Notice of Privacy Practices – Client Information

While a client at Food For Thought staff may gather information about your medical history and your current health. This notice explains how that information may be used and shared with others. It also explains your privacy rights regarding this kind of information. The terms of this notice apply to health information created or received by Food For Thought.

Food For Thought is committed to protecting client privacy. We are required by law to provide you with this Notice of Privacy Practices and to: make sure that medical information that identifies you is kept private; give you this notice of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to medical information about you; follow the terms of the notice that is currently in effect; and notify you in the event there is a breach of any unsecured protected health information about you.

I. When we may use and disclose your medical information with your written authorization:

• With your authorization – For any purpose other than the ones described below, we may use or disclose your health information only when you have given us your written authorization.
• Highly confidential information – There are additional protections for certain confidential health information, for example: HIV testing and results, which may require a special authorization.

II. When we may use and disclose your medical information without your written authorization:

• Payment – We may use or disclose your information to obtain payment for services provided to you.
• Treatment – We may disclose your information to another health care provider so they can treat you; to provide appointment reminders; or to provide information about treatment alternatives.
• Health care operations – This includes using your information for certain activities that are necessary to operate the practice and ensure that clients receive quality care. For example, we may use your information to review the performance of staff.
• Reminders – To remind you of appointments or other information about new or alternative treatments or other health care services for the purposes of care coordination.
• As required by law – We will disclose your medical information if we are required to do so by federal, state or local law.
• Business Associates – We may disclose information about you to our business associates so they can perform the services that we have contracted them to do for us. For example, we may disclose your information to attorneys, collection and accreditation organizations.

III. Disclosures we make unless you object:

• SMS Text Messaging – You may be contacted by us via SMS text messaging. Food For Thought does not share personal information over text message. We only share your personal information with third parties as described above.
• Fundraising – You may be contacted to raise funds for Food For Thought. You may opt out of these communications at any time by notifying the Client Services Director below or following the instructions in the fundraising communication.

IV. Your rights regarding your medical information:

• Right to inspect and copy your health information – You may request access to your health information to review or request copies of the information. This usually includes medical and billing records maintained by Food For Thought.
• Right to receive an electronic copy of your electronic medical record – You have the right to request an electronic copy of your medical information. If the form and format are not readily producible, we will work with you to create a reasonable electronic form or format. (Include instructions on how to receive a copy of the information and if there are fees associated with this request.)
• Right to request restrictions on the use or disclosure of your health information – You have the right to request restrictions on the use or disclosure of your medical record to your health plan for payment or health care operations if you have paid in full for the treatment out-of-pocket. This request must be in writing and identify what information you want to limit, how you want to limit the use and/or disclosure, and to whom you want the limits to apply.
• Right to request to correct or amend your health information – You may ask us to correct your health information. We will consider all requests and may deny your request for legitimate reasons, for example, if we determine that the record is accurate and complete. To request a correction, you must make a written request to the Client Services Director.
• You can request that we communicate with you about medical matters in a certain way. Requests must be made to the Client Service Director.
• Right to be notified of a breach – We will notify you in the event of a breach of your protected health information.
• Right to receive an accounting of disclosures of your record – You can request a list of certain disclosures we have made of your health information. This information will not include disclosures for treatment, payment, health care operations, disclosures you have authorized and certain other disclosures. To request this list of disclosures you must submit your request in writing to the Client Services Director and must state the time period for which you would like the accounting. If you request more than one accounting in any 12-month period, we may charge you a reasonable fee.
• Right to a paper copy of this notice – You have the right to receive a paper copy of this notice and may ask for a copy at any time.

V. Changes to this notice:

• We reserve the right to change this notice and to make the revised or changed notice effective for medical information we already have about you as well as any information we receive in the future. If the terms of this notice are changed, Food For Thought will provide you with a revised notice upon request and will post the revised notice in Food For Thought’s designated locations.

VI. Complaints or Questions:

• If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with us by notifying our Client Services Director Nina Redman, RD at (707) 887-1647 ext. 119 or NinaR@FFTfoodbank.org, or the Secretary of Health and Human Services. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.

For a printable version of this policy, click here.

Notice of Privacy Practices – Donor Information

Food For Thought (FFT) values each of our donors and takes their privacy very seriously. To that end, we maintain the highest level of confidentiality concerning our donors’ contact and financial information. All online donor transactions with Food For Thought are covered by this policy and are conducted over secure portals. Access to this data is password-protected and limited to authorized employees.

What we collect:

Food For Thought collects the following personal information from our donors: donor name, acknowledgement name, amount donated, address, telephone number(s), and email address.

How we use donor information:

Donor information is used for internal purposes only. Food For Thought does not sell, lease, trade, exchange, share, or otherwise distribute donor information. Donor information will only be used by Food For Thought staff to:

• Distribute receipts for donations
• Thank donors for their contribution
• Inform donors about current and upcoming activities of Food For Thought, including additional opportunities to support FFT
• Track and analyze donor data
• Comply with current rules and regulations governing 501(c)(3) financial reporting
• Comply with any reporting requirements related to specific grants or contributions

Contact us:

If you have additional questions about Food For Thought or its Donor Privacy Policy, please contact (707) 887-1647 or development@FFTfoodbank.org.

For a printable version of this policy, click here.