HHS OCR report ยท 2012
First Step Counseling, Inc. data breach
OCR report facts
- Covered entity
- First Step Counseling, Inc.
- Entity type
- Healthcare Provider
- State
- New Jersey
- Individuals affected
- 638
- Submission date
- Oct 23, 2012
- Type of breach
- Theft
- Location of breached information
- Paper/Films
- Business associate present
- No
- Status
- Archive (closed)
OCR description
From May 1, 2011, to August 5, 2011, two employees of the covered entity (CE), First Step Counseling, Inc., made photocopies of documents containing 638 patients' protected health information (PHI) and disclosed the documents to their attorney. The PHI included names, insurance numbers, diagnosis information, dates of birth, telephone numbers and social security numbers. Upon discovery of the breach, the CE hired attorneys to seek immediate return of all photocopies that contained CE's patien...
Text as published on the HHS OCR breach portal.
Frequently asked questions
How many people were affected by the First Step Counseling, Inc. data breach?
The report to HHS OCR lists 638 individuals affected.
When was it reported to HHS?
It was submitted to HHS OCR on Oct 23, 2012.
What type of breach was it?
The OCR portal lists the type of breach as Theft, with the breached information located in: Paper/Films.
Is the investigation still open?
No. The report is in the OCR portal archive, which holds reports where OCR has closed its review.
Is a breach notice letter from First Step Counseling, Inc. legitimate?
This site cannot verify letters. Check the sender against the organisation's official website and the HHS OCR breach portal, and avoid calling numbers or clicking links only listed in an unexpected message. See our guide on what to do after a data breach notice.
Source: HHS OCR Breach Portal, OCR export October 2026. Network USA is not affiliated with HHS or First Step Counseling, Inc..