There’s been some clamoring of late for the Journal to publish its letters online. Folks, it’s coming. Trust me, it’s coming.
In the meantime, we’ll give you a taste of how it’ll work by posting a letter we received about this week’s issue. Enjoy!
Editor:
In Hank Sims’ “Town Dandy” column of March 20, the self-righteous Sims cast aspersions against Humboldt County’s Department of Health and Human Services.
With his inane comments, comparing DHHS to a totalitarian communist North Korean regime, Hank Sims betrays his “poor understanding of the law.” For your review, Hank, I have enclosed information regarding the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 — otherwise known by its acronym, HIPAA.
I am not an official spokesperson for DHHS, but as a long-time employee I feel that it is my duty to set the record straight. Privacy regarding health care is a major concern for our clients, and they most definitely do not want government employees giving out their personal information to “journalists” like yourself, Mr. Sims.
The real question I would like to see answered in the pages of the North Coast Journal is — why is conservative Frank Jager and his County Coroner’s Office so ready and willing to provide your publication with information? It couldn’t possibly have anything to do with Mr. Jager’s impending run for the Eureka City Council and his desire to get on your good side, could it, Hank?
Jake Pickering, Eureka
This article appears in The Not-So-Peaceful Atom.
HIPAA only deals with medical records, not wages. Hell, you can legally throw medical records away as long as the name and any other information is crossed out that leads back to the person who’s record it is.
Maybe Jake “Crazy as a Shithouse Rat” Picking, Frank Jager is something rare in Humboldt County, a professional. I’ve had the “honor” of working with most of the departments above in a professional and non-professional manner. The yin of the DHHS, is offset from the yang of the coroner’s office, even when dealing with the saddest of subjects. It does not surprise me that Jake Pickering works for Humboldt County’s Department of Health and Human Services, which at times, I could not tell who person in need was from the person helping them. Some of the employees manner of dress and actions where so unprofessional, I wonder how they got their job, and would have fired them from a McJob.
Now Jake Pickering, the real question is this; How can people go to your office looking for help, when they know what kind of mental state you are in. Phil Crandall should look deeply at your action over the years and offer you a choice, counseling and getting help, or a kick to the ass and a pink slip on your way out.
(please note, not all people working for DHHS are unprofessional in their work habits, or dress, they do have some professionals there.)
For the record: Believe it or not, I know what HIPAA is, not only because I sign the same forms everyone else does but also because it’s been the topic of innumerable journalism seminars and listserv discussions.
I wasn’t talking about patients’ records. I was talking about things like the Great Baywood Barf-out and its aftermath.
Oh god, I forgot about that. It’s like they took a page from College of the Redwood’s playbook on the Clery Act. “There isn’t a crime TO report until the person has been found guilty!”
Yeah, a great way to control an outbreak, sit on your hands with your thumbs up your bum.
I didn’t know Jake Pickering HAD a job. You learn sumthin’ new every day.
Crandall is a good guy in a bad job. He has done extra good service as a civilian on the Mad River Hatchery. So I would generally take his guidance on issues with mental health dept including HIPPA. Sorry to say that with the nut Jake Pickering weighing in on the issue I may have to reconsider. Pickering is with out a doubt dumber than a sack of hammer handles.
is this the same “jake” who is a die-hard believer in the theory that the terrorist attacks of 9/11/01 were an “inside job” by our own government? and now it turns out that he works as a government bureaucrat himself? some radical!
truth is stranger than fiction
jake is much better working with fish than homo-erectus.
Jake wonders why Frank Jager and his County Coroner’s Office is so ready and willing to provide your publication with information? If he knew this Coroner, the truth of this insidious ploy would be obvious: Frank Jager is decent, open, and honest.