CLIENT CONFIDENTIALITY and PRIVACY POLICY

In order to adequately protect the rights of clients of this agency to confidentiality, the following
policy has been developed.

1. It is the policy of this agency that any and all information concerning a client of this agency
   is of a strictly confidential nature Confidentiality, a right entitled to each client, begins at
   admission or upon the making of application for admission and never terminates. It is the duty
   and responsibility of every employee of this agency to ensure this right.
2. No information (identification data, that of a medical or psychiatric nature, etc.) Concerning a
   client, who is to be admitted, is presently a client, or has been discharged or transferred is to be
   released by any person over the telephone, in person, or in writing. THIS INCLUDES EVEN
   AN AFFIRMATION OR DENIAL AS TO WHETHER A PERSON WILL BE, OR WAS A
   CLIENT OF THIS AGENCY. Such an understanding and agreement is to be signed by every
   employee and placed in his/her personnel folder.
3. All persons or agencies calling. or coining to the agency seeking any type of information
   about a client and/or wishing to know if a client will be, is, or was a client of this agency should
   be quoted agency policy as stated above. The legitimacy of inquiries is to be determined through
   proper referral procedures and is governed by policy and procedures for release of information.
4. Authorization for disclosure of info/Ina:ton to other persons, agencies, insurance companies,
   or attorneys may come only from the client and must be written. The fact that an employer has
   paid, or has agreed to pay agency charges on an employee does not thereby authorize any agency
   employee to give the employer any information without written authorization from the client
   and/or his relatives.
5. No member of the agency staff may issue any verbal or written information tr3 persons
   Outside of the agency without the written approval of the client, except by consent of the client in
   the discussion of the progress of cases with relatives or friends who have a legitimate interest:
6. Administration will, at its discretion, permit use of client records and various documents for
   education purposes, research purposes and surveys by various agencies. Persons other than
   members of the agency staff requesting this privilege, after reading the confidentiality
   compliance form, must ensure secure written authorization of the administrator. Such utilization
   of the records shall be under the supervision of the authorized agency personnel.
7. It shall be the policy of this agency that it will not voluntarily use the client records or
   information in other agency documents in any manner which will jeopardize any of the interest
   of the client, with the exception that the center itself will use the record, if necessary, to defend
   itself or its agents.