Privacy
No personal information will be communicated, directly or indirectly, to a third party without your informed and written consent. Exceptions to this policy include the legal, and/or ethical obligations to:
I am regulated by the Ontario College of Social Work and Social Service Workers who monitor and enforce strict guidelines about the protection of your information.
Like all organizations, various government agencies (e.g., Canada Customs and Revenue Agency, Information and Privacy Commissioner, Human Rights Commission, etc.) have the authority to review my files and interview me our as part of their mandates. In these circumstances, I may consult with professionals (e.g., lawyers, accountants) who will investigate the matter and report back to me.
The cost of some goods/services provided by my practice to clients is paid for by third parties (e.g., WSIB, private insurance, motor vehicle insurance, EAP Companies, First Nations and Inuit Health Branch). These third party payers often have your consent or legislative authority to direct me to collect and disclose to them certain information in order to demonstrate client entitlement to this funding. This can not be done without your consent.
It is my policy that clients have a legal and moral right to know what information is contained about them in their record. Clients or their legal designates shall have access to all information which can be identified as pertaining to them (and only them) and which is stored in the client record, with the exception of information that is believed to be harmful or that is confidential about or from third parties. All requests to read your file must be put in writing and I will respond to the request within 30 days. If you believe there is a mistake in the information, you have the right to ask for it to be corrected. This applies to factual information and not to any professional opinions I may have formed.
- Inform a potential victim of violence of a client's intention to harm.
- Inform an appropriate family member, health care professional or police if necessary of a client's intention to end his or her life.
- Release a client's file if there is a court order to do so.
- Inform Child and Family Services if there is suspicion of a child being at risk or in need of protection due to neglect, or physical, sexual or emotional abuse.
- Report a regulated health professional who has sexually abused a client to the professional's regulatory body.
I am regulated by the Ontario College of Social Work and Social Service Workers who monitor and enforce strict guidelines about the protection of your information.
Like all organizations, various government agencies (e.g., Canada Customs and Revenue Agency, Information and Privacy Commissioner, Human Rights Commission, etc.) have the authority to review my files and interview me our as part of their mandates. In these circumstances, I may consult with professionals (e.g., lawyers, accountants) who will investigate the matter and report back to me.
The cost of some goods/services provided by my practice to clients is paid for by third parties (e.g., WSIB, private insurance, motor vehicle insurance, EAP Companies, First Nations and Inuit Health Branch). These third party payers often have your consent or legislative authority to direct me to collect and disclose to them certain information in order to demonstrate client entitlement to this funding. This can not be done without your consent.
It is my policy that clients have a legal and moral right to know what information is contained about them in their record. Clients or their legal designates shall have access to all information which can be identified as pertaining to them (and only them) and which is stored in the client record, with the exception of information that is believed to be harmful or that is confidential about or from third parties. All requests to read your file must be put in writing and I will respond to the request within 30 days. If you believe there is a mistake in the information, you have the right to ask for it to be corrected. This applies to factual information and not to any professional opinions I may have formed.
Protecting your Personal Information and the Retention/Destruction of Information
I understand the importance of protecting personal information. For that reason, I have taken the following steps:
As required by our external regulatory bodies, I retain personal information for 10 years following the client’s last contact.
Under my general correspondence, I keep any personal information relating to people who are not clients contained in newsletters, seminars and marketing activities for six months.
To safeguard your privacy, I shred paper files containing personal information. I destroy electronic information by deleting it and when the hardware is discarded, I ensure the hard drive is physically destroyed.
- Paper information is stored either in a locked or restricted area.
- Electronic hardware is either under supervision or secured in a locked or restricted area at all times. In addition, passwords are used on computers.
- Paper information is transmitted through sealed, addressed envelopes or boxes by reputable companies (e.g., Canada Post).
- Electronic information is transmitted either through a direct line or is anonymized or encrypted.
As required by our external regulatory bodies, I retain personal information for 10 years following the client’s last contact.
Under my general correspondence, I keep any personal information relating to people who are not clients contained in newsletters, seminars and marketing activities for six months.
To safeguard your privacy, I shred paper files containing personal information. I destroy electronic information by deleting it and when the hardware is discarded, I ensure the hard drive is physically destroyed.
