THE HOME SOCIETY RESPECTS ALL INDIVIDUALS’ RIGHT TO PRIVACY.
Policy overview:
- HOMES will follow the laws in British Columbia and Canada to keep personal information safe and protected.
- Personal information given to HOMES by a stakeholder will only be used in ways that the stakeholder approves of.
What is personal information?
Personal information is information such as your:
- Name
- Phone number
- Medical reports
- Relationships
- Address
- Any other private reports that identify who you are
How can personal information be shared?
Personal information can be given, used, and shared in ways such as:
- Writing
- Speaking
- Photographs
- Through a computer
People can give HOMES their okay to collect, keep, use, or share personal information in writing or by speaking to HOMES staff.
Who owns and controls personal information?
- Personal information belongs to each person.
- Adults have the power to make the decisions about how their personal information is collected, used, and shared with others.
- Sometimes, a family member or advocate of an adult has the power by law to make decisions about the person’s personal information.
- Children’s parents or legal guardians have the power to make the decisions about how their personal information is collected, used, and shared with others.
- The information that HOMES has about a person will not be shared without that person’s or guardian’s approval.
What rights do I have with my personal information?
- People have the right to look at or check their personal information at any time to make sure it is correct.
- People can ask that information be changed if they believe the information is wrong.
- People have the right to take away HOMES’s permission to use their personal information, and HOMES will stop right away.
- HOMES will clearly tell the stakeholder what the possible results would be for taking away their consent.
How does HOMES use personal information?
- HOMES will inform all stakeholders about how it will use personal information before or when the person gives the information to us.
- HOMES will not use personal information for other reasons without asking for the person’s okay unless required by law, or if there was a large concern about the person’s health and safety.
How will my personal information be protected?
HOMES will protect personal information in ways such as:
- Locked cabinets
- Password codes to computers
- Confidentiality statements signed by all HOMES staff
- Putting files away as soon as they are finished being used
HOMES has a Privacy Officer who makes sure all the British Columbia and Canada laws and HOMES policies about keeping personal information safe and protected are followed.
If you have a question or concern or want to make a complaint about how personal information is collected, kept, used, or shared, please contact H.O.M.E.S’s Privacy Officer:
Shelley Rath H.R./Quality Improvement Director
Phone: 604.852.7888
Email: shelley.rath@homesociety.ca
RELATED POLICIES
- Privacy & Confidential Information for People Receiving Services
- Privacy & Confidential Information for Employees
- Privacy & Confidential Information for Volunteers/Practicum Students
- CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENT