Media Requests
Communications, Marketing, & Media Requests
River Edge welcomes media professionals to contact the Director of Communications & Marketing to arrange staff and persons-served interviews, to request background information, and to visit our facilities (accompanied by a River Edge team member).
If you’re interested in scheduling a site visit or interview, please contact:
Kelly McWilliams
Director of Communications & Marketing
478-803-7707 (office)
kmcwilliams@river-edge.org
For Your Information:
HIPAA, the Media, and the Release of Information Regarding Persons Served
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) federally mandated a change in client privacy standards across the nation. The act limited facilities' ability to release information about persons served to the media and to the public. River Edge works with the media to provide accurate and timely information, while respecting the confidentiality of the medical information of people served and complying with the requirements of the law.
River Edge follows the following policies when providing client information to the media:
- A member of the media must have the name of a person served in order to request a condition.
- A person’s diagnosed condition will only be provided if that individual has approved the release of that information to the media. No additional information beyond the condition will be provided about the patient.
- If the media does not ask for an individual by name, no individual identifiable information about a person served may be legally disclosed by any healthcare facility.
- The facility may not release any information about a person served who dies without written authorization that complies with HIPAA requirements by the next of kin.
For Media Visiting any River Edge Behavioral Health Center Location
- All media interviews or photography sessions with persons served by River Edge or staff must be coordinated in advance through the River Edge Director of Communications.
- All media that come to River Edge sites must first check in with the receptionist in the lobby of that building. Media visiting the 175 Emery Highway, Macon location must check in with the Executive Office.
- Members of the media should wear identification of their media affiliation when visiting any location owned, leased or controlled by River Edge.
- All media must be accompanied by a River Edge staff member when conducting interviews, filming video or taking photos at a River Edge location.
- In order to protect the confidentiality of persons served and to maintain a therapeutic environment for the provision of healthcare and supports, media crews, reporters, videographers, and photographers who enter any River Edge property without prior arrangement with the Director of Communications will either be asked to leave or to go to the lobby area until the Director of Communications or the site supervisor can be contacted.