Caseworker got off SCOTT FREE - how?

[Star*]

He told the lady at the foster care system that he:

is overburdened with his caseload due to budget cuts....
had tried several times to get ahold of me during the week with no success.
HAD to come to my office and tell Dude's business because HIS office was going to cut Dude's case THAT DAY - if he didn't get some information so he felt justified in asking ANYONE I worked with even AFTER he was told NOT TO COME TO MY OFFICE....

then said - the information he was able to gather(none from the guys I work with and little from Dudes boss) was enough to keep him in the program....so yeah him.


And that's where they are going to leave it -

REALLY????? So I can put your business out in the street, break a federal law, and all for the good of the cause??

WOW -

 

[witzend]

I could get snarky, but I'm still on my first cup of HMJ, so it will have to wait...

 

[JJJ]

File a complaint in civil court against him and his boss that "cleared" him.

 

[Star*]

kEEP IN MIND - (WHAT WE WERE TOLD) That South Carolina is one of the ONLY states that is NOT accepting the federal stimulus money and thereby cutting a lot of programs BEGINNING with this one. (this is very true)

I can rock the boat - but we'll be in the water....

I hate compromising values -

Witz - get snarky when you can - I probably need to hear it.

 

[AnnieO]

One of the counties here in Ohio refused the $ too. They aren't cutting programs though.

If you rock the boat & end up in the water, can you swim? 'Cause this idjit and his boss might sink... I think they're related to our local CPS people.

 

[Suz]

Wouldn't Dude's mental health play a role in his involvement with the casework so wouldn't caseworker's big mouth violate HIPAA????

Suz

 

[slsh]

Every agency that handles protected heallth information has a HIPAA compliance officer. This guy released information that he had absolutely no business releasing, for *any* reason (i.e. - just the fact that he's Dude's case manager - that would be like a dr. showing up at work and saying "Hi ,I'm Star's oncologist"). I would get compliance officer's name and file a complaint. If that doesn't work, I think the Fed DOJ handles violations. I would file, Star. This was just so completely over the top illegal.

HIPAA doesn't say don't release protected health information except...

It says don't release it, period. If you do, you're looking at major fines and potential prison time.

 

[witzend]

If they are cutting programs that help kids gets on with their lives instead of going to jail, they are not the people who should be planning the budget. I'd be writing a letter explaining who won't get my vote next time. Skip the mass e-mails, no one reads them. Write a letter and tell them you and everyone you know will vote in such a way that they won't even get past the primary next time. They say that a (real snail-mail) letter is worth a thousand votes.

People (politicians) need to get off their high horses about this stuff because the people who really need the help are going to knock them off the horse if they don't figure it out soon.