CHAS HEALTH NOTICE OF PRIVACY PRACTICES
Effective Date: February 16, 2026
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.
This notice applies to all health records created or maintained by CHAS Health. If you receive substance use disorder (SUD) treatment at CHAS Health, Part 2 of this notice also applies to you and describes additional, stronger protections for those records. If you need this notice in another format — such as large print or another language — please ask us. Translation and accessibility assistance are available.
PART 1
YOUR HEALTH INFORMATION RIGHTS AND OUR PRIVACY PRACTICES
As required by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), 45 CFR Part 164
- Health information will be obtained and documented in your health record by providers, dentists, nurses and any other member of our health care team in order to provide you with health care treatment and services.
- Health information may be disclosed to others who are involved in your treatment, including secure disclosures made electronically through Health Information Exchanges (HIE), as permitted by law.
How We Use and Share Your Health Information
Treatment: We use and share your health information with providers involved in your care. This includes secure sharing through Health Information Exchanges (HIEs). We also provide care through telehealth; the same privacy protections apply to telehealth services.
Payment: We use your information to bill and collect payment from you, your health plan, or other payers.
Health Care Operations: We use your information to improve the quality of your care, train and evaluate staff, conduct audits, manage legal and compliance functions, and contact you with appointment reminders or information about your care options.
Other Permitted or Required Uses and Disclosures
We may also use or share your information — without your written authorization — in the situations below.
Important: If we have SUD records about you protected under 42 CFR Part 2, those records cannot be used or shared in any civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative proceeding against you without (1) your written consent, or (2) a court order accompanied by a subpoena. See Part 2 below for more detail.
| Purpose | When We May Share |
|---|---|
| Public Health & Safety | To prevent or control disease; report births, deaths, child abuse or neglect; respond to product recalls; or address serious health or safety threats |
| Health Oversight | For government oversight of health care systems, programs, and compliance with civil rights laws |
| Law Enforcement | As required by law — to identify suspects, locate missing persons, report crimes at CHAS Health, or in emergencies |
| Legal Proceedings | In response to a valid court order or subpoena |
| Research | When an approved research program has proper safeguards to protect your information |
| Organ & Tissue Donation | To facilitate organ or tissue donation and transplantation |
| Workers' Compensation | For claims related to a work injury |
| Coroners & Funeral Directors | As needed for them to carry out their legal duties |
| Government Functions | For military, national security, and presidential protection activities authorized by law; and to correctional institutions as necessary to provide health care and ensure safety |
| Prescription Drug Monitoring (PDMP) | As required by state law |
Any use or disclosure not described in this notice will only be made with your written authorization. You may revoke that authorization at any time in writing, except where we have already acted on it.
Your Choices
Family and Friends: You can tell us whether to share your health information with family members, close friends, or others involved in your care. If you are unable to tell us your preference (for example, in an emergency), we may share if we believe it is in your best interest.
Fundraising: We may contact you about fundraising. You have the right to opt out at any time. If we use SUD records protected under 42 CFR Part 2 for fundraising, we will give you a clear and obvious opportunity to opt out before doing so.
Marketing and Sale of Information: We will not use or share your information for marketing purposes or sell your information without your written authorization.
Your Rights
These rights apply to all your health information at CHAS Health, including SUD records. SUD records may have additional protections described in Part 2.
| Your Right | What This Means | How to Exercise It |
|---|---|---|
| Get a copy of your records | You can request a paper or electronic copy of your health records. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee and will respond within 30 days. | Ask at the front desk or contact our Privacy Officer |
| Correct your records | You can ask us to correct information you believe is wrong or incomplete. We may say no, but will explain why in writing within 60 days. | Submit a written request to our Privacy Officer |
| Limit what we share | You can ask us to limit how we use or share your information. We are not required to agree — but if you paid out-of-pocket in full for a service, we must honor your request not to share that information with your insurer. | Contact our Privacy Officer |
| Confidential communications | You can ask us to contact you only in a certain way or at a specific address. We will honor all reasonable requests. | Tell us at your visit or contact our Privacy Officer |
| Accounting of disclosures | You can request a list of when and with whom we shared your information for up to six years back, except for treatment, payment, and operations disclosures. Free once every 12 months; a fee may apply for additional requests. | Contact our Privacy Officer |
| Paper copy of this notice | You can ask for a paper copy of this notice at any time, even if you agreed to receive it electronically. | Ask at the front desk or contact our Privacy Officer |
| Choose someone to act for you | A personal representative — such as someone with your health care power of attorney or your legal guardian — may exercise your rights on your behalf. We will verify their authority before taking action. | Contact our Privacy Officer |
| File a complaint | If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with CHAS Health or with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights. We will not retaliate against you. | See contact information below |
Our Responsibilities
- We are required by law to protect the privacy and security of your health information.
