Privacy Policy & PHIPA Notice

1. Collection of Personal Health Information

I collect personal health information directly from you, or from other sources if you have provided consent. This information may include:

• Contact information (name, address, phone number, email)
• Health history and current health concerns
• Family health history (when relevant to your care)
• Information about your mental and emotional well-being
• Treatment goals and progress notes
• Insurance and billing information

I only collect information that is necessary for providing psychotherapy services and maintaining an effective therapeutic relationship.

2. Use of Personal Health Information

Your personal health information is used for the following purposes:

• To provide and coordinate your therapy services
• To communicate with you about your care
• To maintain clinical records as required by professional standards and regulations
• To process payments and generate receipts
• To fulfill legal and regulatory obligations

I will not use your information for marketing, fundraising, or other purposes not related to your care without your explicit consent.

3. Protection of Personal Health Information

I implement robust security measures to protect your information, including:

• Storing all electronic records on Canadian servers with encryption and password protection
• Using PHIPA-compliant platforms for all electronic communications
• Securing physical records in locked cabinets
• Obtaining signed privacy agreements from any third-party service providers who may access client information
• Regular security assessments and updates

4. Disclosure of Personal Health Information

I will not disclose your personal health information to anyone outside of your circle of care without your consent, except in specific circumstances required or permitted by law, such as:

• When there is a significant risk of serious harm to yourself or others
• When there is suspected abuse of a child
• When required by court order or subpoena
• For regulatory college investigations

In these situations, I will disclose only the information necessary for the specific purpose and, when possible, will inform you before making the disclosure.

5. Retention of Personal Health Information

In accordance with CRPO requirements, I retain client records for a minimum of 10 years after the date of our last interaction, or 10 years after a minor client turns 18. After this period, records are securely destroyed.

6. Your Rights Under PHIPA

As a client, you have the right to:

• Access your personal health information (with limited exceptions)
• Request corrections to inaccurate information in your record
• Withdraw consent for the collection, use, or disclosure of your information (with some limitations)
• Be informed about how your information is collected, used, and disclosed
• Request that your record be transferred to another health information custodian
• File a complaint with the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario if you believe your privacy rights have been violated

7. Email and Electronic Communications

Please note that standard email is not a secure method of communication. I use an encrypted, PHIPA-compliant platform (doxy.me) for all therapy sessions, and I avoid sending sensitive personal health information by regular email. Please keep email and the website contact form to general, non-sensitive matters — anything clinical is best discussed by phone or within a session.

8. Data Breach Protocol

In the unlikely event of a privacy breach, I will:

• Immediately take steps to contain the breach
• Notify affected individuals at the first reasonable opportunity
• Notify the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario and regulatory colleges as required
• Conduct a thorough investigation and implement measures to prevent future breaches

9. Changes to This Privacy Policy

I may update this privacy policy periodically to reflect changes in privacy laws or my practices. Any significant changes will be communicated to active clients and posted on this website.

10. Questions or Concerns

If you have questions or concerns about this privacy policy or how your information is handled, please contact me directly:

Marva Johnson, Registered Psychotherapist (RP)
Telehealth across Ontario — secure video & phone.
Phone: (416) 274-9764
Email: info@setapartcounselling.com

For more information about your privacy rights, you can also contact the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario:

Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario
2 Bloor Street East, Suite 1400
Toronto, ON M4W 1A8
Phone: 1-800-387-0073
Website: www.ipc.on.ca