Application of HIPAA in Behavioral Health

Course overview

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) was created for the implementation of better portability of protected health information (PHI). It was also designed for the purpose of health insurance continuity (U.S. Government Publishing Office, 2017). You are subject to HIPAA rules and must assess what are reasonable and appropriate security measures for protecting the availability, confidentiality, and integrity of protected health information for in-person services as well as services provided via technology (Telehealth Resource Centers, 2017). HIPAA rules underlie every service related to behavioral health, and they change to meet evolving trends. There are potentially catastrophic organizational and individual consequences if the current HIPAA rules are not followed. This course will help you to identify potential legal and ethical issues related to HIPAA, improve your compliance approach, and develop more effective risk management strategies. The goal of this course is to assist alcohol and drug counselors, marriage and family therapists, professional counselors, psychologists, social workers, and nurses in health and human services settings in understanding and applying current HIPAA regulations.