Two Laws Protect Your Privacy
HIPAA – Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
Like all healthcare providers, Alliance Wellness Clinic is governed by HIPAA. HIPAA protects the privacy of your health information and limits who can access or receive information about your care. Under HIPAA, we cannot share your health information without your written authorization except in specific circumstances defined by law.
42 CFR Part 2 – Federal Confidentiality for Substance Use Records
In addition to HIPAA, patients receiving treatment at a federally certified substance use treatment program, like Alliance Wellness Clinic, are protected by a separate, stricter federal law: 42 CFR Part 2.
42 CFR Part 2 provides confidentiality protections specifically for substance use disorder treatment records that go beyond standard HIPAA requirements. Under 42 CFR Part 2:
- Your treatment records at Alliance Wellness Clinic cannot be disclosed to anyone, including law enforcement, employers, family members, or other healthcare providers, without your written consent
- General authorizations or releases you may have signed elsewhere do not apply to your substance use treatment records at Alliance Wellness Clinic
- Even the fact that you are a patient at Alliance Wellness Clinic is protected
- Violations of 42 CFR Part 2 carry federal penalties
When Information May Be Shared Without Your Consent
There are narrow exceptions where information may be disclosed without your authorization:
- Medical emergencies where disclosure is necessary to protect your life or safety
- Internal communications between members of your care team at Alliance Wellness Clinic (with your knowledge)
- Court orders that meet specific federal requirements under 42 CFR Part 2
- Mandatory reporting required by Minnesota law for child abuse or neglect
- Audit and program evaluation activities conducted under strict confidentiality agreements
These exceptions are narrow and defined by law. We do not share your information beyond what is legally required and clinically necessary.
Sharing Your Information with Other Providers
If you want us to coordinate with your primary care physician, a specialist, your pharmacy, or another treatment program, we can do that, but we need your written authorization first. You decide who we talk to and what we share.
You have the right to:
- Review your records at Alliance Wellness Clinic
- Request corrections to your records
- Receive a copy of your records
- Revoke a consent or authorization you have previously given (with some limitations)
- File a complaint if you believe your privacy rights have been violated
Our Promise
We will never use your information against you. We will never contact your employer without your consent. We will never share your status as a patient at Alliance Wellness Clinic without your written permission. Your recovery is your business, and we take that seriously.
If you have questions about your privacy rights or how your information is used at Alliance Wellness Clinic, please speak with your counselor, nurse, or our admissions team. You can also review our full Notice of Privacy Practices, available on this site and at the front desk.