This Privacy and Consent Statement tells you about how Contact Niagara treats your personal information and explains your rights regarding your privacy.
Please review it carefully.
Contact Niagara is committed to protecting your privacy and confidentiality. Personal information is collected, used and disclosed under the authority of the Freedom of
Information and Protection of Privacy Act R.S.O. 1990, Ch.F.31, the Personal Health Information and Protection Act S.O. 2004, Ch. 3, Schedule A and the Privacy Act
(R.S.,1985, c.P-21).
About your personal information
If you say it is okay, we will collect and store the personal and health information you share with us. This information becomes your personal record and is kept securely in paper files and on computer. Information in your record includes:
- What services you want and what services you have already had
- Your name, address, date of birth, present situation, health and social history, and results of assessments you may have had
- In some instances, copies of assessments, or reports from other service providers
Your record also includes what we have discussed about all the above information.
Purpose of collecting, using and disclosing information
With your consent, we will collect, use and disclose your personal information.
- To determine your needs and which services might meet these needs
- For ongoing discussions with those you have given us consent, during your involvement with Contact Niagara, for the purposes related to your needs
- To document information in an intake to share with service providers that can best meet your needs
- To monitor your status with respect to accessing those services
- To make use of anonymous information for planning, training and research
We may ask if we can talk with other people you know if it will help us understand your situation better. These people might include:Others in your family, Workers that have helped you before, Professionals in your life right now.
You can change who you give us permission to share your personal records with at any time by letting us know.
We will get your consent again if we should want to collect, use and/or disclose any information in your records that we have gathered for reasons not mentioned above, such as:
- Using your personal information for research purposes
- Sharing your information with a new person
All staff members are trained to keep your records private and they will collect, use and disclose your information only as necessary to fulfill their duties.
Who can see and discuss your records without your consent?
When law requires, we may share your personal records with other people even when you have not given us your consent. We may do this when legally requested by a court of law, or when you or someone you know is in trouble, danger or needs help quickly.
Seeing your own records
It is our policy to discuss with you what we are putting in your records. That means that when we record information, you can check that it is accurate and that you agree with it. If you think there is something wrong or missing in your personal records, you can ask that it be changed.
If you want to look at your personal records, let us know. You can contact us about our privacy policies at (905) 684-3407
or at
Contact Niagara for Children’s and Developmental Services
23 Hannover Drive, Unit 8
St. Catharines, ON L2W 1A3
Email: privacy@contactniagara.org
If you think we have violated your privacy rights, you may contact:
The Information/Privacy Commissioner of Ontario
2 Bloor Street East, Suite 1400, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 1A8
Tel: (416) 326-3333
or
1-800-387-0073
info@ipc.on.ca
www.ipc.on.ca