it. This information will then be used in an effort to improve the quality and effectiveness of the services we provide. 

 

The supervisor of your service provider may review your case record as part of the supervisory process of the agency to ensure that your needs are being met and that agency policy and procedures are being followed.

 

 

 

Examples Of How We Will Disclosure Your Information For Purposes Other Than Treatment, Payment And Health Operations 

 

Business Associates: There are some services provided in our organization through contracts with business associates. Examples include vendors, our auditors, our accrediting body, and other contract monitoring bodies. When these services are contracted, information in your case record may be disclosed to our business associate so that they can perform the job we’ve asked them to do, or they may have incidental access to information in your case record due to the proximity of case record information to their work. These agreements also include any observers or students that are in our organization for educational purposes. To protect information from your case record, however, we require the business associate to treat your information with the same degree of privacy and confidentiality that we do through a business associate agreement. 

 

Notification and Communication with the Family: We may use or disclose information to notify or assist in notifying a family member, personal representative, or another person responsible for your care, your location, and general condition. 

 

Abuse or Neglect: We may disclose information from your case record to a public authority that is authorized by law to receive reports of child or elder abuse or neglect. In addition, we may disclose information from your case record if we believe that you have been a victim of abuse, neglect, or domestic violence to the governmental entity or agency authorized to receive such information. In this case, the disclosure will be made consistent with the requirements of applicable federal and state laws. 

 

Fundraising: We may send you information about our agency such as newsletters, fundraising events, etc. If you do not wish to receive these materials, please contact our Privacy Officer in writing and request that these fundraising materials not be sent to you. (Please see the end of this document for contact information) 

 

Workers compensation: We may disclose information from your case record to the extent authorized by and to the extent necessary to comply with laws relating to workers compensation or other similar programs established by law. 

 

Public health: As required or authorized by law, we may disclose information from your case record to public health or legal authorities charged with preventing or controlling disease, injury, or disability and to (i) report child abuse or neglect; (ii) track or report information concerning the quality, safety or effectiveness of a product regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration; and (iii) report work-related injuries or illnesses or conduct medical surveillance of the workplace. 

 

Correctional institution: Should you be an inmate of a correctional institution, we may disclose to the institution or agents thereof, information from your record necessary for your health and the health and safety of other individuals. 

 

Law enforcement: We may disclose information from your record for law enforcement purposes as authorized or required by law. 

 

Federal law makes provision for information from your record to be released to an appropriate health oversight agency, public health authority or attorney, provided that a work force member or business associate believes in good faith that we have engaged in unlawful conduct or have otherwise violated professional or clinical standards and are potentially endangering one or more patients, workers or the public. We may also disclose information from your record to a federal or state governmental agency that is responsible for oversight of the health care system or government benefit programs (such as Medicare or Medicaid) for purposes of audits, investigations, inspections, civil or criminal proceedings and other oversight activities. 

 

Change of Ownership: If by chance, Catholic Charities is dissolved, all of our property becomes the property of Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Inc. 

 

Research: We may use or disclose information from your record for research purposes in limited situations where additional steps have been taken to protect the privacy of your information, such as obtaining approval of an Institutional Review Board or a privacy board, or removing all of your identifying information. 

 

Health and Safety: We may use or disclose information from your record to law enforcement personnel or other appropriate persons to the extent necessary to prevent or lessen a serious or imminent threat to the health or safety of a person or the public, and such use or disclosure is consistent with applicable law and ethical standards. 

 

Military: If you are a member of the armed forces, we may disclose information from your record to military authorities as authorized or required by law. 

 

Judicial and Administrative Proceedings: We may disclose information from your record pursuant to a court order, subpoena, discovery request or other lawful process in the course of any judicial or administrative proceeding. 

 

Any use of your protected health information from your case record outside of this Notice will not occur without your written permission. If you provide us permission to use or disclose your protected health information, you may revoke that permission, in writing, at any time. If revoked, we will no longer use or disclose your protected health information for the specific purpose(s) contained in the authorization. However, your revocation will not apply to any uses or disclosures made prior to your revocation or in reliance on the authorization.