- We will notify you promptly if a breach occurs that may have compromised your information.
- We must follow the terms of this notice while it is in effect.
- We will not use or share your information in ways not described in this notice without your written authorization.
Redisclosure: Information we share with others under HIPAA may in some circumstances be further shared by the recipient and may no longer be protected by HIPAA once disclosed. Special protections for SUD records under 42 CFR Part 2 continue to apply as described in Part 2 below.
State Law: Washington and Idaho law may provide additional privacy protections beyond HIPAA. Where state law is more protective, we follow state law.
Changes to This Notice
We may change the terms of this notice at any time. Changes will apply to all health information we maintain. The updated notice will be available at our offices, on our website, and upon request.
Questions or Complaints
CHAS Health Privacy Officer
731 North Iron Bridge Way, Spokane, WA 99202 | 509.444.8888
HHS Office for Civil Rights
200 Independence Ave. S.W., Washington, D.C. 20201 | 1.877.696.6775 · hhs.gov/hipaa/filing-a-complaint
PART 2
ADDITIONAL PROTECTIONS FOR SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER (SUD) RECORDS
As required by 42 U.S.C. 290dd-2 and 42 CFR Part 2
THIS SECTION DESCRIBES SPECIAL, STRONGER PROTECTIONS THAT APPLY IF YOU RECEIVE SUD DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENT, OR REFERRAL FOR TREATMENT AT CHAS HEALTH. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.
CHAS Health operates a federally assisted SUD treatment program. Federal law gives your SUD records protections that go beyond standard HIPAA protections. These exist because fear of legal or other consequences should never stop someone from getting help.
All of the rights described in Part 1 of this notice apply to your SUD records. This section describes what is different or additional for SUD records specifically.
Consent Is Required Before We Share Most SUD Records
Unlike general health records, we generally cannot share your SUD records without your written consent — even for treatment, payment, and health care operations. Your consent must be in writing and must specify what information can be shared, with whom, and for what purpose.
Single Consent Option: You may sign a single consent that covers all future uses and disclosures of your SUD records for treatment, payment, and health care operations. You can revoke this consent at any time in writing, except where we have already acted on it.
SUD Counseling Notes: Notes from your individual SUD counseling sessions that may be recorded by your SUD provider outside of the medical record receive an extra layer of protection. We need your separate, specific written consent before sharing SUD counseling notes — even if you have already signed a general SUD consent. SUD counseling notes differ from general SUD treatment records, which can be disclosed with your written consent as outlined above.
When We May Share SUD Records Without Your Consent
These exceptions are narrow and strictly limited:
| Exception | Conditions |
|---|---|
| Medical Emergency | To medical personnel providing emergency treatment to you |
| Research | When the research meets strict federal privacy standards under 42 CFR § 2.52 |
| Program Audit or Oversight | For government oversight of CHAS Health's SUD program, subject to strict confidentiality obligations |
| Court Order + Subpoena | Only with both a court order AND a subpoena, after you are given notice and an opportunity to be heard |
| Child Abuse or Neglect Reporting | As required by state law — limited to the initial report only; further SUD treatment information requires your consent |
| PDMP Reporting | As required by law |
Special Protection in Legal Proceedings
This is one of the most important protections Part 2 provides:
Your SUD records may not be used against you in any civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative proceeding without:
- Your written consent, OR
- A court order AND a subpoena, after you are given notice and a chance to be heard.
Law enforcement, prosecutors, courts, and others cannot obtain your SUD records simply by issuing a standard subpoena. Seeking SUD treatment at CHAS Health will not put you at legal risk through the disclosure of your records.
Redisclosure of SUD Records
If we share your SUD records with another provider or organization, the legal proceeding protections described above continue to apply to those records — regardless of who holds them. Recipients of your SUD records are not permitted to redisclose them except as permitted by law.
CHAS Health
731 North Iron Bridge Way, Spokane, WA 99202 | 509.444.8888
Effective Date: February 16, 2026
If you wish to restrict particular health information from being disclosed, please complete the following form: Health Information Disclosure Restriction.