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Policy and Procedure Approval Letter
March 9, 2020
To: New Hope Employees and Volunteers
Re: Policies and Procedures
The following New Hope policy has been revised:
R1- Confidentiality Policy and Procedures
This policy has been reviewed and approved, as signified by signatures below.
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Tom Tay or Indy C ter
Date
Richard Stevens
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Title: Confidentiality Policy Revision Date: 03/2010,
6/2012, 9/2012,6/2015,
10/2018, 11/2018,
3/2020
POLICY #R1
Policy: It is the policy of New Hope to ensure that all services provided to and on behalf
of a client are confidential to the fullest extent permitted by law. Agents, employees and
volunteers of New Hope must maintain the confidentiality of all personally identifying
information, confidential communications, and any other confidential information.
Information that individually or together with other information could identify a client
must also be kept confidential. The program will take all necessary steps to preserve the
privacy rights of both primary and secondary victims who seek and receive services from
the agency.
Procedures:
1) Any reports, records, working papers, or other documentation, including
electronic files, maintained by New Hope, including information provided to New
Hope on behalf of the client must be kept confidential.
2) Any information considered privileged by stature, rule, regulation or policy that is
shared with New Hope on behalf of a client must not be divulged without a valid
written waiver (agency ROCI) of the privilege that is based on informed consent.
Informed consent requires a Legal and Community Advocate to provide thorough
and accurate information about the advantages and disadvantages of disclosing
confidential communications.
3) Exceptions to this agency's confidentiality policy are:
a. The mandated reporting of abuse or neglect of children; or
b. The mandated reporting of abuse or neglect of vulnerable adults; or
c. Failure to disclose (otherwise confidential information) is likely to result
in a clear, imminent risk of serious physical injury or death to the client or
another person;
d. To provide information to the judge if ordered by court subpoena in
accordance with the agency's Policy on Responding to Subpoenas and
Warrants.
4) Information about clients served is never given by telephone, unless requested by
a person that the client has authorized by signing a "Release of Confidential
Information " form and to whom the client has given a verbal password, if
necessary. All Release of Confidential Information forms are valid for 45 -days
unless otherwise specified. All unauthorized requests for information shall be
responded to with, "I'm sorry I don't have any information I can share with
you about that right now."
Policy RI -Confidentiality Policy
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
5) All staff and volunteers shall receive training on and comply with this policy and
shall sign a confidentiality agreement. (See Staff Confidentiality Form)*
6) Further, the agency will develop and ensure adherence to procedures that
effectively implement this policy by all agency staff and volunteers.
7) Data breach is defined as unauthorized access to, unauthorized acquisition of, or
accidental release of personal information that compromises the security,
confidentiality or integrity of the personal information of someone receiving
services. See Policy R7 for procedures on reporting a data breach.
*See Appendix
Policy RI -Confidentiality Policy 2