OCT 18, 2010 11:57am ET

Feds Study Privacy of Psychotherapy Notes

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration will hold the last of a series of public meetings in Los Angeles on Nov. 18 as federal officials study whether HIPAA privacy protections for mental health information should be strengthened by broadening the definition of "psychotherapy notes" to include test data.

SAMHSA is an agency of the Department of Health and Human Services and is working with the HHS Office for Civil Rights on the study.

Section 13424 of the HITECH Act requires the study: "The Secretary shall study the definition of 'psychotherapy notes' in section 164.501 of title 45, Code of Federal Regulations, with regard to including test data that is related to direct responses, scores, items, forms, protocols, manuals, or other materials that are part of a mental health evaluation, as determined by the mental health professional providing treatment or evaluation in such definitions and may, based on such study, issue regulations to revise such definition."

The Los Angeles meeting is an opportunity for stakeholders to learn about the issue and provide input. Registration is required but there is no charge for the meeting. Details are available at regonline.com/register/checkin.aspx?eventid=903578.

--Joseph Goedert

Data Security