privacy policy

OUR COMMITMENT TO PROTECTING YOUR PRIVACY
The Dementia Society of Ottawa and Renfrew County is committed to protecting the privacy of its donors, clients, volunteers and other individuals about whom we collect personal information.

We strive to embrace best practices and follow the principles of the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) model code for the protection of personal information as well as all applicable privacy legislation.

OUR PRIVACY PRINCIPLES

1. WE ARE ACCOUNTABLE FOR YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION.
   
   We are accountable for all personal information in our possession.

   All staff members who are granted access to records understand the need to keep your information protected and confidential. They know they are to use this information only for the purposes intended. This necessity is written in our privacy policy and is clearly communicated.

   We take precautions to ensure confidentiality of your information.

   The personal health Information and data you provide to us is used to:

   • obtain your consent to collect, use and disclose your personal health information

   • obtain a baseline of health and social information

   • help understand your needs and assist in providing suitable services which may include referrals to other health and/or social service agencies or individuals

   • analyze statistical and demographic information

   • act as required by legislation and regulations

   • promote awareness of education opportunities, support programs and fundraising programs

   • collect related monies

   • identify suitable placements for volunteers

   • We keep your personal information and the business you do with us in strict confidence.

2. WE COLLECT, USE AND DISCLOSE PERSONAL INFORMATION ONLY FOR CERTAIN PURPOSES THAT WE IDENTIFY TO YOU.
   
   We collect, use or disclose personal information only to:
   • share with other health and social service agencies/individuals
     
     
   • help in our fundraising campaign
     
     
   • process and receipt your donation
     
     
   • respond to any of your information requests
     
     
   • recognize you publicly for your donation of time or monies with your consent
     
     
3. WE WILL OBTAIN YOUR CONSENT.
   
   We collect, use or disclose your personal information with your permission/consent.

   Your permission may be expressed in writing, over the telephone or it may be implied, and you may give it to us verbally or electronically.

   You may also withdraw your implied consent at any time by contacting the privacyofficer@dsorc.org or by calling 613.523.4004 X 3110.

4. WE KEEP YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION ACCURATE AND UP-TO-DATE.
   
   We maintain appropriate procedures to ensure that personal information in our possession is accurate and up-to-date. If you believe any of the information we have collected about you is incorrect or incomplete, you have the right to ask us to change it or delete it. We will make the necessary changes.
   
   
5. WE DO NOT SELL YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION.
   
   Any personal health information or personal information you provide to us is done so voluntarily. We do not rent, sell or trade our mailing lists.

   We do not sell or disclose to third parties any personal health or personal information we collect, unless;

   • you authorize us to share the information,

   • sharing the information is necessary to process a donation, for example to process a credit card transaction, or

   • we are required to by law.

6. WE WILL LIMIT HOW LONG WE KEEP INFORMATION.
   
   We will keep your personal health information or personal information only as long as it is necessary to satisfy the purposes for which it was obtained, or as required by law.

   When we destroy personal health information or personal information, we will use safeguards to prevent unauthorized parties from gaining access to that information during the process.

7. WE SAFEGUARD YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION.
   
   The Dementia Society of Ottawa and Renfrew County will protect your personal health information or personal information by safeguards that are appropriate to the sensitivity of that information.

   Access to your personal health information or personal information is restricted to those who need it to do their job.

   We maintain appropriate technical and organizational safeguards to protect your personal health information or personal health or personal information against loss, theft, unauthorized access, disclosure, copying, use or modification.

   We have developed security procedures to safeguard and protect personal health information or personal information against loss, theft, unauthorized disclosure, copying and unauthorized use or modification. We will maintain appropriate safeguards and security procedures that reflect the type of documents, including electronic or paper records, and will limit access on a “need to know” basis. We use standard industry technological measures such as the use of passwords and encryptions.

   Online donors are linked to an industry standard secure payment service for credit card transactions.

8. WE WILL BE OPEN ABOUT OUR PRIVACY PRACTICES.
   
   The Dementia Society of Ottawa and Renfrew County will make readily available to you specific information about our policies and practices relating to the management of personal health and personal information.

   You have the right to access your personal information. You may ask whether we hold any personal information about you, to see that information and ensure that it is accurate, as provided by law.

9. YOU ALSO HAVE THE RIGHT TO KNOW:
   
   
   • how we collect, use and disclose your personal health information or personal information, and
     
     
   • how we are using it.
     
     
   • that we will not solicit from existing clients unless we have their permission to do so.
     
     
   • that we do solicit from clients who are no longer using our services if they have given consent to do so.
     
     
   • that we value our relationship with you and want to ensure the there is no awkwardness between fundraising and provision of services/programs; our clients do not have any obligation to donate
     at any time and every client will receive the same high-quality commitment from us.
     
     
   • that consent can be withdrawn at any time.
     
     
10. YOU MAY REGISTER A COMPLAINT.
    
    You may register a privacy-related complaint by contacting The Dementia Society of Ottawa and Renfrew County’s Privacy Officer at privacyofficer@dsorc.org. We will explain our procedure and inform you about other complaint procedures available. We will investigate all complaints. If an objection is justified, we will take all appropriate steps to repair the situation, including changing our policies and practices if necessary. Personal information relating to volunteers, job applicants and employees are subject to similar protocols.