In the course of delivering its services and programs, Gainesville Community Counseling Center collects personal information from its clients. Personal information means any information that could be used on its own, or with other information, to establish the identity of a client, the client’s service provider or the client’s substitute decision maker. Personal information also includes any other information about a client including information that is contained in a client record.
Gainesville Community Counseling Center collects, uses and shares client’s personal information for the following purposes:
- Providing quality programs and services to clients
- Providing information to other people or organizations with client consent (for example, making a referral for service)
- Contacting clients, donors and members to evaluate Gainesville Community Counseling Center service and work
- Conducting research to understand the kinds of issues our clients are facing
- Contacting individuals about our fundraising and membership activities
- Reviewing client files to ensure high quality of service and documentation
Gainesville Community Counseling Center may also collect, use and share personal information with consent or as permitted or required by law.
Gainesville Community Counseling Center is committed to protecting the privacy of its clients and ensuring that:
- the personal information it receives from clients is kept safe, secure, confidential, accurate and up to date
- clients understand why their personal information is collected by Gainesville Community Counseling Center
- Gainesville Community Counseling Center obtains client consent before collecting, using, sharing or releasing client information, except as set out in this policy or permitted or required by law
- only the personal information necessary for the purposes listed above is collected from clients, unless otherwise consented to by the client or permitted or required by law
- access to client information is limited to the Gainesville Community Counseling Center employees, volunteers and students involved in delivering services to clients
- any external agents to whom Gainesville Community Counseling Center releases information have a need to know and only use and disclose client information for the purposes for which it was originally provided
- clients are able to withdraw their consent at any time to the collection, use and disclosure of their personal information
- clients have access to their record, except where Gainesville Community Counseling Center is entitled to refuse an access request, and are able to copy or correct their record and ask questions about Gainesville Community Counseling Center privacy policies and procedures
- complaints about Gainesville Community Counseling Center privacy policies and procedures are handled efficiently and effectively
- all legal and regulatory requirements regarding client information are met and maintained