 

 

 

For More Information or to Report a Problem: 

 

If you have questions and would like additional information, or if you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you have the right to file a formal, written complaint with us at the address below, or with the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Civil Rights. We cannot and will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint. To file a complaint with us or to receive further information about our privacy practices or the content of this Notice, please contact:

 

 

 

Catholic Charities of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Inc.
4001 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., Suite 250 Kansas City, MO 64130
Hours of Operation: Monday through Thursday – 8am to 5:50pm
816-221-4377 or toll free 1-800-875-4377.

 

 

 

Effective Date: January, 2003
Revised: September 2004
Revised: June 2005
Revised: May 2010
Revised: May 2013
Revised: August 2015
Revised: August 2017

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Catholic Charities of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Inc.

 

HOMELESS MISSOURIANS INFORMATION SYSTEM (HMIS)

 

 

 

PRIVACY AND SECURITY NOTICE

 

 

 

A written copy of this Policy is available to all who request it.
It is also available on this agency’s web site.

 

 

 

I. PURPOSE:

 

This notice describes the privacy policy of this agency. The policy may be amended at any time. We may use or disclose your information to provide you with services, and to comply with legal and other obligations. We assume that, by requesting services from our agency, you agree to allow us to collect information and to use or disclose it as described in this notice and as otherwise required by law. 

 

The Homeless Missourians Information System (HMIS) was developed to meet a data collection requirement made by the United States Congress and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Congress passed this requirement in order to get a more accurate count of individuals who are homeless and to identify the need for and use of different services by those individuals and families. We are collecting statistical information on those who use our services and report this information to a central data collection system.

 

In addition, many agencies in this area use HMIS to keep computerized case records. This information may be provided to other HMIS participating agencies. The information you may agree to allow us to collect and share includes: basic identifying demographic data, such as name, address, phone number and birth date; the nature of your situation and the services and referrals you receive from this agency. This information is known as your Protected Personal Information or PPI. All agencies using the HMIS share their data with other participating agencies, with the exception of Blind Service Providers. These blind agencies serve specific protected client populations, such as domestic abuse, sexual abuse, HIV/AIDS, alcohol and/or substance abuse, and mental health, and do not share client information.

 

GENERALLY, all personal information we maintain is covered by this policy. Generally, your personal information will only be used by this agency and other agencies to which you are referred for services. 

 

Information shared with other HMIS agencies helps us to better serve our clients, to coordinate client services, and to better understand the number of individuals who need services from more than one agency. This may help us to meet your needs and the needs of others in our community by allowing us to develop new and more efficient programs. Sharing information can also help us to make referrals more easily and may reduce the amount of paperwork. 

 

Maintaining the privacy and safety of those using our services is very important to us. Information gathered about you is personal and private. We collect information only when appropriate to provide services, manage our organization, or as required by law.

 

 

 

II. CONFIDENTIALITY RIGHTS: 

 

This agency has a confidential policy that has been approved by its Board of Directors. This policy follows all HUD confidentiality regulations that are applicable to this agency, including those covering programs that receive HUD funding for homeless services. Separate rules apply for HIPPA privacy and security regulations regarding medical records.

 

This agency will use and disclose personal information from HMIS only in the following circumstances:
1. To provide or coordinate services to an individual.
2. For functions related to payment or reimbursement for services.
3. To carry out administrative functions including, but not limited to legal, audit, personnel, planning, oversight or management functions.
4. Databases used for research, where all identifying information has been removed.
5. Contractual research where privacy conditions are met.
6. Where a disclosure is required by law and disclosure complies with and is limited to the requirements of the law. Instances where this might occur are during a medical emergency, to report a crime against staff of the agency or a crime on agency premises, or to avert a serious threat to health or safety, including a person’s attempt to harm himself or herself.
7. To comply with government reporting obligations.
8. In connection with a court order, warrant, subpoena or other court proceeding where disclosure is required.

