Privacy

Your personal health information is important for us to serve you.

CMHA Halton is committed to the confidentiality and security of the personal information you provide to us as part of our services. Personal information is “information about an identifiable individual, either alone or when combined with other information”.

We collect, use and disclose your health information to:

• Treat and care for you
• Provide services to you
• Coordinate your care with your other health care providers including through shared
  electronic health information systems such as other mental health service providers, your family physician, and local, regional and provincial programs
• Deliver and evaluate our programs
• Plan, administer and manage our internal operations
• Conduct risk management, error management, and quality improvement activities

You are entitled to know the purposes for which we use your information. If we want to use it for a new purpose, we will ask for your consent unless the new purpose is permitted or required by law.

Confidentiality and Security of Information

Your involvement with CMHA Halton is confidential (private). A paper and/or electronic file will be created that includes personal information about you, to ensure continuity of high-quality service. This file is protected and/or stored in a secure, locked area.

The Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004, requires anyone who provides health services to protect health information. We only collect the health information we need to determine your needs and cannot be use it for any other purposes without your permission.

Your information will only be viewed by authorized people who deliver your services, and all health service providers have signed contracts to keep your information confidential.

Your information is securely stored and disposed of according to law.

Consent and Sharing Your Information

We will ask for your consent before securely sharing your personal health information with other service providers. If you agree to share the information, it will be used to:

• Provide support and services based on your needs.
• Make sure your providers have the most up-to-date and complete record of your health history and needs.
• Support the coordination of your services.
• Make sure everyone is getting the right level of support and service.

Your information will not be sold or revealed, shared, or transferred by CMHA Halton without your consent.

However, we are allowed or may be required by law to hsare your information in these circumstances:

• If it is suspected that you intend to harm yourself or another person.
• In a medical emergency.
• If CMHA or any of our employees are served by the courts with a subpoena, summons, or warrant. We review all legal requests and determine if we need to share your information.
• In cases of suspected child abuse, including concerns for a child’s physical, sexual, or emotional safety.
• If we suspect that an older adult in a care setting is being harmed. We are required by law to report this to those who would ensure the person’s safety.
• If you give express consent for your information to be shared.

Selected data from our information system and assessments or questionnaires may be shared with program funders, partner programs, or organizations for reporting or research purposes or to improve services. We undertake robust privacy reviews to ensure proper establishment of processes for electronic data sharing.

We may use unidentified and aggregate (combined) data from evaluation surveys in publications or reports.

On occasion, files may be reviewed by a governing college or our accrediting body to ensure that appropriate processes are being followed in accordance with standards and guidelines.

You can change your consent or request to correct, update, or get a copy of your information. We will also investigate any suspected breach or unauthorized access to your information.

Your Rights

You can request a copy of your record. If you have any questions about this process or wish to make a request, you can speak to your CMHA Halton staff or the Privacy Officer
(privacy@cmhahrb.ca). In rare situations, you may be denied access to some or all of your
record (with any such denial being in accordance with applicable law). We try to keep your record accurate and up-to-date. If you disagree with what is recorded, please let us know so the content can be reviewed and adjusted if possible.

If you have concerns or want to know more about how we handle your information, please speak the person providing your support or contact our Privacy Officer at privacy@cmhahrb.ca.

You also have the right to contact the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario:

2 Bloor Street East, Suite 1400 Toronto, ON  M4W 1A8 

416-326-3333 or 1-800-387-0073 

info@ipc.on.ca

www.ipc.on.ca

We do not automatically gather any personal information from visitors to our website, such as your name, phone number, e-mail, or address. This information is only obtained if you supply it voluntarily by contacting us via e-mail or signing up to receive our newsletter. Any personal information you provide to us will not be sold to any third party.