PRIVACY POLICY | mariaaurorapsych

Privacy and Confidentiality Statement

I collect personal information from my clients in the regular course of doing business. The information presented here answers some of your most frequently asked questions, and lets you know exactly how I am protecting the information you entrust to me.

I collect the following personal information:

Name (required)
Phone Number (required)
Email Address (optional)
Health/Medical Information (required)

How I use this information:

To provide theraputic services
To contact you in case of a change in a scheduled appointment

How I store this information:

Name: Recorded in your client file and double-locked in a filing cabinet. Your first name and last initial appear in my electronic appointment book. Your full name is stored in my confidential electronic contact list.
Phone Number: Recorded in your client file. Stored in my confidential electronic contact list.
Email Address: Recorded in your client file. Stored in my confidential electronic contact list.
Health/medical information: All session notes are either handwritten or typed and double-locked in a filing cabinet. If you have sent me an email containing sensitive information about your therapy, I will print it and add it to your paper file. The email itself will be deleted. Please note that I do not conduct therapy over email.

Use of personal information for secondary reasons:

I will not use yoru personal information for secondary reasons. Throughout the year I may offer groups or workshops. If you are interested in receiving information about these, you will need to request to be on my mailing list. This is not assumed when I take you as a client.

Sharing of personal information with third parties:

The only time I would share your personal information would be if I am legally required to do so, or where you have requested that I do so in writing. These are the situations where I may be required by law to share your personal information: If you threaten grave bodily harm or death to yourself or another I may inform medical or law enforcement personnel. If you report to me knowledge of physical or sexual abuse of a minor child by an adult, or of an elderly or disabled person I am required to inform the appropriate agencies. If you report the sexual misconduct of a mental health professional I am required to report it to the appropriate College. If you become involved in a legal case (child custody, civil suit, etc.) I may be required to produce records or testify. I will do everything I can to keep your records confidential but sometimes it may be out of my control to do so.

How I obtain consent:

You will be required to sign a consent to treatment form when you begin therapy. You can find this form on the website under "Consent Form" a sub-menu item in PRIVACY POLICY. Once you sign this form consent to therapy and consent to be contacted regarding your therapy will be implied. When you provide me with personal information to complete a transaction, I assume you consent to my collecting it and using it for that specific reason only. If you contact me by email, I assume you consent to my responding to you via that same email address unless you have indicated otherwise.

Opting out:

I am required to collect your name and telephone number as well as health and medical information in order for a theraputic relationship to happen. You are not required to provide an email address.

More information on Privacy Issues:

I will be happy to answer any questions or concerns you have about privacy and confidentiality. You can also contact the following resources for more information -

Privacy Commissioner of Canada (click for website)

Toll free: 1-800-282-1376

Phone: 613-995-8210

Fax: 613-947-6850

TTY: 613-992-9190

By Mail:

112 Kent Street

Place de Ville, Tower B

3rd Floor

Ottaw, ON K1A 1H3

Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario (click for website)

2 Bloor Street East, Suite 1400

Toronto, ON M4W 1A8

Phone: 416-326-3333

Toll free: 1-800-387-0073