Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

NeXt Chapter Recovery ("we," "us," "our," or "the organization") is committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of personal and health information entrusted to us by our clients, their families, and website visitors. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, store, and protect your information in accordance with:

• British Columbia's Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA)
• Canada's Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) where applicable
• The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPPA) where applicable
• Canadian healthcare privacy standards and best practices

NeXt Chapter Recovery is located at 123 Recovery Way, Duncan, British Columbia V9L 1P1. We provide addiction recovery and mental health support services throughout the Cowichan Valley region.

2. Scope of This Policy

This Privacy Policy applies to:

• All personal information collected through our website at ncrecovery.ca
• Personal and health information collected during intake, assessment, treatment, and follow-up care
• Information collected through phone calls, emails, in-person consultations, and other communications
• Information collected from family members, referral sources, and healthcare providers with appropriate consent

3. Definitions

Personal Information: Information about an identifiable individual, including but not limited to name, address, telephone number, email address, date of birth, gender, emergency contact information, and financial information.

Health Information: Personal health information including medical history, mental health status, addiction history, treatment records, assessments, progress notes, medication information, diagnoses, and any other information related to your physical or mental health or healthcare services provided.

Client: Any individual who receives or inquires about services from NeXt Chapter Recovery.

4. Privacy Officer

NeXt Chapter Recovery has appointed a Privacy Officer responsible for ensuring compliance with this Privacy Policy and applicable privacy legislation. Our Privacy Officer can be contacted at:

5. What Information We Collect

5.1 Personal Information

We collect the following types of personal information:

• Name, date of birth, gender, and contact information (address, phone, email)
• Emergency contact information
• Government-issued identification (for verification purposes)
• Health insurance information (BC Services Card, extended health benefits)
• Employment and education information (for employment integration programs)
• Financial information (for billing and funding eligibility purposes)

5.2 Health Information

We collect health information necessary for providing treatment and support services:

• Medical and psychiatric history
• Current and past substance use history
• Mental health assessments and diagnoses
• Current medications and allergies
• Treatment plans, progress notes, and clinical observations
• Laboratory and medical test results (where applicable)
• Information from other healthcare providers (with your consent)
• Family history relevant to treatment

5.3 Website Information

When you visit our website, we automatically collect:

• IP address and browser type
• Pages visited and time spent on our site
• Referring website and search terms used to find our site
• Device information and operating system
• Cookies and similar tracking technologies (see Cookie Policy below)

6. How We Collect Information

We collect information through:

• Direct collection: Information you provide during intake forms, assessments, consultations, treatment sessions, and communications
• Third parties: Information from family members, referral sources, physicians, and other healthcare providers (with your explicit consent)
• Website forms: Contact forms, program inquiries, donation forms, and volunteer applications
• Automated technologies: Cookies, web analytics, and server logs on our website

We will always inform you when we are collecting personal or health information and will only collect information that is necessary for the identified purposes.

7. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal and health information only for reasonable purposes, including:

7.1 Treatment and Care

• Providing addiction recovery and mental health support services
• Developing and implementing personalized treatment plans
• Monitoring progress and adjusting treatment approaches
• Coordinating care with other healthcare providers (with consent)
• Emergency situations to protect your health and safety

7.2 Administrative Purposes

• Client intake and registration
• Scheduling appointments and managing waitlists
• Billing and insurance claims processing
• Quality assurance and program evaluation
• Responding to inquiries and communications

7.3 Legal and Regulatory Compliance

• Meeting legal and regulatory requirements
• Maintaining required health records as per BC regulations
• Responding to court orders, subpoenas, or legal processes
• Protecting the rights and safety of our clients, staff, and organization

7.4 Research and Statistics (De-identified Data Only)

• Program evaluation and outcome measurement
• Statistical analysis and research (using anonymized data)
• Reporting to funders and regulatory bodies (aggregate data only)

8. Consent

We obtain your informed consent before collecting, using, or disclosing your personal and health information, except where otherwise permitted or required by law.

8.1 Express Consent

We will obtain your express written or verbal consent for:

• Collection and use of health information for treatment purposes
• Disclosure of information to third parties (family members, other healthcare providers)
• Use of information for purposes beyond direct treatment
• Communication preferences (phone, email, text messages)

8.2 Implied Consent

In some situations, consent may be implied, such as when you voluntarily provide information for a specific purpose that would be obvious to a reasonable person.

8.3 Withdrawal of Consent

You may withdraw your consent at any time by contacting our Privacy Officer. However, please note that:

• We may not be able to provide certain services without necessary information
• We may be required to retain certain information for legal or regulatory purposes
• Withdrawal of consent does not affect information previously collected with consent

8.4 Exceptions to Consent

We may collect, use, or disclose personal information without consent when:

• There is an immediate threat to life, health, or safety
• Required by law or court order
• For emergency medical treatment when consent cannot be obtained
• To prevent or investigate fraud or illegal activity
• Information is publicly available as specified by regulation

9. Disclosure of Information

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal or health information. We only disclose information in the following circumstances:

9.1 With Your Consent

• To family members or support persons you have authorized
• To your physician or other healthcare providers involved in your care
• To referral sources with your permission

9.2 Service Providers

• Third-party service providers who assist in delivering our services (e.g., laboratory services, billing services)
• All service providers are contractually obligated to protect your information and use it only for specified purposes

9.3 Legal Requirements

• When required by law, court order, or subpoena
• To comply with regulatory reporting requirements
• In response to requests from law enforcement (where legally required)

9.4 Health and Safety

• To prevent imminent harm to you or others
• For public health purposes (e.g., communicable disease reporting)
• In medical emergencies where consent cannot be obtained

