privacy office

About the Privacy Office

Privacy Office Responsibilities

The California Department of Public Health Privacy Office is responsible for ensuring the maintenance of the Department's Privacy Program when the Department collects, uses, maintains, discloses, or disposes of personal or confidential information. The mission of the Privacy Office is to minimize to the greatest extent allowable the impacts on individuals' and organizations' privacy, particularly individuals' personal information dignity, while achieving the vital public health objectives and duties required of the Department. The primary responsibility of the Privacy Office is to oversee and ensure the Department's implementation of and compliance with California and federal privacy laws, including the California Information Practices Act (IPA) and the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) privacy regulations.

Functions Not Performed by the Privacy Office

Compliance with and handling of requests submitted to the Department pursuant to the California Public Records Act (CA Civil Code, Section 6250, et seq.). For these matters, please contact the CDPH Public Records Center.

Compliance with the other, non-privacy federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations (e.g., the Security Rule, Transactions and Code Sets Rule and the National Provider Identifier Rule) and related matters. For these matters, please contact the specific Department program.