Privacy Policy and Notice of Privacy Practices

Company: The Lakes Behavioral Health

Phone: (863) 270-9927

 

1. Introduction

At The Lakes Behavioral Health, we are deeply committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of our residents. We understand that anonymity and privacy are cornerstone principles of recovery. This policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your personal information, as well as your rights regarding your Protected Health Information (PHI) under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and applicable state laws.

 

2. Information We Collect

We collect information necessary to provide a safe, supportive living environment and to manage our business operations. This may include:

 

• • Personal Identification: Name, date of birth, social security number, and government-issued ID.
  • Contact Information: Phone number, email address, emergency contacts, and previous addresses.
  • Health and Recovery Data: History of substance use, dates of previous treatment, medications, and results of random toxicology/drug screenings required for residency.
  • Financial Information: Credit card details, bank information, or insurance data used for rent and service payments.
  • Website Data: IP addresses, browser types, and cookies when you interact with our website.

 

 

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your information strictly for the purposes of managing your residency and providing a safe community. Uses include:

 

• • Assessing your eligibility for residency at our homes.
  • Processing rent payments and managing billing.
  • Ensuring the safety and security of all residents (e.g., administering drug/alcohol tests).
  • Communicating with you regarding your residency, rules, or emergencies.
  • Complying with legal and regulatory requirements.

 

 

4. HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices

If The Lakes Behavioral Health operates as a “Covered Entity” under HIPAA (e.g., provides clinical treatment or bills insurance electronically), the following applies to your Protected Health Information (PHI).

How We May Use and Disclose Your PHI:

 

• • Treatment: We may share your PHI with medical professionals, therapists, or outpatient programs you are attending to coordinate your care, provided we have your consent.
  • Payment: We may use and disclose PHI to bill and collect payment for the services and housing we provide.
  • Healthcare Operations: We may use PHI to evaluate the quality of our services, train staff, and manage our business operations.
  • Emergencies: In a medical emergency, we may share information with first responders or medical personnel to prevent a serious threat to your health and safety.
  • Legal Requirements: We will disclose PHI when required to do so by federal, state, or local law, or in response to a valid court order.

 

Disclosures Requiring Your Written Authorization: Special protections apply to substance use disorder records under federal law (42 CFR Part 2). We will not disclose information identifying you as having a substance use disorder or share your highly confidential records without your explicit, written authorization, except in highly limited circumstances (such as medical emergencies or reporting suspected child abuse).

 

5. Your Privacy Rights

Under HIPAA and standard privacy laws, you have the right to:

 

• • Inspect and Copy: Request to see or obtain a copy of your records.
  • Amend: Request corrections to your records if you believe the information is inaccurate or incomplete.
  • Request Restrictions: Ask us to limit the information we share for treatment, payment, or operations. We are not legally required to agree to all requests, but we will review each one carefully.
  • Confidential Communications: Request that we communicate with you in a specific way (e.g., only calling a specific cell phone number).
  • Accounting of Disclosures: Request a list of the times we have shared your health information, who we shared it with, and why.
  • Revoke Authorization: Withdraw any previously given written authorization to share your data, effective from the date of revocation forward.

 

 

6. Data Security

We implement strong physical, administrative, and technical safeguards to protect your data. Physical records are kept in locked, secure areas, and digital records are encrypted and protected by secure passwords and firewalls. Only authorized staff members have access to your personal and health information.

 

7. Changes to This Policy

We reserve the right to change this Privacy Policy at any time. If we make material changes, we will post the updated policy in common areas of our homes and update the “Effective Date” at the top of this document.

 

8. Contact Us and Complaints

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, or if you believe your privacy rights have been violated, please contact our Privacy Officer. You will not be penalized or retaliated against for filing a complaint.

The Lakes Behavioral Health Phone: (863) 270-9927

Address: 420 W Magnolia St, Lakeland, FL 33815