Board members, staff, and volunteers of Lone Oak will have access to confidential information, both written and oral, in the regular course of their responsibilities. It is imperative that this information is not disclosed to any unauthorized individuals to maintain our obligation of trust and confidentiality to our clients. All Protected Information (PI – which includes client medical and financial information, including clients’ health history, diagnoses, and conditions), and any other information of a private or sensitive nature are considered confidential. Confidential information should not be read or discussed by any board member, staff, or volunteer with any unauthorized person. Unauthorized persons shall be any person that does not have specific authorization from Lone Oak to learn such confidential information. Examples of inappropriate disclosures include:

• Volunteers discussing or revealing PI or other confidential information to friends or family members.

• Volunteers discussing or revealing PT or other confidential information to other volunteers without a legitimate need to know.

• The disclosure of a client’s presence at Lone Oak without the client’s consent, to an unauthorized person without a legitimate need to know, and that may indicate the nature of the client’s condition and jeopardize confidentiality.

The unauthorized disclosure of PT or other confidential information by board members, staff, or volunteers can subject each individual and Lone Oak to civil and criminal liability. Disclosure of PI or other confidential information to unauthorized persons, or unauthorized access to, or misuse, theft, destruction, alteration, or sabotage of such information, its grounds for immediate dismissal.

I hereby acknowledge, by my signature below, that I understand that the PI and other confidential information to which I have knowledge and access to in the course of my responsibilities with Lone Oak is to be kept confidential, and that this confidentiality is a condition of my continued time with Lone Oak. This information shall not be disclosed to anyone under any circumstances, except to the extent necessary to fulfill my responsibilities. I understand that my duty to maintain confidentiality continues even after my time with Lone Oak ends.

I am familiar with the guidelines in place at Lone Oak pertaining to the use and disclosure of PI or other confidential information. I also understand that the unauthorized disclosure of PI and other confidential information is grounds for immediate dismissal.