By Jamelia Hand MHS CADC CODP I During a compliance review several years ago, I sat with the leadership team of a substance use treatment program that believed they were fully prepared for any regulatory review. Their conference table was covered with carefully organized binders. Policies were labeled, sections were tabbed, and each document referenced the appropriate regulatory language. From the outside, the program appeared well organized and confident in its compliance systems. When I...

By Jamelia Hand MHS CADC CODP I I once worked with a corporate client that had a star senior leader. For anonymity purposes, let’s call him “Jim”. Jim’s performance was solid and reliable. There were no red flags (on paper). However; as I continued my assessment, I learned that there was more going on behind the scenes. Through discussions with executives, I learned that Jim’s life was in constant triage mode. He had a partner in active addiction. Their kids were absorbing the stress and...

The new 42 CFR Part 2 rules are in effect… This week marks a big shift in how federal privacy rules are enforced for substance use treatment data. As of February 16, 2026 , the updated Confidentiality of Substance Use Disorder Patient Records  rules under 42 CFR Part 2  are officially enforceable by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights (OCR) . This means OCR can now investigate complaints, require breach reports and issue civil penalties if organizations...