Keeping Your Information Safe
The Canadian Mental Health Association’s policies have always protected the privacy of our clients. Our privacy policy is in line with Ontario’s Personal Health Information Protection Act. This law controls the way personal health information can be collected, used, and disclosed.
Your rights as a CMHA client
You have the right to know:
- why we are collecting information
- how we will use it
- who we will share it with
You have the right to refuse to give us information. You have the right to refuse to let us share your information with others, unless the law requires us to do so. This could happen, for example, if you or another person were in danger.
You have the right to ask to see the information we have about you on file. You can correct the information if needed.
How we use your personal health information
Unless you tell us not to, we use the information you give us to provide care for you and aid your recovery. We also use it for administration, teaching, research, statistics, and complying with legal requirements.
We share your information with professionals who are within your Circle of care. These are people who need the information so that they can care for you. They include:
- health care professionals
- pharmacies
- laboratories
- ambulance service
- nursing homes
- Community Care Access Centres
- home service and healthcare providers
If you are involved in more than one CMHA program, your health information can be accessed by the different programs, unless you tell us not to share it.
CMHA raises money through fundraising. We might use your name and address to contact you and ask for a donation. We will not do this if you tell us not to.
How to exercise your rights
If you would like to withdraw your consent or restrict the way that we gather, use, or share your personal health information, please talk to your program worker.
If you have a complaint about how we handle your personal information, you have the right to talk to our Privacy Officers. You can also complain to the Information & Privacy Commission.
Contacting our Privacy Officers
CMHA’s Privacy Officers are Neil Howard and Andrea Sinclair. Contact them for more information about our policies, to request access to your personal health information, or to make a complaint.
Call: 905-841-3977 or
1-866-345-0183
Neil: Ext. 2202 or Andrea: Ext. 7227
For more information, please visit www.ipc.on.ca