Qualified Services Organization Agreements

A qualified service organization agreement (QSOA) is a binding document between a substance abuse prevention or treatment agency and an organization providing support services to the agency. The purpose of the agreement is to ensure that confidential information of clients seeking substance abuse services remains confidential. QSOAs are integral to the provision of substance abuse prevention and treatment services by establishing and maintaining the privacy of those seeking and receiving substance abuse services. This entry will focus on the purpose of the QSOA, the legal underpinnings of the QSOA, the content of a QSOA, and further readings on this topic.

A substance abuse prevention or treatment agency focuses on specific activities and may have the need to contract with an outside organization to provide support services ...