Confidentiality Agreement

It is the policy of the Human Development Center (HDC) that its Client medical or client case files represent confidential information that each employee has a continuing obligation to protect. At the time of employment, Employee agrees to protect HDC's confidential information as set forth below.

Employee understands that in the course of employment with HDC, Employee may have authorized access to or inadvertently encounter “confidential information.” As used in this Confidentiality Agreement, “confidential information” is the same as “protected health information (PHI)” and includes, but is not limited to:

• any information that is protected under state or federal law, including all medical and personal information concerning HDC's clients;

• information regarding the provision of services or submission of claims;

• any document containing a client name or identification number;

• any information that identifies an individual and relates to past, present or future physical or mental health condition or care;

• information about billing or payment of health care services for an individual;

• any information about eligibility or enrollment of an individual for services, or even information that an individual is a recipient of health care services or assessments for services

Accordingly, as a condition of employment and in consideration of Employee's access to HDC's confidential information, Employee agrees to the following:

• Employee agrees to hold HDC's confidential information in the strictest confidence and not to disclose or otherwise utilize this confidential information except as necessary for Employee to perform his or her customary and regular job duties. This means, among other things, that:

• Employee will only access confidential information for which Employee has a legitimate business and/or clinical need to know;

• Employee will not in any way disclose, divulge, copy, release, sell, loan, review, alter or destroy any of HDC's confidential information except as properly authorized within the scope of Employee's employment with HDC; and

• Employee will not otherwise misuse or misappropriate HDC's confidential information.

• Employee further agrees to prevent unauthorized use of confidential information and agrees to report any unauthorized use of confidential information to HDC's Privacy Officer.

• Employee agrees not to remove any client record (including copies), or any other type of confidential information, from the office where it is kept, except in the performance of Employee's regular and customary job duties.

• Employee agrees not to remove any original client record from HDC's property at any time without prior consent of the Employee's supervisor.

• Employee agrees not to remove any copies of client records from HDC's property at

any time without prior consent of Employee's supervisor.

• Employee agrees not to divulge his or her network computer password to anyone else, or allow anyone els to access or alter information under Employee's identity.

• Employee understands that PHI remains confidential both in and outside the workplace, and agrees not to discuss PHI with any individual or organization that has not completed a Confidentiality Agreement with HDC and does not have a valid business reason to have access to this information.

• Employee agrees to follow all policies and procedures for privacy protection and security of data and information that are explained to the employee as part of the employee's assigned job duties.

Employee understands that HDC's Privacy Officer is available to answer questions and to provide guidance to assist the employee in protecting the privacy of individual's health information.

Employee acknowledges that failure to comply with the obligations contained in this Confidentiality Agreement will result in disciplinary action, up to and including possible termination of employment.

Employee agrees that the obligations contained in this Confidentiality Agreement will continue after termination of employment, whether Employee's employment is terminated voluntarily or involuntarily.

I have read the information above and agree to the confidentiality requirements specified in this document.