Congress passed legislation,
and the Department of Health and Human Services issued
a set of regulations to protect information about clients'
substance use disorder treatment. The law is codified
at 42 U.S.C. _290dd-2.
The implementing Federal regulations, Confidentiality
of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Client Records, are contained
in 42 C.F.R. Part 2 (Vol. 42 of the Code of Federal Regulations,
Part 2).
The Federal law and regulations severely restrict communications
about identifiable clients by "programs" providing substance
use/abuse diagnosis, treatment, or referral for treatment
(42 CFR _2.11).
The purpose of the law and regulations is to decrease
the risk that information about individuals in recovery
will be disseminated and that they will be ostracized
or subjected to discrimination.
