Understanding Confidentiality of Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Patient Records or “Part 2”
HHS Office for Civil Rights Part 2 Guidance Page
On February 13, 2026, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office of Civil Rights (OCR), launched a new guidance page titled “Understanding Confidentiality of Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Patient Records or “Part 2.” This webpage provides an overview of 42 CFR Part 2 (Part 2), a brief recent history of recent changes to the regulations, and resources for organizations and individuals that must comply with Part 2.
Key Points
- This webpage includes links to the Part 2 regulatory text and recent rulemakings, Part 2 compliant portal, Part 2 breach notification portal, and OCR’s model notices for Part 2 programs and HIPAA covered entities.
- The guidance page also summarizes Part 2’s history, rationale, and key provisions.
Related Resources
This resource addresses three common themes of questions from the CoE-PHI’s July 2025 Webinar, Part 2 Final Rule: Implementing Changes to SUD Privacy Rules.
As substance use and mental health treatment services are increasingly delivered within integrated care settings it’s essential for providers and administrators to understand how federal privacy protections – specifically 42…
This resource is intended to assist Part 2 programs in complying with the requirements of the Final Rule by describing in detail 3 key steps that programs can take to support implementation.