Safety & Privacy in Rehab: Keeping Your Privacy in Addiction Treatment

When you’re entering addiction treatment, it’s essential that you feel secure and know your privacy is protected. Rehab facilities are highly trained and held accountable by federal law to keep you as safe and comfortable as possible, while also protecting your private health information. 

Here, we’ll explore why feeling safe during rehab is such an important part of the recovery process and how rehab facilities work to keep patient information private.

Importance of Safety, Security, & Privacy in Addiction Treatment

For many, rehab is the first chance to be fully open and honest about their substance use disorder, causing some to feel slightly overwhelmed, nervous, and extra vulnerable. You may be concerned that your boss, coworkers, or friends could find out that you’re in rehab, or you may worry that others could find out about your addiction. 

Feeling secure at your treatment facility can help you get past these feelings and focus on important parts of the recovery process, such as identifying the root cause of your addiction and developing strong coping skills. Understanding your privacy during rehab can help calm your nerves and ensure that your private health information remains protected and confidential.

How to Keep Yourself Safe in Rehab

One of the first instances where you begin actively learning about security measures in rehab may occur during the intake process. There, your counselor will talk with you about safety measures that their facility provides to help ensure a supportive environment for all rehab patients. They’ll go over rules around cell phone and internet use, what you are and aren’t allowed to bring with you to the treatment facility, when you’ll be able to have visitors during treatment, and more. While these rules may feel restrictive at first, they’re in place to help you keep your experience private. 

At professional rehab facilities, staff members are certified and licensed to perform their roles, and they work as a team to ensure both your physical and emotional safety. If you feel uneasy, unsafe, or have questions about your safety throughout the treatment process, don’t hesitate to talk to a staff member. They can help ease any concerns you may have. 

How to Maintain Your Privacy in Rehab

If you’re concerned about your privacy during addiction treatment, you’re not alone. Understandably, you want to keep your private health information between you and your care providers, and addiction treatment facilities understand the importance of protecting your privacy. This is a normal, common concern, and addiction treatment facilities are fully aware of the sensitive nature of rehab. There are many safeguards in place to ensure that the only way others will discover you’re in rehab is if you choose to tell them.

Practical Tips to Maintain Your Privacy in Rehab

Whether you choose an inpatient drug and alcohol rehab facility or you’re exploring outpatient addiction treatment programs, it may be helpful to be aware of some practical tips that can help you ensure your privacy at this time. Consider the following:

• Choose an accredited facility. Accredited drug and alcohol rehab facilities are those that not only meet, but also exceed federal licensure requirements and international standards for quality care.
• Understand your rights. Prior to attending treatment, or at the very beginning of the process, speak with staff members who can show and explain to you your legal rights while in treatment.
• Secure electronics. Ensure that any electronics you use have updated privacy settings that restrict access to your personal data, including your social media accounts. 
• Consider FMLA. If you do not want your employer to know why you are seeking treatment, consider utilizing the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).¹ This allows you to inform your employer that you have a medical need that requires a leave of absence. While your employer may request medical certification stating that you have a need for leave, that certification does not need to provide details specific to the reasons why. 

HIPAA & Addiction Treatment

Many people have questions about rehab privacy, such as if rehab goes on your record, if people can call a rehab center and ask if you’re a patient, and more. Your private health information—including the fact that you’re receiving treatment for substance use disorder, or that you have received treatment for substance use disorder in the past—is confidential, thanks to the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA.

Federal law requires that HIPAA:²

• Ensures the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of all private health information (PHI) they create, maintain, or transmit.
• Protects against reasonably anticipated threats to the security or integrity of information.
• Protects against reasonably anticipated, impermissible uses or disclosures.
• Ensures compliance by their workforce.

In other words, any and all private health information pertaining to your involvement at an addiction treatment facility (or any other professional health setting) is secured and requires your personal consent in order to be shared. Those who violate HIPAA rules can be fined anywhere between $50,000 and $250,000, be required to pay restitution to the victims, and/or serve jail time up to 10 years.³

Start the Recovery Journey

At American Addiction Centers, we understand that it can feel nerve-wracking to start a new chapter of your life, and we’ll be here to support you through every step of the process. Reach out to American Addiction Centers at today to speak with one of our admissions navigators to learn more about getting started with inpatient or outpatient care, how to use health insurance coverage for rehab, what to expect from treatment, and more.