One of the county’s largest mental health service providers says the protected health information of some clients was shared without authorization.
Metrocare Services reported that nearly 8,600 clients may have been affected.
The company said the issue began Sept. 9 when an employee sent an encrypted email from a work account to their personal email address, which was later shared on an unauthorized network.
“We thoroughly investigated this incident and worked with the employee to ensure the email was deleted from the inbox and the trash folders,” Metrocare said. “There is no evidence that the personal health information shared was used in any way by anyone other than the one individual authorized to have the information.”
The email contained client information, including first and last names, medical record details such as record numbers, appointment times, doctors’ names, and the dates, durations, and costs of services.
Metrocare said they are the largest provider of mental health, developmental disability and permanent supported housing services in Dallas County, serving more than 50,000 children, teens and adults
annually.