Client privacy notice

Effective October 19, 2026. This notice explains how the National Medical Outreach Institute (NMOI) looks after information about the people we serve in our client record system (CMIS). You can ask for a paper copy at any time. If anything is unclear, please ask us.

What we collect and why

We ask for your name or nickname, date of birth, basic facts that housing and health agencies ask for, where and when we met you, and the care or services we gave you. We use it to care for you and refer you, to run our programs safely, to meet what funders and the law require, and to understand what our community needs. We ask only for what we need. You can use a nickname.

Who can see it

Only NMOI staff and trained volunteers who need it for their work. Every time someone opens a record, it is logged. Health information is protected by the federal HIPAA law. Records about substance use treatment have extra protection (42 CFR Part 2) and are shared only with your written consent or when the law allows.

When we share it

With your permission, with partners who are helping you (clinics, shelters, housing programs). NMOI does not put your information into the area's shared homeless database (HMIS) unless you agree in writing. Without your permission we share it only when a court or the law requires it, for public health reports the law requires, or when someone's life is in immediate danger. Outside those exceptions we do not share it with police or immigration authorities. Reports to funders use totals, not names. We never sell or rent your information.

Your rights

• See the information we have about you.
• Ask us to correct anything that is wrong.
• Ask us to delete or limit your information. The law sometimes requires us to keep clinical records; if so, we will explain.
• Say no to us sharing your information with others.
• Get a copy of this notice.
• Make a complaint. No one will treat you worse for complaining.

We answer within 30 days.

You can still get help if you say no

We will not turn you away just because you do not want your information shared with others, unless a program you are applying to requires it.

How to ask or complain

Use the online form, email maslaha@natmoi.org, or tell any team member. If you are not satisfied with our answer about your health information, you can complain to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights (hhs.gov/hipaa/filing-a-complaint).

Changes to this notice

We may change this notice. Changes apply from the new effective date. We post the current notice on this site and at our sites.