This privacy statement applies to Alana Hunt (“me” or “I”) and explains how I collect, use and disclose personal information in Ontario. Privacy of personal information is an important principle to me. I am committed to collecting, using and disclosing personal information responsibly and only to the extent necessary for the services I provide. I also try to be open and transparent as to how I handle personal information. My privacy policy enters into effect from the moment you contact me for the first time.
1. Personal information
Personal information means information about an identifiable individual. Personal information does not include business contact information (for example, your business address and telephone number). The personal information that I may collect, use and disclose may include information about your personal characteristics such as:
- your name, address, e-mail address, telephone number and other contact information;
- your income, employment and educational history, and your personal and social history;
- information about your presenting problem;
- your health and healthcare history;
- your activities and views;
- your payment information;
- your feedback on performance of services.
2. Consent
I collect, use and disclose your personal information with your consent or as permitted or required by law. Your consent may be express or implied, depending on the circumstances and the sensitivity of the personal information in question. For example, you or your authorized representative (such as a person having a power of attorney) may give express consent verbally, electronically or in writing. In addition, in most cases, your consent to the collection, use and disclosure of personal information by me may be implied by the fact that you have engaged me to provide therapy services, where the collection, use and disclosure of information relates to the performance of those services by me. If you choose to provide personal information to me, I assume that you consent to this collection, use and disclosure of your personal information as outlined in my privacy policy.
I typically collect personal information directly from you or through my interaction with you. However, sometimes I may obtain personal information about you from other sources. For example, in addition to personal information that you provide, I may collect personal information from third parties, such as health care providers who have provided health care to you in the past, where these parties have information relevant to the provision of my services to you.
3. No Consent or Withdrawal of Consent
Subject to legal or contractual restrictions and reasonable notice, you may refuse to consent to my collection, use and disclosure of your personal information or you may withdraw your consent to my further collection, use and disclosure of information about you by contacting Alana Hunt at alana@alanahunt.ca or at (647) 502-5405. Please note that if you withdraw your consent to certain uses of your personal information, I may no longer be able to provide certain services to you. In addition, please remember that unless encrypted, e-mail is not a secure form of communication. Please limit e-mailed information to that which you would be comfortable discussing in a public place.
4. Use of Personal Information
I may use your personal information:
- to provide services or information to you;
- to bill you or third party payors for the provision of services to you;
- to provide information to third parties for which you have consented, such as other professionals, agencies and providers who are involved in your care;
- to contact you to evaluate the services I have provided to you;
- to respond to your feedback with respect to my services to you;
- to comply with legal and regulatory requirements;
- to conduct risk management and quality improvement activities;
- to engage in supervision and peer consultation;
- as permitted or required by law or for purposes for which you otherwise provide your consent.
If you do not wish to receive further materials about my services, you may unsubscribe or ask me not to contact you for these purposes.
5. Disclosure of Personal Information
No personal information will be communicated, directly or indirectly, to a third party without your informed and written consent. Exceptions to this policy include legal and/or ethical obligations such as obligations to:
- 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 the Children’s Aid Society 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;
- share information with a regulated health professional or other regulated professional in the field, the College of Psychologists of Ontario, College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario or the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers for supervision, consultation or auditing purposes.
In addition, 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 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.
6. Collection of Personal Information Through My Website
When you visit my website, you can request more information, provide feedback and make other comments and inquiries. Unless you choose to provide personal information to me I do not collect any identifying information about you through my website. My Internet server may passively and automatically collect certain information about my website traffic, which may be linked to your computer, including your IP address, the type of operating system and browser you use, your computer’s location, what pages you visit on my site, what links you click on, what other pages you have visited recently, and the time and duration of your visit to my website. These statistics are gathered and used collectively. Your identity cannot be reasonably ascertained from this information. I use this non-personal information to optimize my website service.
7. External Links on My Website
For your convenience, I may offer links from my website to other websites. However, I am not responsible for, nor do I accept any liability for, the personal information collection, use and disclosure practices of other entities to which my website may link. You should consult the privacy policies of these other entities before providing any personal information on their websites.
8. Security
I have implemented reasonable physical, organizational and technological security measures to safeguard the personal information in my custody or control. These include safeguards to protect personal information against loss or theft, as well as unauthorized access, disclosure, copying, use, or modification.
You can generally visit my website without providing any personal information. However, given that electronically submitted data is not 100 per cent secure, I make no warranties as to the security of any such personal information that you submit, which you do at your own risk.
9. Access and Correction to Personal Information
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. I will need to confirm your identity and legal right to have access to the information. In some cases, this may include producing identification and or proof that you have legal authority to make decisions on behalf of my client. I reserve the right to charge a nominal fee for such requests.
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. I may ask you to provide documentation that my files are wrong. If changed, a statement of changed information is included in the record. If the request for a change is declined, you may file a notice of disagreement in the client record.
If you have any questions, requests or complaints about my personal information practices, please contact Alana Hunt at 1 Centre Street, Unit 316, Scarborough, Ontario, M1J 3B4 or via email at alana@alanahunt.ca or via telephone at (647) 502-5405. Please remember that unless encrypted, e-mail is not a secure form of communication. Please limit e-mailed information to that which you would be comfortable discussing in a public place. If you have a concern that you are unable to resolve with Alana Hunt, you may contact the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario, 2 Bloor Street East, Suite 1400, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 1A8.
10. Privacy Policy Changes
This privacy policy may be revised at any time. If I intend to use or disclose personal information for purposes not described in this statement, I will make reasonable efforts to notify affected individuals in advance, if necessary. If you are concerned about how your personal information is used, you should contact me as described above or check back at my website periodically to obtain a current copy of this privacy policy.
If you have a question about my privacy policies that is not addressed in the Privacy Policy, please send an e-mail to Alana Hunt at: alana@alanahunt.ca. Please remember that unless encrypted, e-mail is not a secure form of communication. Please limit e-mailed information to that which you would be comfortable discussing in a public place.
