The AL-501 CoC Privacy Notice to Clients describes the privacy policy and practices of Housing First, Inc. We may amend this policy over time. We collect personal information only when appropriate. We may use or disclose your information to provide you with services. We may also use or disclose it to comply with legal and other obligations. You can inspect personal information about you that we maintain. You can also ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information. You can ask us about our privacy policy or practices. We respond to questions and complaints.
View full notice: AL-501 CoC Privacy Notice to Clients (PDF)
This Agency collects information about people who apply for services. When we meet with you, we will ask you information about you and your household. We will put the information into a computer system called the Program Management Information System of the Southeast (“PromisSE” or “HMIS” or “System”). The HMIS is used to collect client-level data, and data on the provision of housing and services to homeless individuals, families, and persons at risk of homelessness The HMIS complies with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (“HUD”) data collection, management, and reporting standards. The information that we collect allows us to work with other Agencies to help you, to coordinate your case management, and to reduce the number of times that you have to re-tell your story or repeat your information.
Confidentiality Rights
Each Participating Agency (agencies using the HMIS) is required to have a privacy policy that has been approved by its board of directors. Housing First operates the HMIS in accordance with HUD confidentiality regulations, including those covering programs that receive HUD funding for homeless services (Federal Register/Vol. 69, No. 146). Agencies covered under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) privacy and security rules, which govern confidential health information such as the diagnosis, treatment, of a mental health disorder, a drug or alcohol disorder, and AIDS/HIV condition, must notify Housing First’s System Administrator of their HIPAA status to allow Housing First to handle their client data in compliance with HIPAA. Other rules that may also apply include 42 CFR Part 2 governing drug and alcohol records.
HMIS Information
Ozanam Charitable Pharmacy is a partner of Housing First. As a result we participate in the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS)
AL-501 CoC Statement for public notice
We collect personal information directly from the homeless patient for reasons that are discussed in our privacy statement. We may be required to collect some personal information by law or by organizations that give us funding to operate this program. Other personal information that we collect is important to run our programs, to improve services for homeless and/or at-risk persons, and to better understand the needs of homeless and/or at-risk persons. We only collect information that we consider to be appropriate.
The collection and use of all personal information is guided by strict standards of confidentially. A copy of our Privacy Notice describing our privacy practice is available to all patients upon request.