Introduction

Protecting client’s privacy is an important principle of practice for DC Psychological Services. DC Psychological Services is required to adhere to privacy legislation, including the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA). DC Psychological Services is committed to following the provisions in PIPA to ensure that the collection, use, disclosure, and retention of personal information about clients and other relevant individuals is protected.

Herein the term “DC Psychological Services” refers to any person or persons employed by or providing services on behalf of DC Psychological Services including but not limited to Psychologists and Administrative Personnel.

 

Personal Information Collected by DC Psychological Services

DC Psychological Services collects the personal information it requires in order to carry out its functions under the Health Professions Act (“HPA”), the governance provided by The College of Alberta Psychologists Standards of Practice and Bylaws, the Canadian Code of Ethics for Psychologists, the Psychologists Profession Regulations, and the Personal Information Protection Act (“PIPA”). DC Psychological Services also adheres to regulations governed by the following legislations: the Child, Youth and Family Enhancement Act, the Children First Act, the Family Law Act, the Adult Guardianship and Trustee Act and the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPPA). 

The information that is collected is necessary in order for DC Psychological Services to provide services to their clients. 

Personal information means information about an identifiable individual including but not limited to:

• Personal contact information, including home address(es), telephone number(s), emergency contact information, and email address(es) 

• Relevant personal identifying information including but not limited to full legal name, aliases, date of birth, parental/ guardianship information, familial information in relation to identification and services provided

• Personal health information about an individual either in relation to services provided or acquired in order to provide said services

• Confidential information that is revealed by a client to DC Psychological Services while consenting to or accessing services provided

• Personal or familial third-party health insurance and payment information in relation to billing for services provided

DC Psychological Services will collect, use, disclose, and retain personal information only to the extent that it is reasonably required to meet its service obligations or as otherwise authorized by law.

 

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Methods of Collecting Personal Information

DC Psychological Services collects personal information in several ways including but not limited to:

• In writing.

• In person.

• Verbally and/or visually (on the phone or through a virtual platform).

• Through electronic communication, such as through our website and email.

DC Psychological Services collects personal information directly from clients or other individuals directly involved in services provided to our clients. DC Psychological Services only collects third-party information if authorized to do so by law and/or if written consent is obtained from the client or their legal guardian. 

 

Use of Personal Information

DC Psychological Services may use personal information for the following, but not limited to:

• To provide ongoing services to the client

• To manage and maintain personal and familial identifiable data within the client’s personal records

• To maintain and manage billing and payment data in relation to a client’s personal records

 

Disclosure, Access and Correction of Personal Information

When service is provided to a minor or other person for whom a guardian exists or has been appointed, DC Psychological Services shall, at the beginning of the professional relationship, clarify for the minor or other person as well as said guardian that the law may impose a limit on the minor’s or other person’s right to confidentiality.

 

When service is provided to more than one client (such as a family, a couple, a parent(s) and child or a group), DC Psychological Services shall, at the beginning of the professional relationship, address issues of confidentiality, disclosure and release of information to and pertaining to all involved parties. All clients must consent to the terms under which services will be provided. 

 

Not withstanding the previous two statements, if both the minor (or other person for whom a guardian exists or has been appointed) and the guardian agree in advance that certain issues are not to be disclosed to the guardian, DC Psychological Services shall not provide the information relating to those issues to the guardian or another party, unless required by law. 

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Under PIPA, individuals have a right to access records containing their personal information in the possession of DC Psychological Services. Upon request and subject to certain lawful restrictions, DC Psychological Services shall provide a client with access to personal and confidential information pertaining to their personal records including reproduction of said records within 30 days from which the request was made. Said access shall be given unless, in the opinion of DC Psychological Services, there is a reasonable likelihood that the disclosure of said information may cause a substantial adverse effect or harm to the client’s physical, mental or emotional health, and/or may cause harm to a third-party. 

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If a request is complex and requires extensive or highly detailed information, DC Psychological Services may, at its sole discretion, charge a reasonable fee.

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All requests for access to, or correction of, personal records must be made in writing and must set out in sufficient detail the scope of the request. Requests must be delivered to DC Psychological Services. 

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Unless required by law, DC Psychological Services will disclose personal and confidential information about a client to an individual other than the client only with said client’s written consent. Upon request DC Psychological Services will provide a form to be filled out in the presence of DC Psychological Services staff. The consent will specify the specific information to be disclosed, the intended recipient of the disclosure, and the time period of time for which consent is granted. 

 

Age of Majority clients shall be presumed competent to make decisions about the disclosure of their personal and confidential information unless a formal order is in place appointing a guardian or an agent for them. Where a formal order is in place, the consent of the guardian or agent is required for disclosure of information about the client.

 

For clients who are minor children the consent of the parent/ legal guardian or agent is required for disclosure of information about the client.

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Any information provided by clients or their legal guardians to DC Psychological Services will not be disclosed to any third party without their written consent, unless required by law or permitted by PIPA or other relevant legislation. DC Psychological Services is legally required to report to the appropriate authorities immediately upon receipt of information pertaining to circumstances where there is likelihood of imminent and grave harm to the client and/ or a third-party or when required to do so by law either through legislation, warrant or court order/ subpoena. In these circumstances, DC Psychological Services will limit disclosure to be within the best interest of all involved parties and only to persons/ organizations who reasonably need to know as well as to the extent where it is relevant to the context and intent required in relation to the request for information. 

 

Protection of Personal Information

All employees, volunteers, consultants and contractors who are directly affiliated with DC Psychological Services will be required to adhere to DC Psychological Services’s Privacy Policy.

In addition, DC Psychological Services ensures the security of all personal information in its possession by taking measures such as, but not limited to:

• Implementing technological safeguards to secure personal information that is stored or acquired or transmitted in any type of electronic form

• Ensuring that the areas in which paper information is stored are reasonably secure

• Restricting access to all electronic and paper-based personal information to those with a need to access information in order to perform their duties

 

Unless otherwise authorized by law and as outlined above, DC Psychological Services will not disclose personal information without the consent of the client involved. When legally required to disclose personal information, DC Psychological Services will redact information contained within a client's personal records related to any third parties mentioned or directly involved with the client when appropriate. 

 

Retention of Personal Information

PIPA stipulates that personal information should not be retained longer than is reasonably required to fulfill the purpose for which it was collected. At the same time, such information must be retained for a reasonable period of time. DC Psychological Services adheres to the following guidelines:

• In its sole discretion, DC Psychological Services may destroy any duplicate material that exists in both paper and electronic form.

• DC Psychological Services will retain personal information during the entire period that a person is a client with DC Psychological Services.

• DC Psychological Services shall retain personal information for clients who are minors for a minimum of 2 years after the client reaches the age of majority, or 10 years after services are terminated either by the client (and/ or their legal guardian) or by DC Psychological Services, whichever is longer. At this time the information may either be rendered non-identifying or securely destroyed.

• DC Psychological Services shall retain personal information for clients who are of legal age of majority a minimum of 10 years after services are terminated either by the client or by DC Psychological Services. At this time the information may either be rendered non-identifying or securely destroyed.

 

Changes to our Privacy Policy

DC Psychological Services reserves the right to make changes to our Privacy Policy at any time and for any reason without prior notice. Any changes to our Privacy Policy will be available on the DC Psychological Services website. This Privacy Policy will also be made available upon request in person.  Additionally, we will update the “revised” date below.

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Revised: June 26, 2022