TELEPHONIC DISCLOSURE
Confidentiality of Identity and Program Participation
All clients enrolled at Recovery Works are accorded identity confidentiality by federal law.
All staff members are required to adhere to these rules and may be dismissed for allowing a breach of such client rights.
Telephone calls to Recovery Works for its clients shall be received by staff. The identity and enrollment of a client may be acknowledged only with a signed release of information (ROI) form, with such specific request identified.
For telephone acknowledgement of a client’s presence or participation in the program, or, for the relaying of outside callers through staff to clients, each client must first sign a telephone release form, indicating specifically to whom, to which callers, Recovery Works may acknowledge the presence or participation of a client in its program.
If a client wishes to have all of their phone calls relayed regardless of the caller, they may stipulate such on their telephone release.
Otherwise, for any caller without a release, the proper response should be:
“(I am sorry, but) ‘without written client permission, I can neither confirm nor deny whether anyone is, or has ever been, a client here with us’.”
If questioned further:
Unacceptable responses include:
“That person was never here”, (when they have been) or
“There is no one here by that name”, (when there is).
At all times, including outside of their professional capacities, staff are to keep confidential any and all client data and information which is conveyed to them by a client or by any other staff member as provided by 42 CFR part 2 and Privacy Rule 45 CFR.