9.5 BC Ministry of Health and Funders

• De-identified statistical information for program monitoring and evaluation
• Required reporting to funding agencies (anonymized or aggregate data)

10. Data Security and Protection

We implement comprehensive physical, technical, and administrative safeguards to protect your information:

10.1 Physical Security

• Secure, locked facilities with restricted access
• Locked filing cabinets for paper records
• Controlled access to clinical and administrative areas
• Visitor sign-in procedures

10.2 Technical Security

• Encrypted electronic health records systems
• Secure, password-protected computers and networks
• Firewalls and anti-virus protection
• Regular security updates and system monitoring
• Encrypted email communications for sensitive information
• Secure data backup and disaster recovery procedures
• SSL encryption on our website for data transmission

10.3 Administrative Security

• Staff training on privacy and confidentiality obligations
• Confidentiality agreements signed by all staff and contractors
• Role-based access controls (need-to-know principle)
• Regular privacy audits and risk assessments
• Secure disposal procedures for records no longer needed

Data Breach Protocol: In the event of a privacy breach, we will promptly investigate, take corrective action, notify affected individuals if there is a real risk of significant harm, and report to the BC Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner as required.

11. Information Retention and Disposal

We retain personal and health information only as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected and to meet legal and regulatory requirements.

11.1 Retention Periods

• Clinical health records: Retained for a minimum of 7 years from the date of last service, or longer if required by law or if the client was a minor at the time of service (retained until age 25 or 7 years after last service, whichever is longer)
• Administrative records: Retained according to legal and business requirements
• Financial records: Retained for 7 years as required by tax legislation
• Website analytics data: Retained for 26 months

11.2 Secure Disposal

When information is no longer required, we securely dispose of it using:

• Shredding of paper records
• Secure electronic data deletion using industry-standard methods
• Destruction certificates for sensitive records

12. Your Rights and Access to Information

Under BC PIPA, you have the following rights regarding your personal and health information:

12.1 Right to Access

You have the right to request access to your personal and health information in our custody or control. To request access:

• Submit a written request to our Privacy Officer
• Provide sufficient detail to identify the records you are requesting
• Provide proof of identity

We will respond to your request within 30 days. There may be a reasonable fee for copying and administrative costs.

12.2 Right to Correction

If you believe your personal or health information is inaccurate or incomplete, you may request a correction. We will:

• Correct the information if it is found to be inaccurate
• Annotate the record if there is a disagreement about accuracy
• Notify third parties who received the information (where appropriate)

12.3 Limitations on Access

We may refuse access to personal information in certain circumstances, including when:

• The information could reasonably threaten another person's safety or mental/physical health
• The information contains references to other individuals who have not consented
• The request is frivolous or vexatious
• The information is subject to solicitor-client privilege
• Disclosure would reveal confidential commercial information

If we refuse access, we will provide you with written reasons and inform you of your right to request a review by the BC Information and Privacy Commissioner.

13. Website Privacy and Cookies

13.1 Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance user experience and analyze website traffic. Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit our website.

Types of cookies we use:

• Essential cookies: Required for website functionality (e.g., maintaining your session)
• Analytics cookies: Help us understand how visitors use our website (e.g., Google Analytics)
• Preference cookies: Remember your settings and preferences

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Note that disabling cookies may limit website functionality.

13.2 Third-Party Services

Our website may use third-party services such as:

• Google Analytics: For website analytics (data is anonymized)
• Social media plugins: For social sharing (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram)
• Email service providers: For newsletters and communications

These third parties have their own privacy policies governing their use of your information.

13.3 External Links

Our website contains links to external websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third-party sites. We encourage you to review their privacy policies.

13.4 Online Forms and Communications

Information submitted through online contact forms, program inquiries, or email is transmitted securely using SSL encryption. However, please be aware that email is not a completely secure medium. For sensitive health information, we recommend contacting us by phone or in person.

14. Special Circumstances

14.1 Minors (Under 19 Years of Age)

For clients under the age of 19, we obtain consent from a parent or legal guardian, except in circumstances where:

• The minor is capable of consenting to treatment (mature minor)
• Treatment is urgent and parental consent cannot be obtained
• Required by law (e.g., harm reduction services)

Minors have privacy rights regarding sensitive health information in accordance with BC law.

14.2 Deceased Clients

Privacy protections continue after death. Requests for information about deceased clients will be handled in accordance with PIPA and may be released to the estate executor or next of kin with appropriate authorization.

14.3 Duty to Warn

In rare circumstances, we may be required to disclose confidential information without consent when there is an imminent risk of serious harm to an identifiable person or group. This is known as the "duty to warn" and is required by law and professional ethical standards.

14.4 Mandatory Reporting

We are required by law to report certain information to authorities, including:

• Child abuse or neglect (Child, Family and Community Service Act)
• Abuse of vulnerable adults
• Communicable diseases (Public Health Act)
• Threats to public safety

15. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, services, legal requirements, or for other operational reasons. The updated policy will be posted on our website with a revised "Last Updated" date.

Material changes will be communicated to active clients through:

• Notice posted prominently on our website
• Email notification (if you have subscribed to communications)
• In-person notification during appointments

Your continued use of our services after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the revised Privacy Policy.

16. Questions, Concerns, and Complaints

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or concerns about how your information is being handled, please contact our Privacy Officer:

We take all privacy concerns seriously and will investigate and respond to your inquiry within 30 days.

16.1 Filing a Complaint with the Privacy Commissioner

If you are not satisfied with our response to your privacy concern, you have the right to file a complaint with:

17. Acknowledgment

By using our services or website, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy. For clinical services, you will be asked to provide written acknowledgment during the intake process.