Confidentiality & Your Rights
Privacy
We respect your right to privacy and will ask only for information that is relevant to the work you want to do. We require your consent to obtain this information. Our policies and procedures for the collection, use, and disclosure of your personal information, conform to the Personal Information & Privacy Act. If you choose to not provide information we will inform you of how that choice will/will not affect the services we provide. If you have any questions regarding your personal information please contact South Island Centre.
Limits of Confidentiality
It is important that you understand the confidential nature of your relationship with your counsellor. Everything that you disclose about yourself will be treated as confidential. No one at South Island Centre will release your name, or information about you, or your counselling, to anyone outside of South Island Centre without your informed, voluntary, and written consent, except as outlined below:
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If we obtain information which leads us to suspect that a child (18 and under) is at risk for, or has been, physically abused, sexually abused, emotionally abused, or neglected, we are legally obliged to make a report to the Ministry for Children & Family Development. We are also obliged to cooperate in providing information to the Ministry for Children & Family Development if the Ministry is conducting an investigation about the safety of a child. This is about protecting children from harm.
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If you inform us about any intent to commit an act which could result in the injury or death of another/others, we are legally obliged to contact the police. This is about protecting others from harm.
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If a counsellor has concerns that you are a danger to yourself, she/he will discuss with you any plan that they may need to take on your behalf (e.g. call a family member or family physician). However, in situations where your counsellor is unable to discuss this with you, they may need to proceed without your consent in order to fulfill their obligation to ensure your safety.
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We are ordered by court subpoena to release information to a third party, such as a lawyer.
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In order to ensure accountable, ethical, and effective clinical service your counsellor regularly consults with a clinical Supervisor, and or clinical colleagues, to obtain clinical consultation. Identifying information will be kept to an absolute minimum during any such clinical consultation.
Whenever it is safe and possible to do so, we will notify you of any situation where we are obliged to report. Our preference is to support you in making the actual report.
Furthermore, when working with couples, if one should attend an individual session it is understood that the content of the individual session will be confidential from your partner.
Release of Information
If you need your counsellor to release information to a third party, such as a Probation Officer, doctor, or lawyer, you must provide us with informed, written, and voluntary consent. We will provide you with an appropriate form. Discuss any need for this with your counsellor.