HHS OCR report ยท 2018
Adams County data breach
OCR report facts
- Covered entity
- Adams County
- Entity type
- Healthcare Provider
- State
- Wisconsin
- Individuals affected
- 258,120
- Submission date
- Dec 11, 2018
- Type of breach
- Unauthorized Access/Disclosure
- Location of breached information
- Network Server, Other
- Business associate present
- No
- Status
- Archive (closed)
OCR description
The covered entity (CE), Adams County Health and Human Services Department (Adams County), a hybrid health care entity, reported that two employees impermissibly accessed protected health information (PHI). This breach affected 258,120 individuals. The CE notified affected individuals, the media, and HHS. Adams County also sanctioned the employees, locked down the affected programs, and its IT service provider reset all access credentials across its network. OCR provided the CE with technic...
Text as published on the HHS OCR breach portal.
Frequently asked questions
How many people were affected by the Adams County data breach?
The report to HHS OCR lists 258,120 individuals affected.
When was it reported to HHS?
It was submitted to HHS OCR on Dec 11, 2018.
What type of breach was it?
The OCR portal lists the type of breach as Unauthorized Access/Disclosure, with the breached information located in: Network Server, Other.
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 Adams County 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 Adams County.