I am a mental health casemanager and my supervisor found an unsigned consent which had some of my consumer's information in her file. In an effort to be more efficient I had made copies of with no consumer signature and no information as to what agency/person the consent would be used for. I planned on using these consents if the consumer would need a new consent done, not without their permission. I figured the consent is invalid not illegal unless it is signed and dated by the consumer. There was no date next to my signiture. The consent was in a file specific to this consumer which was locked in my file cabinet.
My supervisor states that this is illegal and that he has to turn me over to the agency attorneys, which he has already done.
In response to this, I went into his office and took pictures of all the paperwork he has scattered around his desk and bulletin board which has personal information about our consumers. I figure if he is planning on holding me accountable for actually trying to be efficient, then he should at least be somewhat accountable.
We have had brief HIPPA training at our agency but is what I did illegal and can I be terminated from my employment based on copying my own signature, and in order to have a consent be legal do you have to have a witness sign it in addition to the consumer?
Am I in violation of a HIPPA law for making photocopies of my signiture on a line marked witness?
