Your participant record may include information relevant to your health including your date of birth, contact information, health history, family health history, details of your physical and mental health, record of your visits, the care or services and support you received during those visits, and information from other health care and service providers. In most cases, we collect information about you directly from you as part of our intake process.

Your record is our property, but the information belongs to you.

With limited exceptions, you have the right to access the information we hold about you, whether in the participant record or elsewhere.

You can request a copy of your record. If you need a copy of your participant record, please contact us in writing at: Attn: Privacy Officer, Atlohsa Family Healing Services, Unit 109 – 343 Richmond St., London, ON, N6A 3C2 or ask your support worker who will explain the process. In rare situations, you may be denied access to some or all of your record (with any such denial being in accordance with applicable law).

We try to keep your record accurate and up to date. Please let us know if you disagree with what is recorded, and in most cases, we will be able to make the change or otherwise we will ask you to write a statement of disagreement and we will attach that statement to your record.

Everyone here is bound by confidentiality. We have to protect your information from loss or theft and make sure no one looks at it or does something with your information if they are not involved with your care or services or allowed as part of their job. If there is a privacy breach, we will tell you (and we are required by law to tell you).

You have a right to make choices and control how your information is collected, used, and disclosed, subject to some limits.

We assume that when you come to receive health care or other services from us, you have given us your permission (your consent) to use your information, unless you tell us otherwise. We may also collect, use and share your health information in order to talk with other health care providers about your care unless you tell us you do not want us to do so.

There are other cases where we are not allowed to assume we have your permission to share information. We may need permission to communicate with any family members or friends with whom you would like us to share information (unless someone is your substitute decision-maker). For example, we will also need your permission to give your information to your school or your boss. If you have questions, we can explain this to you.

When we require and ask for your permission, you may choose to say no. If you say yes, you may change your mind at any time. Once you say no, we will no longer share your information unless you say so. Your choice to say no may be subject to some limits.

BUT there are cases where we may collect, use or share your information without your permission, as permitted or required by law. For example, we do not require your permission to use your information for billing, risk management or error management, quality improvement purposes. We also do not need your permission to share your information to keep you or someone else safe (it’s called to eliminate or reduce a significant risk of serious bodily harm); or to meet reporting obligations under other laws such as for health protection of communicable diseases or child safety.

You may make your own decisions if you are “capable”. Your support worker will decide if you are capable based on a test the law sets out. You may be capable of making some decisions and not others. If you are not capable – you will have a substitute decision-maker who will make your information decisions for you. Who can act as a substitute decision-maker and what they have to do is also set out in law.

For children, there is no magic age when you become able to make your own decisions about your health information. If you are under the age of 16, there are some additional rules to know:

If you are under the age of 16, your parent(s) or guardian will also be allowed to make some decisions about your health record. But they won’t be able to make decisions about any records about treatment or counseling where we asked for your permission alone.

We encourage you to share information with your family and other caregivers to have supports you need. We also encourage you to ask your support worker questions to find out more about privacy and your family and caregivers.