HHS Issues Guidance on Substance Use Disorder Confidentiality Regulation

The Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration today released two factsheets to help health care providers and others apply the 42 CFR Part 2 regulations on confidentiality of substance use disorder patient records to health care programs and settings and the electronic exchange of health information. “SAMHSA works to connect people who have treatment needs to appropriate resources, and the opioid crisis has only increased the urgency with which we view this topic,” said HHS Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use Elinore McCance-Katz. “We want to familiarize stakeholders with scenarios pertaining to Part 2 to help eradicate any barrier someone might encounter to either choosing or providing appropriate treatment.”