The Well Counselling and Recovery Services is committed to protecting your privacy and safeguarding your personal information. This is one of the main tenets of our services and is therefore one of our highest priorities. The privacy policy of The Well Counselling and Recovery Services is comprehensive and complies with the requirements of PHIPA (Personal Health Information Protection Act 2004) and the 10 principles appended to the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (“PIPEDA”).
PHIPA provides the rules for the collecting, using and disclosing of personal health information: protecting the confidentiality of the individual’s information and the privacy of the individual with respect to that information, while ensuring that effective health care is provided. Personal Health Information (PHI) refers to information both oral and written, that identifies an individual and relates to the person’s physical or mental health. At The Well Counselling and Recovery Services this information includes demographics, medical and mental health histories, insurance information and payments and is used to help determine appropriate levels of care.
How information is collected and used
- Client Information is collected primarily through intakes and regular sessions. Other means include appointment requests and disclosure of information to persons to whom there is express authorization to do so.
- The information collected is used to provide a service that is suitable for the client including but not limited to therapy, collaborating with other professionals involved in the care of the client, and invoicing third parties for payment.
Disclosing information and exceptions
Information shared in therapy is treated as confidential and will not be shared with any office or individual outside The Well Counselling and Recovery Services without the client’s signed and informed consent. Clients in couple, family or group therapy are responsible for the confidentiality of information they share in the group.
Under some circumstances, therapists are legally and ethically bound to disclose certain specific and relevant information to appropriate individuals or agencies. These circumstances include:
- Reason to believe the client in therapy is a danger to themselves or may do harm to another person;
- Reason to believe a minor has been, is, or may be in danger of neglect or abuse;
- Response to a court order;
- A client reports reasonable suspicion or knowledge that a resident in a Long Term Care facility in Ontario is suffering or has suffered harm as a result of abuse or negligence by staff in the home;
- The therapist has reasonable grounds to believe another regulated health professional has sexually abused a client or patient.
In other cases, your therapist may share specific and relevant information with appropriate organizations without your consent. These circumstances include: reason to believe that another therapist has caused or is likely to cause you harm, a medical emergency, a court subpoena of your records or in response to a missing person investigation
How information is kept private
Visual and auditory privacy are taken into consideration throughout The Well Counselling and Recovery Services and are enhanced by the use of closed office spaces and white noise. Offsite locations used for online therapy meet requirements for visual and auditory privacy. All client records and therapy-related material are securely and confidentially maintained for a minimum of ten years following the completion of the last therapy session, after which time, under normal circumstances, they are destroyed in a complete, responsible and professional manner. Any audio/video recordings are deleted on a regular basis.
Client access to their records
Clients have a right to access their information and to correct errors in the presence of a therapist, supervisor, manager or director. The process is initiated by a written request from the client. Clients have a right to make a complaint if they identify errors in their personal health information.
Privacy breach
Should you feel that there is a breach of your personal health information, please contact Susan Zuidema, Owner. You may also contact the CRPO: 375 University Avenue, Suite 803, Toronto, ON M5G 2J5, (Tel:1–844–712–1364 or 416–479–4330), and the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario (IPC): 2 Bloor Street East, Suite 1400, Toronto, ON M4W 1A8 (Tel: 416–326–3333). In the event of a privacy breach, The Well Counselling and Recovery Services will notify the clients affected.
SMS Messaging
The Well Counselling and Recovery Services respects your privacy. By opting into our SMS messaging service, you agree to the following terms regarding how we handle your data.
Data Collection: We will collect your name, email address, mailing address, and mobile phone number when you sign up for SMS updates. The information will be collected via the website contact form, email rental agreement, or third-party reservation systems.
Data Usage: We use your data solely for sending updates, promotions, and reminders related to our products or services.
Data security: We protect your data with secure storage measures to prevent unauthorized access.
Data Retention: We retain your information as long as you are subscribed to our SMS service. You may request deletion at any time.
MESSAGE AND DATA RATES MAY APPLY: Your mobile carrier may charge fees for sending or receiving text messages, especially if you do not have an unlimited texting or data plan. Messages are recurring, and message frequency varies.
Opt-out: You can opt out of the SMS list at anytime by texting, emailing, or replying STOP or UNSUSCRIBE to susan@wellcounselling.ca or 519-805-1939. After unsubscribing, you will receive a final SMS to confirm you have unsubscribed and we will remove your number from our list within 24 hours.
You can send HELP for additional assistance, and you will receive a text including our phone number, email and website. We are here to help you.
Non-sharing clause: We do not share your data with third parties for marketing purposes. The Well Counselling and Recovery Services will not sell, rent, or share the collected mobile numbers.
Changes
When changes are made to our Privacy Policy, we will make the updated version available.