CARE Psychology - Privacy Policy

Last updated: April 5, 2025

At CARE Psychology, we are committed to maintaining the privacy and confidentiality of our clients. This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal information, as well as the specific practices related to social media, communication, and privacy concerns.

What We Do With Your Information

When you access or use our services, we collect personal information necessary to provide psychological services. This includes your name, contact details, and information shared through our intake forms related to your psychological health and history.

When you browse our website, we may collect your IP address to help us understand how visitors interact with our site and improve our services.

We use Google Workspace for managing email communications and JaneApp for handling appointment bookings and client records. Both services are configured to meet Alberta’s health data protection requirements, including appropriate encryption for sensitive health information.

Consent

How do we get your consent?
We obtain informed consent from all clients before providing psychological services. This includes explaining the services to be provided, any potential risks, and how their information will be collected and used. Informed consent is obtained both verbally and through written consent forms. These consent forms are required for all clients, including parents/guardians of minor clients and adult clients.

  • Parents/Guardians:

    • If parents are together, one parent's consent is required for the child to begin psychological services.

    • If parents are divorced or separated, both parents' consent is required before services can begin, unless a custody order specifies otherwise. Both parents are required to complete the intake forms, and communication regarding psychological services will be directed to both parents, unless otherwise specified in a custody agreement.

How do I withdraw my consent?
You can withdraw your consent at any time by contacting your psychologist directly or contacting admin@carepsychology.com. Once consent is withdrawn, we will stop collecting, using, or disclosing your information, except for any necessary legal purposes.

Disclosure

We may disclose your personal information in the following cases:

  • Legal Requirements: We may disclose information if required by law, such as when a court order or subpoena is issued.

  • Limits of Confidentiality: Information about your psychological services may not be shared without your informed, written consent, except in the following exceptional circumstances:

    • If we have reasonable grounds to believe that disclosure is necessary to prevent imminent harm to you or another person’s physical or mental health or safety.

    • To ensure public safety, when necessary.

  • Consultation with Colleagues: Psychologists may occasionally consult with other professionals to improve the quality of care; however, this will be done without revealing identifying information.

  • File Access: Clients (or parents/guardians in the case of minors) have the right to access their file. However, access will be limited if the release of information could have a substantial adverse effect on your health, or that of a third party.

  • Disclosure to Insurance Providers: If you are billing your insurance company, we may need to provide some identifying information, such as your name, policy number, service dates, and our detailed statements. However, we will seek your written consent before releasing additional information beyond this. Refusal to release such information may affect your insurance coverage.

In all cases of disclosure, your confidentiality is paramount, and only the minimum necessary information will be shared.

Children’s Privacy

At CARE Psychology, we provide psychological services to children, teens, and families. We only collect and use personal data related to minors with the consent of their parents or legal guardians. Parents or guardians are required to complete the necessary consent forms before we begin providing services to minors. We are committed to protecting the privacy of minors in compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

Data Storage & Security

Secure Storage:
We store all personal data securely using encrypted electronic systems, such as JaneApp for appointment bookings and client records. Physical documents are kept in a locked and secure filing system.

We use Google Workspace for managing email communications with clients. Emails may contain confidential information and are stored in Google's secure cloud services. Google Workspace uses encryption for emails in transit with Transport Layer Security (TLS) and encryption for data at rest with AES-256 bit encryption. JaneApp is used for managing appointment bookings and client records, and both systems are configured to meet Alberta’s health data protection requirements.

For further details, you can review the Google Privacy Policy at Google Privacy Policy and the JaneApp Privacy Policy at JaneApp Privacy Policy.

Payment Information:
We use Stripe through JaneApp for processing credit card payments. All payments are securely handled by Stripe, which adheres to PCI-DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards). We do not store your payment information directly. Payments processed through Stripe are encrypted and stored on their secure platform.

Psychological Report Security:
For psychological reports created by CARE Psychology, we prioritize the protection of your sensitive health information. Reports are password protected when sent via email, unless you have specifically requested otherwise and provided consent. Alternatively, we use JaneApp to upload reports securely and share them through the platform, ensuring that only you or your authorized representative can access them.

