CTR055087_HIPPA_Agreement.pdf

This document is a Business Associate Agreement between the Arizona Department of Child Safety (ADCS) and Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest. The agreement is governed by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 and the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act of 2009. The purpose of the document is to establish guidelines for the handling of Protected Health Information (PHI) and Electronic Protected Health Information (ePHI) in compliance with federal privacy and security standards.

The contract outlines the responsibilities of Lutheran Social Services as a Business Associate in protecting the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of sensitive health information. Key obligations include implementing appropriate safeguards, reporting any impermissible use or disclosure of PHI, mitigating harmful effects of potential breaches, and maintaining records for six years. The agreement specifies that the Business Associate may only use and disclose PHI for purposes necessary to perform specified functions, and must ensure that any subcontractors or agents are bound by the same privacy and security restrictions. The contract was signed on June 3, 2021, and will terminate when all PHI is destroyed or returned to ADCS.