Richmond Counselling Services is pleased to be a provider of service to you.  They are committed to protecting the privacy of your personal information and have developed policies and procedures in compliance with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, 2004 (PIPEDA) and the Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004 (PHIPA). 

Richmond Counselling Services would like to take this opportunity to inform  you about the personal information they collect, and how it is used, and how they protect its confidentiality and your rights in respect of this information. 

The nature of personal information RIchmond Counselling services collect may include:

• Information required to maintain a working file according to the standards of the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers such your name, address, phone numbers, date of birth, other contact information, names of others who are significant to your situation (family, your doctor, and other professionals) and sometimes their contact information. I also collect information about our work together and this would include notes detailed enough to reflect the scope of the work and my actions in this regard, any correspondence sent or received, any consents or other documents you have signed, copies of papers you have given me, and other documentation in particular to the nature of our involvement. 
• Information necessary for billing purposes which may include information about your health insurance plans, information collected to comply with the policies of your Employee Assistance Program and their standards, information about other third party payers, copies of all receipts given to you including copies of electronic payments, copies of invoices and billing records. 

Richmond Counselling Services collect this information for the following reasons:

• To maintain a clinical file or working file that meets the standards of my profession and the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers
• To provide this service for you in a manner that ensures your safety
• To maintain a high standard of professionalism in the provision of service
• To assist in the process of billing for my services
• To meet other legal and regulatory requirements
• To maintain records pertaining to the operations of a business and to make these records available if requested. 

There will be times when we ask you if we may speak with others about you and your situation. There will be times when you will ask me to do this as well. On these occasions, I will always discuss this information-sharing with you and we will look at the benefits and consequences of speaking to others about your situation. we will then ask for your informed, written consent for me to share your information. 

There may be occasions when we must share information about you or your situation without your consent. These situations are very exceptional but may include the following:

• If we have any information about abuse or risk of a child then we must report this to the proper authority
• If we have a concern about any risk that you may do harm to yourself or harm to another person then we must take action to ensure your safety or the safety of others
• If we are required by law to release information such as receiving a subpoena to court
• If we must report a colleague to the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers
• If we must defend ourself against a complaint filed with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers or any other court action. 

We make every attempt to safeguard your personal information. We would like you to know the following:

• Richmond Counselling Services uses Jane, an online platform that utilizes  Personal Information Protection and Electronic Document Act, 2004 (PIPEDA) and the Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004 (PHIPA) compliant electronic records for storing your information. Your file contains all the personal information about you and your situation with the exception of copies of billing information such as receipts and electronic payments. Your file is only stored on highly secure encrypted devices. 
• Your file is maintained according to regulations set by the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers and in accordance with other legal requirements. 
• Any rough paper notes collected in session are cross-cut shredded and disposed of by Richmond Counselling Services after completing the electronic record
• Security and preservation of your record is kept for 7 years after the last date of service provided. 

You have the right to request to see any personal information that Richmond Counselling Services has collected about your or your situation. You have the right to view your clinical file. Richmond Counselling Service will assist you to understand all of what has been written in your file. If you believe that some information about you is incorrect, you may request that the information be changed. Richmond Counselling Services correct this information with any third parties who may have been given the wrong information. If you wish to view your file or if you have any concerns about the privacy of your information please contact your counsellor.