This Privacy Policy is provided to help you understand how Keys to Hope protects your data while providing information on this website and other channels, and while providing services to you.

We understand the importance of building a relationship with you that is grounded in trust and transparency. That starts with protecting your privacy.

If you have any questions or comments about this Policy, you can contact us at:

admin@keystohopecounselling.com

Phone: 403-487-1607

Fax: 403-487-1707

Address: #104-1865 Dunmore Rd SE, Medicine Hat, Alberta  T1A 1Z8

How and Why We Collect and Safeguard Your Data

When you visit our website, you do not have to provide us with any private data or confidential information to be able to see all of the available content. 

In order to become a client, we require certain data which allow us to identify you, charge the appropriate bodies for services, and be prepared to work with your family doctor, or another referring healthcare professional.

If you choose to become a client, we will collect your name, phone number, email and postal addresses, credit card information, insurance information, and date of birth. In addition, we ask for the names of your family doctor, an emergency contact, and any applicable referring professional who sent you to Keys to Hope Counselling Services.

All of these collected data are protected through physical and electronic means, which safeguard you as a website visitor and/or as a patient from any inadvertent exposure of this information.

How Keys to Hope Further Protects Your Privacy

Keys to Hope protects your privacy in a number of other ways:

• We always operate in compliance with Canada’s federal privacy law, the Digital Charter Implementation Act (https://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/062.nsf/eng/00119.html) 

• We treat any information which you share with us in the strictest confidence

• We never discuss the private details of the services that we provide to you

• Your information is not sold, traded, or rented to any third-party

• We respect your privacy when we market our products and services

• We treat you as we would like to be treated

In addition, our staff members are required to undergo police checks and vulnerable sector checks to further protect you and your privacy.

Codes of Ethics and Guidelines We Follow

The business owners of Keys to Hope are registered with the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP). As such, we are governed by the College’s Standard of Practice, which sets down stringent measures for protecting patient privacy: (www.cap.ab.ca/Portals/0/pdfs/StandardsOfPractice.pdf) 

CAP also insists on adherence to the Canadian Code of Ethics for Psychologists, Fourth Edition:

https://cpa.ca/docs/File/Ethics/CPA_Code_2017_4thEd.pdf 

Our staff are registered with CAP, and with the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW). The ACSW mandates that all registrants follow their Standards of Practice for patient protection and accountability: https://acsw.in1touch.org/document/2672/DOC_FINALACSWStandardsOfPractice_V1_1_20200304.pdf. 

Also, ACSW members are expected to follow the Code of Ethics, and the Guidelines for Ethical Practice: https://www.acsw.ab.ca/document/1328/casw_code_of_ethics.pdf

https://www.acsw.ab.ca/document/1329/casw_guidelines_for_ethical_practice.pdf 

Lastly, our practicum students operate under the umbrella of their respective universities. Each of these schools holds their students and alumnae to the highest standards for protecting patient data, and ensuring privacy and confidentiality.

All owners, staff, and practicum students at Keys to Hope who have access to private information are made aware of how to keep it confidential. We treat your data as carefully as though it were our own. 

Privacy Considerations for Children

Keys to Hope also provides counselling services to those under the age of 18 and we understand the unique nature of ensuring the privacy of children.

Although we may include children as clients in our practice, no part of this website is designed for, nor targeted to children. Therefore, we do not knowingly collect or maintain website data from those under the age of 18.

Additional Privacy Protocols

In addition to the above practices, we further ensure our commitment to privacy by upholding these defining principles:

• A website user always has the right to request and access the information collected by Keys to Hope, and – if so desired – to opt out of any further data collection.

• Keys to Hope will never disclose user information collected on this website unless compelled to do so by law, or by a court of competent jurisdiction.

• Whenever we make changes to this Privacy Policy, Keys to Hope will inform our existing patients, clients, or others with whom we regularly communicate. New visitors to the website can always check this page, to see the most recent date of issue.

Links to Third-Party Content

Keys to Hope may provide links on our website to contents provided by other individuals, groups, companies, associations, healthcare providers, or governmental institutions. While we exercise a reasonable standard of care when choosing to provide such links, we cannot make any declaration or warranty regarding the Privacy Policies followed on those third-party websites. If our web users choose to visit the website(s) of those third parties, we encourage the exercise of appropriate levels of caution.