What personal data we collect and why we collect it

Comments

When visitors leave comments on the site we collect the data shown in the comments form, and also the visitor’s IP address and browser user agent string to help spam detection.

An anonymized string created from your email address (also called a hash) may be provided to the Gravatar service to see if you are using it. After approval of your comment, your profile picture is visible to the public in the context of your comment.

Media

If you upload images to the website, you should avoid uploading images with embedded location data (EXIF GPS) included. Visitors to the website can download and extract any location data from images on the website.

Cookies

If you leave a comment on our site you may opt-in to saving your name, email address and website in cookies. These are for your convenience so that you do not have to fill in your details again when you leave another comment. These cookies will last for one year.

If you have an account and you log in to this site, we will set a temporary cookie to determine if your browser accepts cookies. This cookie contains no personal data and is discarded when you close your browser.

When you log in, we will also set up several cookies to save your login information and your screen display choices. Login cookies last for two days, and screen options cookies last for a year. If you select “Remember Me”, your login will persist for two weeks. If you log out of your account, the login cookies will be removed.

If you edit or publish an article, an additional cookie will be saved in your browser. This cookie includes no personal data and simply indicates the post ID of the article you just edited. It expires after 1 day.

Embedded content from other websites

Articles on this site may include embedded content (e.g. videos, images, articles, etc.). Embedded content from other websites behaves in the exact same way as if the visitor has visited the other website.

These websites may collect data about you, use cookies, embed additional third-party tracking, and monitor your interaction with that embedded content, including tracking your interaction with the embedded content if you have an account and are logged in to that website.

Analytics

If you leave a comment, the comment and its metadata are retained indefinitely. This is so we can recognize and approve any follow-up comments automatically instead of holding them in a moderation queue.

For users that register on our website (if any), we also store the personal information they provide in their user profile. All users can see, edit, or delete their personal information at any time (except they cannot change their username). Website administrators can also see and edit that information.

What rights you have over your data

If you have an account on this site or have left comments, you can request to receive an exported file of the personal data we hold about you, including any data you have provided to us. You can also request that we erase any personal data we hold about you. This does not include any data we are obliged to keep for administrative, legal, or security purposes.

Where we send your data

Visitor comments may be checked through an automated spam detection service.

When Information Is Used

Novapsych will collect information that is used in order to provide you with potential treatment services, administrative and business-related aspects to include research about demographics and specific interests in certain pages on our site.

Protecting Your Information and Who Can Access

Your personal information will not be provided to anyone outside of Novapsych staff unless approved by you.  All your information will remain private and accessible only to Novapsych staff who are authorized to obtain your information.  Authorized Novapsych representatives will be employed staff trained in protecting your information.  Therefore, your identifiable information will be kept private with the exceptions listed below:

  1. Federal law and regulations do not protect any information about a crime committed
  2. Federal and State regulations do not protect the information you provide that indicates your expressed intent and ability to carry out a threat to harm to yourself or another person, immediately or imminently. We are legally required to take steps to protect third parties
  3. Federal law and regulations do not protect any information about suspected abuse or neglect of any person from being reported under State law to appropriate state or local authorities
  4. Treatment, payment, and health care operations: Novapsych uses and discloses your protected health information for treatment, payment, and health care operations
  5. Providing your diagnosis or other information about your health to your insurance provider or our billing service to obtain payment for the health care services we provide;
  6. Providing certain specified information to law enforcement or correctional institutions;
  7. Public health activities when requested by a public health authority or the FDA.  Responding to health oversight agencies;
  8. Responding to court or administrative tribunal orders, subpoenas, discovery requests or other lawful processes;
  9. Research activities;
  10. When necessary to avert a serious threat to health or safety

Confidentiality of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Records

The confidentiality of alcohol and drug abuse client records maintained by this program is protected by Federal law and regulations and HIPAA.  Novapsych will release or disclose your information or your admittance to the program for the following reasons:

  • You consent in writing via the Authorization to Disclose and/or Obtain Protected Health Information
  • Court Ordered
  • If a medical or psychiatric emergency emerges, information may be released to qualified personnel
  • State personnel requests information to audit the treatment provided

All of Novapsych staff members must abide by the Confidentiality Agreement:

  • All staff members are required by law to protect the privacy of PHI (protected health information)
  • Novapsych is responsible for providing its clients with notice of legal duties and privacy practices regarding client PHI
  • Novapsych staff is required to adhere to the terms of the privacy notice
  • Novapsych has the right to revise the privacy notice and will ensure changes will be posted in the main office

If you have concerns or believe your privacy rights have been violated, we ask that you contact our office as soon as possible so that we may remedy the issue immediately.  You may make a complaint by contacting the Administrator or the DHS customer helpline at (800) 843-6154.  No individual will be retaliated against for filing a complaint.

