Netsmart Responds to SAMHSA's 42 CFR Part 2 Listening Session

In January 2018, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) held a public listening session to request information concerning 42 CFR Part 2. The listening session provided an opportunity for the public to offer feedback to SAMHSA regarding Part 2’s influence on patient care, health outcomes and privacy.

Currently, 42 CFR Part 2 obliges providers to set aside substance use treatment information from a person’s health record to prevent it from being disclosed to other providers not in the same integrated care setting. To achieve true whole-person care, an individual – whether suffering from mental illness, substance use disorder or other co-occurring conditions – should be able to share their data with their healthcare providers, if they so choose.