"There have been questions raised about whether or not a home/facility can release information to the U.S. Census Bureau. The following is the answer from Irene Owens, DSHS, Office Chief, Policy Unit, Residential Care Services:
Federal law gives broad authority to the U.S. Census Bureau to collect information from individuals relating to the census. Residential care providers would be required to disclose Personal Health Information (PHI) as the owner or person in charge of the building or boarding house the Bureau is visiting. Neither federal nor state law prevents a provider from releasing PHI to the Bureau. In fact, if a provider does not comply with Bureau requests, they could be subject to a $500 fine, with resi dents subject to an additional fine for non-compliance. There may be additional requirements that a provider must follow when releasing PHI. Providers should consult their own private counsel should they have further questions."
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