Retention of Personal Information

CARE Psychology retains client records in accordance with the standards set by the College of Alberta Psychologists. The retention period depends on the age of the client and the nature of the information:

  • For Minors: Client files will be retained for 2 years after the client reaches the age of majority (18 years) or 10 years after the last date psychological services were provided, whichever is longer.

  • For Adults: Client files will be retained for at least 10 years after the last date psychological services were provided.

  • For Clients Who Disclose Sexual Abuse or Assault: Their files are retained for the lifetime of the client.

All client records, including session notes, assessment protocols, and psychological reports, are securely stored in password-protected electronic files and locked physical cabinets. Email communication relevant to the services provided will also be retained in the client's file.

Once the retention period expires, client records are disposed of in a secure manner. For physical documents, CARE Psychology employs a confidential shredding service to ensure proper disposal. Electronic records are securely deleted from all platforms.

Social Media and Privacy

  • Social Media Engagement:
    At CARE Psychology, we prioritize your confidentiality. Any interactions through social media are not secure, and confidentiality cannot be guaranteed. If you choose to share that you are a client of CARE Psychology or discuss your psychological services online, be aware that others may see this information.

  • Therapist-Client Confidentiality:
    Everything you share in psychological services is confidential, except in rare circumstances (e.g., imminent harm to self or others, court subpoena). However, interactions on social media are not private, and confidentiality cannot be assumed.

  • Friending and Following:
    Our therapists do not connect with clients on personal social media platforms (e.g., Facebook, Instagram). If a therapist accidentally connects with a client, they will take steps to remove the connection to ensure privacy. We also ask that clients do not follow or send friend requests to therapists to avoid dual relationships that can affect the therapeutic relationship.

  • Social Media Messaging:
    Please do not contact your therapist via social media messaging. These platforms do not meet confidentiality standards, and messages are not regularly checked. If you need to contact your therapist, please use email or the “Contact Us” page on our website.

Third-Party Services

We do not sell any products through our website and do not involve third-party e-commerce services. However, we may use third-party providers for certain administrative functions such as payment processing or secure data storage. These third parties have their own privacy policies that govern how they handle your information, and we recommend reviewing these policies for a better understanding.

We are not responsible for the privacy practices of any third-party services, and this privacy policy does not extend to external websites.

Accessibility Notice

We are committed to providing a website that is accessible to the widest possible audience, regardless of circumstance and ability. We strive to adhere as closely as possible to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.0, Level AA), published by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). While we are continually improving accessibility across our website, some dynamic content updates may occasionally lead to minor accessibility challenges. If you have any feedback or suggestions regarding improving our site’s accessibility, please contact us at admin@carepsychology.com.

Accessibility and Emergency Services Notice

CARE Psychology is not an emergency service, and communication with CARE Psychology cannot be considered urgent or emergent. If you are in an unsafe situation or in personal crisis, please contact the following emergency services immediately:

  • Distress Centre Crisis Line: 403-266-4357 (24 hours - 7 days/week)

  • Confidential Online Chat Distress Centre: http://distresscentre.com/

  • AHS Mental Health Helpline: 1-877-303-2642

  • Police: 911 or proceed directly to the Emergency Department at your Local Hospital

Please note that CARE Psychology is not equipped to handle emergencies, and it is important to reach out to these services in times of urgent need.

Communication and Confidentiality Notice

In accordance with our commitment to confidentiality and privacy, please be aware that any communication with CARE Psychology may contain confidential information intended only for the person(s) to whom it is addressed. If you are not the intended recipient, any review, retransmission, dissemination, distribution, copying, or other use of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify the sender immediately and delete the message without reading, printing, or copying it.

International Data Transfers

Some of the third-party services we use (e.g., Google Workspace, Stripe) may involve international data transfers. By using our services, you acknowledge and consent to these transfers. We take reasonable steps to ensure that your data is protected in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.

Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted on our website, and significant changes will be communicated to you via email or other appropriate methods. We encourage you to periodically review this Privacy Policy to stay informed about how we protect your information.

Contact Information

For any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at:

Phone: 587-600-2971