On July 30, 2024, Coastal Plains Community MHMR Center (“Coastal Plains”) filed a notice of data breach with the Attorney General of Maine after discovering that an unauthorized actor accessed the organization’s computer system. In this notice, Coastal Plains explains that the incident resulted in an unauthorized party being able to access patients’ sensitive information, which includes their names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, passport numbers, medical information, health insurance information, and financial account information. Upon completing its investigation, Coastal Plains began sending out data breach notification letters to all individuals whose information was affected by the recent data security incident.

If you received a data breach notification from Coastal Plains Community MHMR Center, it is essential you understand what is at risk and what you can do about it. A data breach lawyer can help you learn more about how to protect yourself from becoming a victim of fraud or identity theft, as well as discuss your legal options following the Coastal Plains MHMR Center data breach. For more information, please see our recent piece on the topic here.

What Caused the Coastal Plains MHMR Center Data Breach?

The Coastal Plains MHMR Center data breach was only recently announced, and more information is expected in the near future. However, Coastal Plains’s filing with the Attorney General of Maine provides some important information on what led up to the breach. Coastal Plains also posted a website notice discussing the incident.

According to these sources, on November 13, 2023, Coastal Plains detected suspicious activity within its computer network that was consistent with a ransomware attack. In response, Coastal Plains secured its systems, notified law enforcement, and then began working with cybersecurity and privacy experts to assist with the investigation.

Ultimately, through this investigation, Coastal Plains confirmed that an unauthorized actor accessed its network between November 12, 2023 and November 13, 2023, including files containing confidential patient information.

After learning that sensitive patient data was accessible to an unauthorized party, Coastal Plains MHMR Center reviewed the compromised files to determine what information was leaked and which patients were impacted. While the breached information varies depending on the individual, it may include your name, date of birth, Social Security number, driver’s license number, passport number, medical information, health insurance information, and financial account information.

On July 30, 2024, Coastal Plains MHMR Center sent out data breach letters to anyone who was affected by the recent data security incident. These letters should provide victims with a list of what information belonging to them was compromised.

More Information About Coastal Plains Community MHMR Center

Founded in 1996, Coastal Plains Community MHMR Center is a behavioral health provider based out of Beeville, Texas. Coastal Plains is the amalgam of three previously existing organizations: Rio Grande State Center, San Antonio State Hospital, and the Corpus Christi State School. Coastal Plains provides a wide range of behavioral health services, including IDD services, adult mental health services, veterans outreach, and substance abuse services. Coastal Plains MHMR Center employs more than 157 people and generates approximately $7 million in annual revenue.