Trust SoCal Treatment Center

Notice of Privacy Practices

How we use and protect your health information

Effective date: February 16, 2026

1. About This Notice

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.

Program name: Trust SoCal

This notice covers:

How we use and disclose your health information
Your rights regarding your health information
How to file a complaint
Your right to receive a copy of this notice
How to contact our Privacy Officer for questions or concerns

This notice is provided to all clients upon admission and is available on our website, at our facility, and in alternative formats upon request.

Trust SoCal is required by law to maintain the privacy of your protected health information, to provide you with this notice of our legal duties and privacy practices, and to follow the terms of the notice that is currently in effect.

2. Uses and Disclosures for Treatment, Payment, and Healthcare Operations

Treatment

We may use or disclose your health information to provide, coordinate, or manage your treatment. For example, we may share your treatment plan with a referring physician or a specialist involved in your care.

Payment

We may use or disclose your health information to obtain payment for services. For example, we may send your insurance company information about treatment provided to obtain reimbursement.

Healthcare Operations

We may use or disclose your health information for our operational purposes. For example, we may use your information to evaluate staff performance or conduct quality improvement activities.

Because Trust SoCal is a substance use disorder (SUD) treatment program subject to 42 CFR Part 2, your SUD records carry additional federal protections that restrict disclosures that HIPAA would otherwise permit. For treatment, payment, and healthcare operations, we will obtain a single written consent from you that covers these routine uses and disclosures.

3. Other Permitted or Required Disclosures Without Authorization

In certain circumstances, federal and state law permits or requires us to use or disclose your health information without your written authorization:

Required by law: When a use or disclosure is required by federal, state, or local law
Public health activities: To public health authorities for the purpose of preventing or controlling disease, injury, or disability
Victims of abuse, neglect, or domestic violence: To government authorities if we reasonably believe you are a victim of abuse, neglect, or domestic violence
Health oversight activities: To health oversight agencies for activities authorized by law, such as audits, investigations, and inspections
Judicial and administrative proceedings: In response to a court order or, under certain conditions, a subpoena, discovery request, or other lawful process
Law enforcement purposes: To law enforcement officials under limited circumstances, such as to report certain types of wounds or to comply with a court order or warrant
Decedents: To coroners, medical examiners, and funeral directors as necessary to carry out their duties
Organ and tissue donation: To organizations that handle organ procurement or organ, eye, or tissue transplantation
Research: For research purposes when an Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Privacy Board has approved the use or disclosure
Serious threat to health or safety: To prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to the health or safety of a person or the public
Specialized government functions: For military, veterans' affairs, national security, and intelligence activities as required by law
Workers' compensation: As authorized by and to the extent necessary to comply with workers' compensation laws

4. Uses Requiring Your Written Authorization

The following uses and disclosures of your health information will only be made with your written authorization:

Psychotherapy notes: Notes recorded by a mental health professional documenting or analyzing the contents of a counseling session
Marketing purposes: Communications encouraging you to purchase or use a product or service
Sale of your protected health information: Any disclosure of your health information where we receive direct or indirect remuneration
SUD counseling notes: A protection under 42 CFR Part 2 analogous to psychotherapy notes, covering notes from substance use disorder counseling sessions
Any other use not described in this notice: All other uses and disclosures not covered by this notice or by applicable law

You may revoke any authorization in writing at any time, though revocation will not affect actions already taken in reliance on your prior authorization.

5. 42 CFR Part 2 Litigation Protection

Substance use disorder treatment records received from programs subject to 42 CFR part 2, or testimony relaying the content of such records, shall not be used or disclosed in civil, criminal, administrative, or legislative proceedings against the individual unless based on written consent, or a court order after notice and an opportunity to be heard is provided to the individual or the holder of the record, as provided in 42 CFR part 2. A court order authorizing use or disclosure must be accompanied by a subpoena or other legal requirement compelling disclosure before the requested record is used or disclosed.

6. Reproductive Health Information Prohibitions

Under the HIPAA Privacy Rule (Section 164.502(a)(5)(iii)), we are prohibited from using or disclosing your protected health information to investigate or impose liability on any individual for the mere act of seeking, obtaining, providing, or facilitating lawful reproductive health care.

For example, we cannot disclose your health information to a law enforcement agency for the purpose of investigating whether you obtained lawful reproductive health care services.

When required, we will obtain a signed attestation that any request for your reproductive health information is not for a prohibited purpose (per Section 164.509).

7. Redisclosure Statement

Information that we disclose pursuant to your authorization or as otherwise permitted under HIPAA may be subject to redisclosure by the recipient and may no longer be protected by the HIPAA Privacy Rule. However, substance use disorder records disclosed with your consent include a prohibition on redisclosure as required by 42 CFR Part 2.

8. Your Rights

Under HIPAA, 42 CFR Part 2, and applicable state laws, you have the following rights regarding your protected health information:

HIPAA Rights

Request restrictions on uses and disclosures of your health information (Section 164.522(a)). If you pay for a service out-of-pocket in full, you have the right to request that we not share that information with your health plan, and we are required to honor that request.
Request confidential communications at alternative addresses or by alternative means (Section 164.522(b))
Access, inspect, and copy your protected health information (Section 164.524)
Request amendments to your health information if you believe it is incorrect or incomplete (Section 164.526)
Receive an accounting of disclosures we have made of your health information (Section 164.528)
Receive a paper copy of this notice upon request

Additional 42 CFR Part 2 Rights

Restrict TPO disclosures made with your consent (Section 2.26)
Restrict health plan disclosures for services you paid for yourself
Electronic accounting of disclosures for 3 years (Section 2.25)
List of intermediary disclosures for 3 years (Section 2.24)
Paper or electronic copy of this notice
Discuss this notice with a designated contact person

9. Our Duties

We are required by law to:

Maintain the privacy of your protected health information
Provide you with this notice of our legal duties and privacy practices
Notify you in the event of a breach of your unsecured protected health information, including breach of Part 2 records, which is now subject to HIPAA breach notification requirements
Abide by the terms of the notice currently in effect
When we make a material change to this notice, make the revised notice available at our facility, on our website, and provide a copy to you upon request

10. California-Specific Rights

Confidentiality of Medical Information Act (CMIA) -- Civil Code Section 56

California's CMIA provides a private right of action with $1,000 in nominal damages for unauthorized disclosure of medical information. California law imposes stricter authorization requirements, including that the authorization be printed in no smaller than 14-point type.

Health & Safety Code Section 11845.5

Your substance use disorder records cannot be used to initiate or substantiate criminal charges against you. These protections continue even after you are discharged from our program.