 

 

 

III. YOUR INFORMATION RIGHTS: 

 

As a client receiving services at this agency, you have the following rights:
1. Access to your record. You have the right to review your HMIS record. At your request, we will assist in viewing the record within five working days.
2. Correction of your record. You have the right to request to have your record corrected so that information is up-to-date and accurate to ensure fairness in its use.
3. Refusal. Our ability to assist you depends on having certain personal identifying information. If you choose not to share the information we request, we reserve the right
to decline to provide you with services as doing so could jeopardize our status as a service provider.
4. Agency’s Right to Refuse Inspection of an Individual Record . Our agency may deny you the right to inspect or copy your personal information for the following reasons:
a. information is compiled in reasonable anticipation of litigation or comparable proceedings;
b. information about another individual other than the agency staff would be disclosed;
c. information was obtained under a promise of confidentiality other than a promise from this provider and disclosure would reveal the source of the information; or
d. information, the disclosure of which would be reasonably likely to endanger the life or physical safety of any individual.
5. Harassment. The agency reserves the right to reject repeated or harassing requests for access or correction. However, if the agency denies your request for access or correction, you will be provided written documentation regarding your request and the reason for denial. A copy of that documentation will also be included in your client record.
6. Grievance. You have the right to be heard if you feel that your confidentiality rights have been violated, if you have been denied access to your personal records, or if you have been put at personal risk, or harmed. Our agency has established a formal grievance process for you to use in such a circumstance. To file a complaint or grievance you should contact our Community Housing Program Manager at: scampbell@ccharities.com or (816)729-6331.

 

 

 

IV. HOW YOUR INFORMATION WILL BE KEPT SECURE: 

 

Protecting the safety and privacy of individuals receiving services and the confidentiality of their records is of paramount importance to us. Through training, policies, procedures and software, we have taken the following steps to make sure your information is kept safe and secure:
1. The computer program we use has the highest degree of security protection available.
2. Only trained and authorized individuals will enter or view your personal information.
3. Your name and other identifying information will not be contained in HMIS reports that are issued to local, state or national agencies.
4. Employees receive training in privacy protection and agree to follow strict confidentiality standards before using the system.
5. The server/database/software only allows individuals access to the information. Only those who should see certain information will be allowed to see that information.
6. The server/database will communicate using 128-bit encryption-an Internet technology intended to keep information private while it is transported back and forth across the Internet. Furthermore, identifying data stored on the server is also encrypted or coded so that it cannot be recognized.
7. The server/database exists behind a firewall-a device meant to keep hackers/crackers/viruses/etc. away from the server.
8. The main database will be kept physically secure, meaning only authorized personnel will have access to the server/database.
9. System Administrators employed by the HMIS and the agency support the operation of the database. Administration of the database is governed by agreements that limit the use of personal information to providing administrative support and generating reports using aggregated information. These agreements further insure the confidentiality of your personal information. 

 

V. BENEFITS OF HMIS AND AGENCY INFORMATION SHARING:

 

 Information you provide us can play an important role in our ability and the ability of other agencies to continue to provide the services that you and others in the community are requesting. 

 

Allowing us to share your name results in a more accurate count of individuals and the services they use. Obtaining an accurate count is important because it can help us and other agencies:
1. Better demonstrate the need for services and the specific types of assistance needed in our area.
2. Obtain more money and other resources to provide services.
3. Plan and deliver quality services to you and your family.
4. Assist the agency to improve its work with families and individuals who are homeless.
5. Keep required statistics for state and federal funders, such as HUD.

 

 

 

VI. COMPLIANCE WITH OTHER LAWS

 

 This agency complies with all other federal, state and local laws regarding privacy rights. Consult with an attorney if you have questions regarding these rights.

 

 

 

VII. PRIVACY NOTICE AMENDMENTS:

 

The policies covered under this Privacy Notice may be amended over time and those amendments may affect information obtained by the agency before the date of the change. All amendments to the Privacy Notice must be consistent with the requirements of the Federal Standards that protect the privacy of consumers and guide HMIS implementation and operation.

 

 

 

VIII. Web Site

 

We maintain a copy of the Privacy Notice on our web site at: www.catholiccharities-kcsj.org

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Catholic Charities of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Inc.
4001 Blue Parkway Suite 250 Kansas City, MO 64130
Hours of Operation: Monday through Thursday – 8am to 5:50pm
816-221-4377 or toll free 1-800-875-4377.