Privacy Policy | Niagara Cbt Clinic

The privacy of personal information is an important principle to Niagara CBT Clinic for Personal Development. We are committed to collecting, using, and disclosing personal information responsibly and only to the extent necessary for the services we provide. We strive to be open and transparent regarding how we handle personal information. This document describes our privacy policies.

What Is Personal Information?

Personal information is information about an identifiable individual. Personal information includes information that relates to an individual’s personal characteristics (e.g., name, age, home address, phone number); health (e.g., health history); or activities and views (e.g., situations, thoughts, emotions). We collect, use, and disclose personal information in order to serve our clients. This includes developing the individual plan, keeping track of therapy goals, documenting topics addressed in session and therapy progress, and engaging in supervision. We restrict our staff access to information based on their roles. Everyone at Niagara CBT Clinic is committed to following our privacy policies and principles.

Protecting Personal Information

We understand the importance of protecting personal information. For that reason, we have taken the following steps:

Our staff is trained to collect, use, and disclose personal information only as necessary to fulfill their duties and in accordance with our privacy policy.
Paper information is secured in locked cabinets and locked rooms until it can be securely destroyed.
Encrypted systems and passwords are used to protect electronic information.
We use client initials and numbers in internal communications.

Retention & Destruction Of Personal Information

We keep our client’s files for 10 years after the last contact with adult clients and for children, 10 years after the date at which they would turn 18 years of age. Our electronic health records and booking system protects your information. We destroy paper files containing personal information by shredding them.

You Can View Your Information

With only a few exceptions, you have the right to see what personal information we hold about you. Often all you have to do is ask. We can help you identify what records we might have about you. We will also try to help you understand any information you do not understand (e.g., short forms, technical language, etc.). We will need to confirm your identity, if we do not know you, before providing you with this access. We charge a $100.00 fee for such requests.

If there is a problem, we may ask you to put your request in writing. If we cannot give you access, we will tell you within 30 days if at all possible, and tell you the reason, as best we can, as to why we cannot give you access. 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 and not to any professional opinions we may have formed. We may ask you to provide documentation that our files are wrong. Where we agree that we made a mistake, we will make the correction and, where appropriate, notify anyone to whom we sent this information. If we do not agree that we have made a mistake, we will agree to include in our file a brief statement from you on the point and, as appropriate, we will forward that statement to anyone else who received the earlier information.

Any Concerns?

Our Privacy Information Officer is John Henderson who can be reached by email at cbtniagaratherapy@gmail.com to address any questions or concerns you might have. If you wish to make a formal complaint about our privacy practices, you may make it in writing to our Information Officer. He will acknowledge the receipt of your complaint and respond. If you have a concern about the professionalism or competence of our services, we ask that you discuss those concerns with us. If we cannot satisfy your concerns, you are entitled to complain to the relevant authorities of Ontario.