SearchNational Alcohol & Drug Training & Technical Assistance
| About the Program | Accomplishments | How to Get Help | Publications |
About the Program
The Legal Action Center (LAC) provides training and technical assistance to alcohol and drug treatment and prevention programs, researchers, government officials and other policy makers, the media, and others on legal and policy issues, including:
- Confidentiality -- The federal regulations governing confidentiality of alcohol and drug abuse patient records (42 C.F.R. Part 2) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) privacy regulations. LAC helps States, counties, community alcohol and drug prevention and treatment programs, criminal justice systems, mental health programs, welfare programs, and other systems plan, develop and operate services for shared clients while complying with client confidentiality rules. The goal is to help agencies collaborate in such a way as to ensure productive service delivery while protecting confidentiality.
- Discrimination -- Protections from discrimination for people in recovery or still suffering from alcohol and drug dependence and abuse. LAC educates individuals, service providers and other agencies working with this population about their legal rights.
- Payment for Alcohol & Drug Treatment -- Laws, practices and policies regarding welfare, Medicaid, insurance and managed care. LAC helps community-based organizations, government officials, advocates, and others to understand when and how these various systems and reimbursement mechanisms interact with the alcohol and drug treatment system.
Accomplishments
LAC has trained and advised thousands of employees and volunteers of alcohol and drug treatment programs, community-based organizationa, and government agencies nationally. Through in-person, online, and video/DVD trainings as well as webinars, LAC has:
- educated people about the laws that protect the civil rights and privacy of people in recovery or still suffering from alcohol and drug problems, and
- shaped beneficial policies and practices in areas such as confidentiality of treatment and prevention records, welfare reform, managed care, and criminal justice.
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How to Get Help
Trainings: LAC conducts in-person trainings on the confidentiality of alcohol and drug treatment records for a fee. For information, contact the training coordinator at (212) 243-1313. LAC also offers online and video/DVD trainings about confidentiality and a free webinar series on anti-discrimination laws.
Technical assistance: LAC offers a confidentiality “Actionline” hotline, staffed by LAC’s attorneys, for states who subscribe for a fee. The service is free for alcohol and drug programs in New York. For more information, call (212) 243-1313.
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Publications, Training Videos/DVDs, and Online Courses
For sale through the LAC Store:
Confidentiality & Communication: A Guide to the Federal Alcohol & Drug Confidentiality Law and HIPAA.
2006 Revised Edition.
This revised and expanded edition of our most popular book explains in lay terms how alcohol and drug programs can comply with both 42 C.F.R. Part 2 and HIPAA and provides useful sample forms.
Video/DVD Confidentiality Training Series: A Guide to the Federal Drug and Alcohol Confidentiality Laws
(3-Part Confidentiality Training Series, 1998)
This unique training series is available on DVD and VHS, and enables an entire staff to learn the requirements of 42 C.F.R. Part 2. The first two segments present a complete overview of the law, while the third segment provides more detail about dealing with criminal justice and managed care issues. Note: the trainings do not discuss the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) privacy rules.
Introduction to Confidentiality: Federal Alcohol and Drug Law and HIPAA
Advanced Confidentiality: Federal Alcohol and Drug Law and HIPAA
Learn about confidentiality from the comfort of your home or office! The Legal Action Center’s self-paced online confidentiality courses tell you what you need to know about both the federal alcohol and drug confidentiality regulations and HIPAA.
Click here for more information and to sign up online.
Free
The Center has written many free publications and has created free webinars that explain anti-discrimination and confidentiality laws. To download them, visit the Free Publications section of this website.