Privacy Policy

HIPAA Notice or Privacy Practices (NPP)

Effective Date:  September 15, 2025
Revised / Reviewed: July 2026

THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW MEDICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH INFORMATION ABOUT RESIDENTS MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.

Our Legal Commitment

At The Right Way Group Home, we are committed to protecting the Protected Health Information (PHI) of our residents. PHI includes any information regarding past, present, or future physical or mental health conditions, clinical treatments, behavioral intervention plans, and payment or enrollment records.

We are legally required by federal law (HIPAA) and North Carolina state law (N.C.G.S. § 122C) to:

- Maintain the strict privacy and security of your PHI.
- Provide legal guardians and social workers with this detailed Notice of our legal duties and privacy practices.
- Follow the exact terms of the Notice currently in effect.
- Notify legal guardians promptly if a breach occurs that compromises the privacy or security of a resident's PHI.

1. Permitted Uses and Disclosures (Treatment, Payment, & Operations)

We may use or disclose a resident’s PHI for treatment, payment, and healthcare operations without prior written authorization:

For Treatment: We disclose PHI to our internal clinical directors, shift supervisors, therapists, and staff who care for the resident within our Level 3 facility. We also share information with external psychiatrists, primary care doctors, and local North Carolina school districts to coordinate specialized care.

For Payment: We use and disclose PHI so that our intensive Level 3 services can be billed and paid by Medicaid, North Carolina regional LME/MCOs (e.g., Alliance, Trillium, Vaya, Partners), or private insurers.

For Healthcare Operations: We use PHI to run our home, evaluate staff performance, complete state licensing audits required by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS), and improve our therapeutic programs.

2. Strict North Carolina Mental Health Protections (G.S. 122C)

North Carolina law provides heightened privacy protections for mental health and behavioral data. We strictly adhere to 10A NCAC 26B and N.C.G.S. § 122C-52, meaning we will not release clinical records to standard third parties without an explicit, specialized state-approved written release, except in the following limited state-governed environments:

Next of Kin / Guardian Notification: We may disclose the admission, discharge, or a significant change in clinical status of a minor resident to their verified legal guardian or designated DSS case worker.

Other Facilities: We may share relevant treatment summaries with another licensed North Carolina mental health facility if an emergency transfer is necessary for the resident's immediate safety.


3. Special Disclosures Permitted or Required by Law

Federal and state laws allow or require us to share PHI without your authorization under specific conditions:

Public Health and Safety: To prevent serious, imminent threats to the health or safety of the resident, our staff, or the public.

Abuse and Neglect Reporting: We are legally mandated to report any suspected child abuse, neglect, or dependency directly to North Carolina Department of Social Services (DSS) enforcement.

Law Enforcement & Judicial Proceedings: We will disclose PHI in response to a valid court order, a signed judge's warrant, or an official administrative grand jury subpoena as permitted under N.C.G.S. § 122C-54. A standard attorney-issued subpoena is not sufficient to release mental health records without a specific judge's order.

Health Oversight Audits: We disclose information to state regulators for oversight activities, including NCDHHS Division of Health Service Regulation (DHSR) licensing audits and mandatory incident reporting through the NC IRIS system.


4. Disclosures Requiring Explicit Written Authorization

The following uses and disclosures of PHI will only be made with the explicit, signed written authorization of the resident's legal guardian:

Psychotherapy Notes: Any private documentation of therapeutic sessions kept separate from the medical record requires specific signature consent.

Marketing and Sales: We will never sell PHI or utilize a resident’s health data or image for marketing, website testimonials, or promotional purposes.


5. Individual Privacy Rights

As a legal guardian or authorized representative, you possess the following rights regarding the resident's PHI:

Right to Inspect and Copy: You have the right to look at and get an electronic or paper copy of the resident's clinical and billing records. All requests must be submitted in writing. We will provide these records within 30 days and may charge a reasonable, cost-based administrative fee.

Right to Request Restrictions: You can ask us not to use or share certain health information for treatment, payment, or operations. We are not legally required to agree to your request if it impacts emergency care. Exception: If you pay for a service 100% out-of-pocket, you have the right to restrict disclosures of that information to health plans.

Right to Confidential Communications: You can request that we contact you only in specific ways (e.g., a specific mobile phone number or a specific mailing address). We will accommodate all reasonable requests.

Right to Amend Records: If you believe clinical or billing information in our records is inaccurate or incomplete, you may submit a written request to amend the record. We may deny your request if the record was not created by us, but we will provide a written explanation within 60 days.

Right to an Accounting of Disclosures: You can request a list (an accounting) of the times we have shared the resident’s health information for up to six years prior to your request date. This list excludes standard disclosures made for treatment, payment, and healthcare operations.

Right to a Paper Copy: You have the right to request a paper copy of this Notice at any time, even if you previously agreed to receive it electronically.


6. Changes to This Notice

We reserve the right to change the terms of this privacy notice, and the changes will apply to all information we have about our residents. The updated notice will be available upon request, posted prominently inside our Level 3 facility, and published on our website.


7. Complaints and Enforcement

If you believe privacy rights have been violated, you may file a formal complaint with our facility Privacy Officer or directly with the federal government:

Internal Contact:
The Right Way Group Home
Attn: Privacy Officer
132 Wiley Drive, Candor, NC 27229
Email: support@therightwaygh.com
Phone: +1 (910) 974-2015

Federal Contact:
Office for Civil Rights (OCR)
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20201

We strictly prohibit retaliation. Filing a complaint will not affect the quality of care or status of any resident at our facility.