Beaver County Behavioral Health (BCBH) officials are advising patients to be on alert after they said cybercriminals gained unauthorized access to their network, putting personal information at risk.
BCBH officials said they’re taking this matter very seriously and have mailed letters to those affected. The notice said this was the result of a ransomware attack in July. Officials said while the investigation is ongoing, preliminary findings indicate cybercriminals copied data from the BCBH network, including the protected health information of patients.
Hackers acquired names, birth dates, social security numbers, diagnoses, treatment details, and medications, according to the notice. They also gained access to insurance information.
“As soon as we learned this, we began working to investigate and determine the scope of the incident. We also reported this incident to federal law enforcement and worked with nationally recognized third-party cybersecurity and data forensics consultants,” BCBH told patients.
BCBH offers a multitude of services, including mental health, developmental, and early intervention. People in Beaver Falls weren’t happy to hear about the breach that puts both former and current patients at risk.
“As a part-time caregiver, I’m very serious when it comes to patients’ privacy and confidentiality and HIPAA,” Meghan Dawson said. “So even with my work, with what I do, and working with patients with disabilities as well, I’m adamant about that too – making sure their stuff is secure.”
“I think it’s terrible,” said Ray Plate, who was the victim of a separate hack. “I hope they fix the problem, personally.”
County health officials are advising those affected to take preventative measures and remain vigilant. They’re telling patients to closely review account statements, credit reports, and explanation of benefits forms. If you see a service you did not receive, contact your doctor. Report any suspected identity theft to law enforcement, the state Attorney General, and/or major credit bureaus.
“I hope they can get to the bottom of this, and I pray for everybody,” Dawson said.
BCBH shared more details on how patients can protect their information.
Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW
©2026 Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/XCUXZC2XYZHCRGNNGKFEX6U3LQ.png)
