California Statewide Health Information Policy Manual (SHIPM) - June 25, 2015 Final - Updated June 1, 2016 - User Welcome Letter

Sep 16, 2026

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California’s Statewide Health Information Policy Manual (SHIPM) establishes statewide health information privacy and security guidance to support California Health and Human Services Agency leadership and HIPAA implementation. Written and maintained by CalOHII, it offers direction for HIPAA-impacted state departments and explains how to protect patient privacy while enabling coordinated care. The manual promotes consistent interpretation of health information laws, helps entities avoid unauthorized-disclosure penalties, and incorporates legal preemption analysis through rigorous review. It also references CMIA, IPA, LPS, PAHRA, GINA, and related state administrative standards.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLetters

FormatPDF

Pages243

Reading Time1 h 25 min

AccessFree to download

How to Use this Manual

Chapter 1 - Overview

Section 1.1.0 - CalOHII Authority

Section 1.2.0 - State Agency Responsibility

Chapter 2 - Privacy

Section 2.1.0 - Authorizations

Section 2.2.0 - Uses and Disclosures

California’s Statewide Health Information Policy Manual (SHIPM) Written and Produced by: California Health and Human Services Agency (CHHS) California Office of Health Information Integrity (CalOHII) Health Information Policy and Standards Division FINAL: June 25, 2015 Updated: June 1, 2016 Dear SHIPM User: I am delighted to welcome you to the California Statewide Health Information Policy Manual (SHIPM) user community. This manual was developed and is maintained by the California Health and Human Services Agency’s Office of Health Information Integrity (CalOHII) . I particularly want to thank the dozens of state departments who generously provided subject matter expertise, rigorously reviewed drafts and provided review comments during the policy development process. The SHIPM is an important tool that helps CalOHII fulfill its responsibility for providing statewide leadership, coordination, direction, and oversight of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) implementation and compliance, including the setting of statewide policy. Our goal in providing this manual is to offer state departments a resource that: • Provides departments guidance on how to protect patient privacy while promoting coordinated care, • Promotes uniform interpretation and application of health information laws including those relating to security, patients’ rights, and transactions and code sets, and • Helps state entities avoid fines and sanctions resulting from unauthorized disclosures of health information. State entities including all state departments, boards, commissions, programs, and other organizational units of the executive branch of state government that are required to comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) must comply with the California SHIPM policies. For entities not defined by HIPAA as covered entities or business associates, the California SHIPM serves as guidance for voluntary compliance. These entities may find themselves impacted by HIPAA due to receipt, access, storage, transmission, disclosure, or usage of health information. State entities are also responsible to know and comply with other legal requirements unique to each state entity and ensure that those provisions are included in the state entity’s own policies and procedures, if not already addressed in the SHIPM. The manual provides direction to help staff working with health information become and remain compliant with HIPAA, as well as other state and federal privacy laws including, but not limited to, the Confidentiality of Medical Information Act (CMIA) , the Information Practices Act (IPA) , the Lanterman-Petris-Short Act (LPS) , the Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Act, the California Penal Code, the California Health and Safety Code, the Patients Access to Health Records Act (PAHRA), the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA), the California State Administrative Manual (SAM), and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) . CalOHII, with our state department partners, has ensured vigorous legal review of each policy. Preemption analysis was built into the development and review of each policy. If departments impacted by HIPAA (and related laws) follow the SHIPM tenets to develop and manage department-specific policies and procedures, they will be in compliance with HIPAA, and the other state and federal laws referenced in the policies. CalOHII will conduct future statutorily-required compliance reviews based on the policies in this manual. Each department impacted by HIPAA and related laws should ensure its internal policies and procedures align with the standards and requirements in the SHIPM. Entities outside of state service may also use SHIPM policies to assist with the difficult task of reconciling state and federal medical privacy and security laws. Finally, we welcome your feedback on the manual. The SHIPM is intended to be a usefu

FAQs

Who maintains the California SHIPM and what is its purpose?

The manual is developed and maintained by the California Health and Human Services Agency’s Office of Health Information Integrity (CalOHII). It provides statewide leadership, coordination, direction, and oversight for HIPAA implementation and compliance, including statewide policy setting.

Which state entities must comply with the SHIPM policies?

State entities in the executive branch required to comply with HIPAA—including departments, boards, commissions, programs, and other organizational units—must comply with the California SHIPM policies.

How does the SHIPM help departments remain compliant?

It provides guidance on protecting patient privacy while promoting coordinated care, promotes uniform interpretation of health information laws, and helps avoid fines and sanctions from unauthorized disclosures. It also supports developing internal policies and procedures aligned with SHIPM standards and requirements.

Sep 16, 2026

Upload by Marry