Mental health officials from KernCounty in California are notifying patients of a potential data breach after a report containing protected health information was left behind during the agency's move to new offices.
The data contained in the report was limited to names, medical record numbers and information related to where patients received care, according to a notice on the agency's website.
"Our administration offices recently relocated. During the move, a report was inadvertently left behind in a vacated section of the building that had been under construction," the notice reads. "This report did not contain any treatment information or any other information, such as Social Security number, driver's license number, or financial account numbers which could expose you to identity theft."
Those who received treatment during the month of September 2006 may have been affected. The county is encouraging concerned resident beneficiaries to request a copy of their mental health records for a better understanding of the information they contain.