SEARCH COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES

Privacy Policy

Our Privacy Commitment

Search Community Mental Health Services is committed to providing mental health services to clients requesting these services. One essential policy of our agency is ensuring the privacy of the personal information of clients. As of January 1, 2004, the federal Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (“PIPEDA”) has come into effect. The act balances an individual’s right to the privacy of personal information with the need of organizations to collect, use or disclose personal information for legitimate business purposes. Our pledge is to safeguard the privacy rights defined in PIPEDA and all other relevant laws.

How are we complying with the privacy principles of PIPEDA?

Accountability: Search has designated an individual as the person who is accountable for ensuring we use personal information in an appropriate manner. We have developed and implemented personal information policies and procedures.

Identifying Purposes: We will identify the reasons for collecting personal information before or at the time of collection.

Consent:We will collect, use or disclose personal information only with the individual’s knowledge and consent, before or at the time of collection, as well as when a new use is identified.

Limiting Collection: We will limit the amount and type of information we gather to what is necessary for the identified purposes.

Limiting Use, Disclosure and Retention: We will not use or disclose personal information for purposes other than those for which it was collected, except with consent or as required by law. Personal information will be retained only as long as necessary for the fulfillment of those purposes.

Accuracy of Information: We will ensure that personal information will be as accurate, complete and up-to-date as is necessary for the purposes for which it is to be used.

Safeguards:Personal information will be protected from unauthorized access, disclosure, copying, use or modification, by security safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity of the information.

Openness: We will make readily available to individuals specific information about our policies and practices relating to the management of personal information.

Individual Access: Upon request, an individual will be informed of the existence, use and disclosure of his or her personal information and will be given access to that information. An individual can challenge the accuracy and completeness of the information and have it amended as appropriate.

Challenging Compliance: An individual can address a challenge concerning compliance with the above principles to our Privacy Officer, who is accountable for our compliance with these principles.

What information do we collect?

We only collect personal information that we require to provide you with the services you have requested. Information collected may include:

·Name
·Address
·Birthdate
·Phone Number
·Relevant medical history
·Emergency contacts

How do we obtain your consent?

We will obtain your consent (which may be written, oral or implied) before or at the time your personal information is being collected from you, but only as permitted or required by law.

How do we collect personal information?

Most of the personal information collected by Search is provided by our Intake Worker. By providing the Intake Worker with personal information, we consider that you do so with the knowledge and understanding that it is collected, used and disclosed for the purpose of providing mental health services.

How do we use your information?

Personal information that is collected is used for your mental health care plan of treatment.

Protecting Your Privacy

Your personal information is kept in strict confidence. We maintain physical, electronic and procedural safeguards to protect your information from unauthorized access. We restrict access to your personal information to those employees who we have determined need to know in order to provide services to you. Personal information is retained only as long as it is needed.

Accuracy

Search Community Mental Health Services is committed to keeping personal information as accurate, complete and up-to-date as necessary, taking into account its use and the interests of the individual.

Access to Personal Information

You have a right to submit a written request to access your personal information that is in our possession and make corrections to it. Such a request is to be made to our Privacy Officer at the address listed below. We will respond to your request within 30 days or advise you if additional time is required to respond to your request. We will amend personal information that is demonstrated to be inaccurate or incomplete.

Further Information

Requests for further information, access to personal information or complaints about Search Community Mental Health Service’s handling of personal information should be referred to the Privacy Officer as follows:

Search Community Mental Health Services

21 Richmond Street

Strathroy,

Ontario,

N7G 2Z1
Attention: Privacy Officer

Telephone: (519)245-0120
Fax: (519)245-0121
Email: [email protected]