Client/Patient Rights

It is the policy of Novapsych that clients’ rights are protected at all times. The basic rights to be protected include the right to dignity, privacy, human care and freedom from mental and physical abuse, neglect and exploitation. Furthermore, each client will have the right to treatment that includes access to mental care and habilitation.  Each client has the right to an individualized treatment plan. 

Client’s rights also include the following:

Constitutional Rights

  1. You have the same rights as other citizens of North Carolina to include the following:
    1. Freedom of Speech
    2. Freedom of Association
    3. Freedom of Religion
    4. Property Rights
    5. Privacy and freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures
    6. Freedom from Involuntary Servitude
    7. Right to Vote
    8. Equal Protection
  2. Civil Rights
    1. Accessibility and Accommodations
    2. Least Restrictive Setting and Right to Community Living
  3. Right to Consent
    1. You have the right to consent to and refuse treatment. 
    2. You have a right to receive treatment or medication in an emergency despite the refusal of treatment prior.
    3. You have the right to be informed if a treatment that presents a “significant risk” will be used.  This treatment may not be administered unless you or your authorized representative first give informed consent.
  4. Right to Treatment
    1. You have the right to age-appropriate treatment.
    2. You have the right to your own treatment plan within 30 days of admission to Novapsych.
    3. You have the right to understand the potential risks and alleged benefits of the program.
    4. You have the right to be free from unnecessary medication. Medication will not be used as punishment, discipline, or for staff convenience. Medication will be self-administered by the client.
  5. Right to Confidentiality (unless the exceptions in the Protecting Your Information and Who Can Access It are present)
    1. Information obtained in the treatment of a client is confidential (unless a person is entitled to records, or as a result of death some identification information may be released) and is not public record.
    2. Client records will be released only with authorized consent from the client or legal guardian.  The consent will be valid for a specified length and time but is subject to revocation.
  6. Access to and Planning for Appropriate Services
    1. Right to Information- Information about service delivery, a notice of client rights, grievance, and complaint procedures.
    2. Right to Participate- Person-Centered Planning-to be an active partner in planning for their services.
    3. Right to Individualized, Written Treatment or Service Plan-Based on Person-Centered Planning, must include meaningful and measurable goals as well as a number of other required standards.
    4. Appropriate Services-Individualized and are compliant with the standard level of care.
  7. Treatment and Supports Environment
    1. Respect and Dignity
    2. Safe, Sanitary, and Humane Environment
  8. Right to Protection from Abuse, Neglect of Exploitation
    1. You have the right to protection from abuse, neglect or exploitation by staff members.
    2. You have the right to protect yourself from abuse, neglect or exploitation.
  9. Right to Least Restrictive Alternative
    1. Your personal or physical freedom can be limited when necessary for your safety, the safety of other clients, or for treatment.  You will be involved in decisions to limit your freedom and will be told what has to happen for the limits to be removed.  Restrictions can be applied without notice in emergencies.
    2. Corporal punishment may not be inflicted upon any client.
  10. Right to be informed of a breach- You have the right to be notified in the event that we (or one of our Business Associates) discover a breach involving unsecured PHI.

    1. Right to Hearing and Appeals
    2. If you believe any of your rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with any employee. 
    3. The Director or Administrator will provide you with the information you need to file a complaint.
    4. You have the right to meet with the staff conducting an investigation of the complaint (Director and Administrator)
    5. You have the right to appeal the decision of the Director and/or Administrator
    6. You have the right to contact the Governors Advocacy Council for Persons with Disabilities (GACPD) at 1-800-821-69222.

Consent

When using our site, you are consenting for our entity to collect and use your personally identifiable information as described above.