Privacy Policy

CORE Counselling & Mental Health Services is a private counselling practice operated by Katie Reed, B.S.W., M.S.W., R.S.W. (OCSWSSW Registration #860578). Katie Reed is the Health Information Custodian responsible for the personal health information collected and held by this practice, as defined under the Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA, Ontario). Practice address: 1227 Marentette Ave, Windsor, Ontario Email: [email protected] Phone: 226-773-8077 Virtual services are provided to clients located anywhere in the Province of Ontario.

This Privacy Policy governs the collection, use, disclosure, and retention of personal information and personal health information by CORE Counselling & Mental Health Services. This practice is subject to: • The Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004 (PHIPA, Ontario) — governing personal health information collected in the course of providing health care • The Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) — governing personal information collected for commercial purposes, to the extent it applies • The OCSWSSW Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics — governing professional obligations of confidentiality and record-keeping • The Social Work and Social Service Work Act, R.S.O. 1998, c. 31 Where PHIPA applies, it takes precedence over PIPEDA with respect to personal health information.

We collect only the minimum personal information necessary to provide our services. This may include: Identification and contact information: • Full name, email address, phone number, and mailing address Service-related information: • Reason for seeking counselling, presenting concerns, and goals • Availability, session preferences, and session type (in-person or virtual) • Emergency contact information Personal health information (once a therapeutic relationship is established): • Mental health history, diagnoses, medications, and relevant medical history • Information disclosed during counselling sessions • Assessment results and clinical notes • Referral letters and correspondence with other health care providers (with consent) Billing and administrative information: • Payment information and insurance details, as required Website and form submissions: • Information you voluntarily submit through our contact or booking forms • IP address and timestamp of form submissions (see Section 8)

We collect, use, and disclose your personal health information only with your knowledge and consent, except where otherwise permitted or required by law. Consent may be express (written or verbal) or implied, depending on the sensitivity of the information and the circumstances of collection. For personal health information collected in the course of providing counselling services, express written consent is obtained through our intake and informed consent process. You may withdraw consent at any time, subject to legal and professional restrictions. Withdrawal of consent may affect our ability to continue providing services. To withdraw consent or ask questions about how your consent is being used, contact us at [email protected].

Your personal information is used only for the purposes for which it was collected or for purposes consistent with those purposes. Specifically, we use your information to: • Respond to consultation requests and inquiries • Schedule, deliver, and document counselling services • Conduct clinical assessments and maintain accurate clinical records • Process payments and, where applicable, submit direct billing claims to insurers • Communicate with you about your care, including appointment reminders • Refer you to other health care providers, with your consent • Meet our legal, regulatory, and professional obligations under PHIPA, OCSWSSW Standards of Practice, and applicable legislation We do not sell, rent, trade, or otherwise share your personal information with third parties for marketing, advertising, or commercial purposes.

All information shared within a therapeutic relationship is held in strict confidence. We will not disclose your personal information without your written consent, except in the following legally defined circumstances: • You disclose information indicating a serious and imminent risk of harm to yourself or to an identifiable third party, and disclosure is necessary to prevent that harm • There are reasonable grounds to suspect that a child is or may be in need of protection under the Child, Youth and Family Services Act, R.S.O. 2017, c. 14, Sched. 1, s. 125 — Katie Reed, as a Registered Social Worker, is a mandated reporter under this provision • A court order, subpoena, or other lawful legal process requires disclosure of records • The Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW) requires access to records as part of a complaint investigation, quality assurance review, or fitness to practise proceeding • Disclosure is otherwise permitted or required under PHIPA or other applicable law Where it is safe and practicable to do so, you will be informed before any disclosure is made. The limits of confidentiality are reviewed with you during your first session and are set out in your informed consent documentation.

Clinical records are created and maintained in accordance with OCSWSSW Standards of Practice and PHIPA. Records are retained for a minimum of ten (10) years from the date of last service. Where a client was a minor at the time of service, records are retained until the later of ten (10) years from the date of last service or the date the client reaches the age of twenty-five (25). Records are stored using secure, encrypted systems. Any paper records are kept in locked storage accessible only to authorized personnel. Records are disposed of securely at the end of the applicable retention period.

When you submit a consultation request or contact form through this website, the information you provide is used solely to respond to your inquiry and, if applicable, to initiate the intake process. Please do not include sensitive clinical or personal health information in web forms, as web-based communication is not a fully secure channel. Automatic data collection: When a form is submitted on this website, we automatically collect the submitter's IP address and the date and time of submission (Eastern Time). This information is collected for security, fraud prevention, and audit purposes only. It is not used to identify, track, or profile users beyond the context of the specific form submission, and is retained only for as long as necessary for those purposes. This practice is disclosed in accordance with PHIPA and PIPEDA transparency requirements. Cookies and analytics: This website does not use advertising cookies or behavioural tracking technologies. Any analytics in use are limited to aggregate, non-identifiable data for the purpose of improving website functionality.

We may engage trusted third-party service providers to support the operation of this practice, including secure video conferencing platforms for virtual sessions, practice management or scheduling software, and payment processing services. These providers are engaged only where necessary, are selected for their commitment to privacy and data security, and are contractually required to use your information only for the purposes for which it was shared. We do not authorize third-party providers to use or disclose your personal information for their own purposes.

As a client or prospective client, you have the following rights with respect to your personal health information under PHIPA: Right of access (s. 52): You have the right to request access to your personal health information held by this practice. Requests must be made in writing. We will respond within thirty (30) days, or notify you if an extension is required. Right of correction (s. 55): You have the right to request a correction to your personal health information if you believe it is inaccurate or incomplete. We will either make the correction or attach a statement of disagreement to your record. Right to withdraw consent: You may withdraw consent for the collection, use, or disclosure of your personal information at any time, subject to legal and professional obligations that may require us to retain certain records. Right to file a complaint: If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario (IPC) at www.ipc.on.ca or by calling 1-800-387-0073. To exercise any of these rights, contact Katie Reed at [email protected] or 226-773-8077.

We take reasonable technical, administrative, and physical safeguards to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, use, disclosure, copying, modification, or destruction. These measures include encrypted digital storage, password-protected systems, and secure physical storage for any paper records. No method of electronic transmission or storage is completely secure. While we take all reasonable precautions, we cannot guarantee absolute security of information transmitted through this website.

This Privacy Policy may be updated from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, applicable legislation, or professional standards. The most current version will always be available at core-counselling.ca/privacy. The effective date of the current version is noted at the top of this page. Continued use of this website or our services following any update constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

For questions, concerns, or requests related to this Privacy Policy or the handling of your personal information, please contact: Katie Reed, R.S.W. — Privacy Officer CORE Counselling & Mental Health Services 1227 Marentette Ave, Windsor, Ontario Email: [email protected] Phone: 226-773-8077 If you are not satisfied with our response, you have the right to contact the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario: Website: www.ipc.on.ca Phone: 1-800-387-0073 Address: 2 Bloor Street East, Suite 1400, Toronto, Ontario M4W 1A8