LCCS is committed to providing high quality disability services to meet the needs of our community and consumers we are likewise committed to preserving your privacy and protecting the medical and personal information that we may receive about you. We have prepared this privacy notice to inform you about what information we collect to whom we may disclose this information and how we may protect the data from privacy violations.
What information we collect
In order to provide you with essential disability services, we must obtain certain types of information about you. Much of our information comes directly from you or your family, either by means of applications, forms or personal interviews. Some of the information is required by state and federal regulations; other information is given by you or your family in order to facilitate service provision or to ensure health and/or safety. We also receive information from the federal, state and local governments, from physicians and therapists, from testing laboratories and other health providers, and from school systems. Examples of this information are: name, address, phone number, social history, medical history and condition, academic and psychological assessments, progress on goals and so on.
What information we disclose
LCCS only discloses medical and personal information to individuals or agencies who are directly or indirectly involved in the design and/or delivery of services, or for whom you have, in writing, authorized the sharing of specific information. Common recipients of information include, but are not limited to, federal, state and local government agencies, other disability service providers, your physician, your legal representative and your family members. Examples of information that we are permitted to share are psychological and educational evaluations, goals and data collection, eligibility information, social histories, future plans, etc.
Please note that individuals over eighteen (18) years of age, regardless of disability, are protected by the same privacy laws as any other citizen, unless they have a court-appointed legal guardian. This means that Focus is required to obtain the written permission of our consumers before disclosing medical and personal information to anyone not already involved in the design and delivery of services, including family members.
Our privacy protection procedures
At LCCS we take your privacy rights seriously, and do all that we can to protect your medical and personal information from unauthorized access. Our staff members receive regular training regarding our privacy policies. We also employ secure technologies to safeguard hardcopy and computer information, including password protection, locked cabinets and files, and limited access to keyed locks.
Our pledge to you
1.We will safeguard, according to strict standards of security and confidentiality, medical and personal information regarding our consumers.
2.We will limit the collection and use of medical and personal information to the minimum that we require to deliver state-of-the-art disability services to you, our consumers.
3.We will permit only authorized employees and board members, who are trained in the proper use of consumer information, to have access to that data. Employees who violate our Privacy Policy will be subject to our normal disciplinary process.
4.We will only disclose medical and personal information to those who are involved in the design and/or delivery of services, or for whom you, the consumer, have directed, in writing, such access.
5.If we subcontract disability services, such as for physical, speech or occupational therapy we will require their agents to conform to our privacy standards.
6.We will, to the best of our ability, keep our consumer files complete, up-to-date and accurate.
