HIPAA is the acronym for the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act which is intended to protect the privacy of client health information. HIPAA established standards, procedures and guidelines for how covered entities are to maintain the privacy and security of protected health information (PHI).
- Privacy Standards regulate the use and disclosure of PHI held by covered entities.
- Security standards regulate how Electronic Protected Health Information is to be protected by establishing minimum requirements for administrative, physical and technical safeguards.
- Enforcement Rule sets the penalties for violating HIPAA rules and establishes procedures for investigations and hearings.
The Department of Social Services complies with HIPAA. To help fulfill the requirements and consistently implement HIPAA, DSS has created several forms to use help when dealing with the use or disclosure of PHI. Both staff and clients are encouraged to use these forms to help assure HIPAA requirements are met.
HIPAA forms are all in PDF