Privacy Policy

This privacy policy describes the manner in which Stepworks Recovery Centers, LLC (“Stepworks”) uses and protects the information you give when you use this website. Stepworks is committed to protecting your privacy. If we ask you to provide information by which you can be identified, we assure you that it will be used in accordance with this privacy statement.

Stepworks may change this policy by updating this page, so we encourage you to check this page periodically. This policy was updated on June 9, 2025.

We may collect the following information:

• Information submitted by the user during the questionnaire section of the website.
• Information submitted by the user through the website’s contact form.
• Information submitted by the user through the website’s “Help” widget.
• Information submitted by the user through the website’s “Tell a Friend” tool.
• Information submitted by the user through Stepworks’ digital marketing and social media platforms (Facebook, Google, Twitter, Instagram, Bing)

What we do with the information:

• We use it to understand your needs and provide better service including referencing specific programs for your needs.
• We use it for internal record keeping and product/service improvement.
• We use it to improve our products and services.
• We may periodically use it to send promotional materials to you.
• Most commonly, we use it to contact you and communicate about our services as this is the express purpose of tools like the “Help” widget, “Tell a Friend” tool, digital/social media ads, and site contact form.

Security

Any information you provide using this website is managed in a secure way using password-protected technology and appropriate organizational policies.

Site Analysis Technology

Information such as the user’s IP address, the referring domain, geographic location, time/duration of visit, entry/exit page, and other like statistics is automatically gathered using web analytics tools in a way that is now standard practice. This information is only used to improve the quality and effectiveness of our website.

Outbound Links

Periodically, our site may contain outbound links to other websites. When following an outbound link, you must recognize that we have no control over the site to which you are navigating. We provide outbound links because we think the information contained therein may be of interest or usefulness to our website visitors, but we do not take responsibility for any site to which we link. Links are a useful part of the online experience, but we acknowledge the inherent risks of navigating from site to site.

Controlling your Information

You may restrict the collection of your information by… (i) not registering as a user of this website; and (ii) not using our contact form(s). We will not sell or distribute your personal information to third parties without your express consent.

Notice of Privacy Practices

This notice describes how medical information about you may be used and disclosed and how you can get access to this information. Please review carefully.

OUR PRIVACY POLICY

Stepworks Recovery Centers (“Stepworks”), its facilities and subsidiaries, and all associates are committed to providing you with quality behavioral healthcare services. An important part of that commitment is protecting your health information according to applicable law. This Notice of Privacy Practices(“Notice”) describes your rights and our duties under Federal Law. Protected health information (“PHI”) is information about you, including demographic information, that may identify you and that relates to your past, present or future physical or mental health or condition; the provision of healthcare services; or the past, present, or future payment for the provision of healthcare services to you.

OUR DUTIES

We are required by law to maintain the privacy of your PHI; provide you with notice of our legal duties and privacy practices with respect to your records; and notify you following a breach of unsecured PHI related to you. We are required to abide by the terms of this Notice. This Notice is effective as of June 2, 2025. This Notice will remain in effect until it is revised. We are required to modify this Notice when there are material changes to your rights, our duties, or other practices contained herein.

We reserve the right to change our privacy policy and practices and the terms of this Notice, consistent with applicable law and our current business processes, at any time. Any new Notice will be effective for all PHI that we maintain at that time. Notification of revisions to this Notice will be provided as follows:

1. upon request;
2. electronically via our website; and
3. as posted in our place of business.

In addition to the above, we have a duty to respond to your requests (e.g., those corresponding to your rights) in a timely and appropriate manner. We support and value your right to privacy and are committed to maintaining reasonable and appropriate safeguards for your PHI.

CONFIDENTIALITY OF ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE RECORDS

The confidentiality of alcohol and drug abuse patient records maintained by us is protected by federal law and regulations. Generally, we may not say to a person outside the treatment center that you are a patient of the treatment center, or disclose any information identifying you as being in treatment for alcohol or drug abuse unless:

• you consent in writing (as discussed below in “Authorization to Use or Disclose PHI”); or
• the disclosure is permitted by law (as discussed below in “Uses and Disclosures”) .[1]

Violation of the federal law and regulations by the treatment center is a crime. Suspected violations may be reported to appropriate authorities in accordance with federal regulations.[2]

Federal law and regulations do not protect any information about a crime committed by you either at the treatment center or against any person who works for the treatment center or about any threat to commit such a crime (as discussed below in “Uses and Disclosures”).

