Privacy Policy
Privacy Policy
Stresschat Inc. is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy outlines how we handle your personal information to protect your privacy. By using this web site, you consent to our collection and use of your information as described below. If you do not agree with these Terms and Conditions, please discontinue all use of this website.
Personal Information
Personal information is defined as information about an identifiable individual, but does not include the name, title or business address or telephone number of an employee of an organization. In other words, it does not include the information that one expects to find on a business card.
Our Promise
Our commitment to client confidentiality is most simply expressed by our promise to you that, unless required by law:
a. we will never give, share, sell, trade, loan, rent or disclose any personally identifiable information about you without your express permission;
b. we will never divulge your medical information to anyone without your permission;
c. we will protect every credit card transaction made on our web site; and
d. we will promptly remove your contact information from our promotional mail and email lists upon request.
We reserve the option of disclosing your personal information to third parties if we believe on reasonable grounds that such disclosure is necessary to avoid a significant risk of serious bodily harm to yourself or others. However, we will endeavour to disclose only the minimal information necessary to avoid such harm.
Consent to Our Collection of Personal Information
In most cases, we will obtain your consent to collect, use and disclose your personal information.
Online Counselling Services
Online counselling services are generally anonymous. To register for such services, we will ask you to provide us with a username and password of your choice. You will also be given the option to provide an email address and to accept or decline to receive emails from STRESSCHAT about our services and topics of interest. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your password and account.
Your username and password are used to create and protect your private account where all communications will be recorded and protected until the account is closed or dormant for more than one year. You may update the personal information associated with this account or close the account at any time. When an account is closed, all communications recorded in the account will be removed from our system and permanently destroyed after one year.
Access to online accounts is strictly limited to our counsellors and is only used by them to provide counselling services.
In-Person Counselling Services
If you book an appointment to visit a counsellor at their offices, we will collect your personal information directly from you at the start of your participation in such services.
Access to both online accounts and paper files is strictly limited to our counsellors and is only used by them to provide counselling services. When counselling services cease, all paper files are permanently destroyed after one year.
Use of Personal Information at Stresschat Inc.
We use your personal information to provide counselling services to you and, where applicable, to issue invoices and maintain our database of clients. In addition, if you apply for a position with Stresschat Inc., we will use your personal information to assess your candidacy. Lastly, we may use your contact information (name, e-mail and postal address, if provided) so that we may communicate with you about our services and topics of interest.
Email sent over the Internet is not secure and may be lost, intercepted, or altered. If you send personally identifiable information to us via email, we will not be liable if it is lost or intercepted, altered or misused by someone else.
Instead, we encourage you to use the secure online messaging system available on this web site.
Website Privacy
Like most other commercial websites, we may monitor traffic patterns, site usage and related site information to optimize your visit to our website.
We do not use cookies or any electronic means to collect personal information from you or your computer; however, our website server will automatically collect IP addresses. We may view the IP log from time to time, for example, to maintain the security of our website. We do not routinely link the IP addresses to other personally identifiable information.
Withdrawal of Consent
You may withdraw your consent to our collection, use and disclosure of your personal information at any time, subject to any legal restrictions and upon reasonable notice. Your withdrawal of consent to our collection, use and disclosure of your personal information may impact our ability to provide ongoing counselling services.
You can ask us not to send you marketing communications by following the opt-out instructions in each communication or you may let us know by contacting our marketing department at unsubscribe@stresschat.ca.
Accuracy of Your Information
It is important that the information that we have on file be accurate and up-to-date. If, during the course of your participation in our services, any of your personal information changes, please inform us so that we can make any necessary changes to our records. We may also ask you from time to time whether your personal information is up-to-date.
Safeguards
Stresschat Inc. uses various safeguards to ensure that your personal information is protected against loss, theft, misuse, unauthorized access, disclosure, copying or alteration. These include: security of our physical premises; security software and firewalls to prevent unauthorized computer access or "hacking"; and internal passwords that restrict access to our electronic files.
Stresschat Inc. uses only reputable third-party companies to maintain its electronic records and to store and destroy its paper files. It further ensures that those companies are bound by contract to comply with this Privacy Policy.
Access to your Personal Information
You have a right to challenge the accuracy and completeness of your personal information and to have it amended, as appropriate. You also have a right to request access to your personal information and receive an accounting of how that information has been used and disclosed, subject to certain exceptions prescribed by law. For example, if the requested information would reveal personal information about another individual, your request for access may be limited or denied.
Stresschat Inc. may refuse to provide access to sensitive medical information information except through a medical practitioner. If your request for access is limited or denied, Stresschat Inc. will notify you in writing of the reasons.
To request access or to amend your personal information, please contact our Privacy Contact at the address below. Stresschat Inc. will respond within thirty (30) days of receipt of your written request.
Challenging Compliance
Stresschat Inc. will respond to inquiries about its policies and practices relating to its handling of your personal information. Inquiries should be directed to Stresschat Inc’s Privacy Officer using the contact information below. Stresschat Inc. will investigate all complaints and will respond within 30 days of receipt of a written inquiry. If the complaint is found to be justified, Stresschat Inc. will take appropriate measures to resolve it, including, if necessary, amending this Policy and its procedures.
Privacy Contacts
If you have any questions or complaints about this Policy or the handling of your personal information, if you wish to withdraw your consent to our use of your personal information, or to request access to or update any information we have on file, please contact the counsellor with whom you are dealing, or contact:
Heidi Cowie Privacy Officer
Stresschat Inc.
Changes to this Privacy Policy
We may change this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted on our website at www.stresschat.ca and will be made available upon request through your contact at Stresschat Inc. Please check from time to time to ensure you are aware of our current policy. This Privacy Policy is effective December 1, 2008.