Federal laws and regulations do not protect any information about suspected child abuse or neglect from being reported under State law to appropriate State or local authorities (as discussed below in “Uses and Disclosures”).

See 42 U.S.C. 290dd-3 and 42 U.S.C. 290ee-3 for federal laws and 42 CFR part 2 for federal regulations.[3]

USES AND DISCLOSURES

Uses and disclosures of your PHI may be permitted, required, or authorized. The following categories describe various ways that we use and disclose PHI without patient consent.

Among Stepworks Personnel. We may use or disclose information between or among personnel needing the information in connection with their duties for the provision of diagnosis, treatment, or referral for treatment of alcohol or drug abuse, provided such communication is: (i) within the facility; or (ii) between the facility and other Stepworks facilities. For example, our staff, including doctors, nurses, and clinicians, will use your PHI to provide your treatment. Your PHI may be used in connection with billing statements we send you and in connection with tracking charges and credits to your account. Your PHI will be used to check for eligibility for insurance coverage and prepare claims for your insurance company where appropriate. We may use and disclose your PHI to conduct our healthcare business and to perform functions associated with our business activities, including accreditation and licensing.

Secretary of Health and Human Services. We are required to disclose PHI to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services when the Secretary is investigating or determining our compliance with the HIPAA Privacy Rules.

Business Associates. We may disclose your PHI to Business Associates that are contracted by us to perform services on our behalf which may involve the receipt, use, or disclosure of your PHI. All of our Business Associates must agree to: (i) protect the privacy of your PHI; (ii) use and disclose the information only for the purposes for which the Business Associate was engaged; (iii) adhere to 42 CFR Part 2; and (iv) if necessary, resist in judicial proceedings any efforts to obtain access to patient records except as permitted by law.

Crimes on Premises. We may disclose to law enforcement information that is directly related to the commission of a crime on the premises or against our personnel or to a threat to commit such a crime.[4]

Reports of Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect. We may disclose information required to report under state law incidents of suspected child abuse and neglect to the appropriate state or local authorities. However, we may not disclose the original patient records, including for civil or criminal proceedings, that may arise out of the report of suspected child abuse and neglect, without consent.[5]

Court Order. We may disclose information required by a court order, provided certain regulatory requirements are met. Records, or testimony relaying the content of such records, shall not be used or disclosed in any civil, administrative, criminal, or legislative proceedings against the patient unless based on a specific written consent or a court order. Records shall only be used or disclosed based on a court order after notice and an opportunity to be heard is provided to the patient or the holder of the record, where required by 42 USC 290dd-2 and 42 CFR Part 2.22. A court order authorizing use or disclosure must be accompanied by a subpoena or other similar legal mandate compelling disclosure before the record is used or disclosed.[6]

Emergency Situations. We may disclose information to medical personnel to treat you in an emergency.

Research. We may use and disclose your information for research if certain requirements are met, such as approval by an Institutional Review Board.

Audit and Evaluation Activities. We may disclose your information to persons conducting certain audit and evaluation activities, such as regulatory bodies and third-party payers covering patients, provided the person or entity agrees to certain restrictions on the use and disclosure of information.

Reporting of Death. We may disclose your information related to the cause of death to a public health authority that is authorized to receive such information.

AUTHORIZATION TO USE OR DISCLOSE PHI

Other than as stated above, we will not use or disclose your PHI other than with your written authorization. For example, we may not confirm or deny your presence at a Stepworks residential facility to your significant other without your written consent. Subject to compliance with limited exceptions, we will not use or disclose psychotherapy notes, use or disclose your PHI for marketing purposes, or sell your PHI unless you have signed an authorization. We may charge a reasonable, cost-based fee for the copying and/or mailing process of your request.

As to PHI which may be maintained in electronic form and format, you may request a copy to which you are otherwise entitled in that electronic form and format if it is readily producible, but if not, then in any readable form and format as we may agree (e.g., PDF). Your request may also include transmittal directions to another individual or entity.

Treatment, Payment, and Healthcare Operations. You may provide a single consent for all future uses or disclosures for treatment, payment, and health care operations purposes. For example, we may disclose your records to a hospital for your continued treatment, share your information with your insurance company, or share your information for quality improvement activities necessary in healthcare operations. 

Records that are disclosed pursuant to your written consent for treatment, payment, and healthcare operations may be further disclosed by the recipient without your written consent to the extent the HIPAA regulations permit such disclosure. 

REVOCATION

If you or your representative authorize us to use or disclose your PHI, you may revoke that authorization in writing at any time to stop future uses or disclosures. We will honor oral revocations upon authenticating your identity until a written revocation is obtained. Your revocation will not affect any use or disclosures permitted by your authorization while it was in effect.

PATIENT RIGHTS

The following are your rights regarding your PHI that we maintain.

RIGHT TO NOTICE AND DISCUSSION

You have the right to request both a paper and an electronic copy of this Notice. You may ask us to provide a copy of this Notice at any time. You may obtain this Notice from facility staff or our Privacy Officer. You have the right to discuss this Notice with Stepworks’ Privacy Officer, as listed at the bottom of this Notice.

RIGHT TO NOT RECEIVE FUNDRAISING COMMUNICATIONS

You have the right to request both a paper and an electronic copy of this Notice. You may ask us to provide a copy of this Notice at any time. You may obtain this Notice from facility staff or our Privacy Officer. You have the right to discuss this Notice with Stepworks’ Privacy Officer, as listed at the bottom of this Notice.

RIGHT TO REQUEST AN ACCOUNTING OF DISCLOSURES

We are required to create and maintain an accounting (list) of certain disclosures we make of your PHI. You have the right to request a copy of disclosures, made with your consent, for up to three years prior to the date of the request.. You must make any request for an accounting in writing. If you request this accounting more than once in a 12-month period, we may charge you a reasonable, cost-based fee for responding to these additional requests. We will notify you of the fee to be charged (if any) at the time of the request.

RIGHT TO REQUEST RESTRICTIONS

You have the right to request restrictions or limitations on how we use and disclose your PHI for treatment, payment, and operations. We are not required to agree to restrictions for treatment, payment, and healthcare operations unless the disclosure is to carry out payment or health care operations and is not otherwise required by law and if the patient or third-party representative (not the patient’s health plan) has paid Stepworks for the healthcare item or service in full. This request must be in writing. If we do agree to the restriction, we will comply with the restriction going forward, unless you revoke the restriction in writing, or we believe, in our professional judgment, that an emergency warrants circumventing the restriction to provide the appropriate care, or unless the use or disclosure is otherwise permitted by law. We reserve the right to terminate a restriction that we have previously agreed to, but only after providing you with notice of termination. This would only apply to records created or received after notifying you of termination.

REQUESTS FOR NON-DISCLOSURE WHEN PAID IN FULL

If you have paid in full for a specific item or service, you have the right to request that your PHI for that item or service not be disclosed to a health plan for purposes of payment or healthcare operations. This request must be made in writing. We are required by law to honor that request unless you terminate the request in writing.

RIGHT TO VOICE CONCERNS

You have the right to file a complaint in writing with us or with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services if you believe we have violated your privacy rights. Any complaints to us should be made in writing to our Privacy Official at the information listed below.

Questions, REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION, AND COMPLAINTS

For questions, requests for information, more information about our privacy policy, or concerns, contact us:

Stepworks Recovery Centers

Chief Operating Officer
Nicole Melloan
PO Box 6209
Elizabethtown, KY 42702-6209
[email protected]
1-800-545-9031, ext. 3200

We support your right to the privacy of your Protected Health Information. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint either with us or with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

If you believe your rights have been violated and would like to submit a complaint directly to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, then you may submit a formal written complaint to the following address:[7]

Centralized Case Management Operations
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Room 509F HHH Bldg.
Washington, D.C. 20201
Fax: (202) 619-3818
[email protected] 

www.hhs.gov

[1]  42CFR Part 2 2.22b.1.

[2]  42CFR Part 2 2:22b.2

[3]  42CFR Part 2 2:22b.5.

[4]  42CFR Part 2 2:22b.3

[5]  42CFR Part 2 2:22b.4

[6]  42CFR Part 2 2:22H

[7]  42CFR Part 2 2:22b.2