Protecting your privacy:
how the Peel board collects and uses personal health information
The Peel District School Board is committed to respecting and protecting the privacy of students, their families and staff. Learn more about how the Peel board collects and uses personal health information by reading the privacy statement or choosing a question below.
When is personal health information collected?
How is personal health information collected?
What type of information is collected?
How does the Peel board use personal health information?
Does the board keep a record of personal health information?
Who has access to the personal health information?
How can I access my child's personal health information that has been collected by the Peel board?
How can I make corrections to personal health records with the Peel board?
Where can I learn more about personal health information?
Who can I contact at the Peel board about personal health information?
When is personal health information collected?
The primary use of students' personal health information is to provide services to the student. A student's personal health information is collected by professional staff members, including school social workers, psychology staff, or speech-language pathologists.
How is personal health information collected?
Personal health information is collected directly from the parent, guardian or student, unless consent has been provided for the information to be collected from other sources. In some cases, the law requires or allows staff to collect information without consent, such as in urgent situations when information is needed to prevent potential harm.
What type of information is collected?
Professional staff members are allowed to access only information they have a need to know. This includes contact information and emergency contact information. Informed consent is required for information that will be used for purposes other than to provide services that have been requested or that the student has been referred to, for example, the use of information for research.
How does the Peel board use personal health information?
Personal health information is used to provide services that are requested by students or their parents/guardians, or that students and their families are referred to.
Does the board keep a record of personal health information?
By law and in accordance with professional standards, professional staff members are required to keep records of services and contact with students. These records include personal health information that is collected, results of any assessments, the student's service plan, consent forms, contact notes, progress summaries and correspondence that has been sent or received related to the service. The records are the property of the Peel board and may be recorded in both written and electronic form. Parents, guardians and students have access to the record.
Who has access to the personal health information?
All professional staff are trained in the need for privacy and confidentiality. Staff are also trained in privacy policies and procedures, including prevention of record loss and unauthorized access.
With only a few exceptions, personal health information will not be disclosed to people outside the Peel board without the parent's, guardian's or student's knowledge and express consent. The exceptions are:
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Some circumstances in which disclosure is allowed by law. (Examples are when there is a clear and imminent risk of serious bodily harm to someone, including the possibility of self-harm, or when disclosure is needed to receive professional or legal consultation.)
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When disclosure is required by law. (For example, it is mandatory to report a child who might be in need of protection, to report a regulated health professional who has sexually abused a client, or to disclose information if there is a court order.)
The above exceptions are called “limits of confidentiality". If there are other limits of confidentiality, staff will identify and discuss these with the client before proceeding with service.
Parents/guardians, or in some cases, the student, may be asked to provide consent to disclose personal health information to another service provider who will be working with the student. The law requires any disclosure of the student's personal health information to be limited to information that is reasonably necessary for the purpose of the disclosure. When consenting to the disclosure of personal health information, the parent, guardian or the student, can restrict the Board from sharing all or any part of the information. Staff are required by law to inform the other provider that consent was not given to provide some needed information if it is the opinion of staff that the information is reasonably necessary for the other health service provider to provide appropriate service.
Staff with a personal relationship to a family are required to declare this and to remove themselves from access to that student's record unless there is an emergency or unless there is express consent for access.
Occasionally, a student's record may be accessed for licensing or quality assurance purposes. The Peel board does not allow removal of any identifiable client information for these purposes. All persons involved in these activities are required by law to maintain the confidentiality of any accessed information.
How can I access my child's personal health information that has been collected by the Peel board?
With some exceptions, the custodial parent, guardian or the student has the right to access any record of the student's personal health information and to request copies of the information. If the physical record contains personal health information about another individual, that individual’s information must be able to be severed from the record before it can be accessed. Other exceptions include access to raw data from psychological assessments.
Students may view their personal health information and may express consent for review by a third party, including the custodial parent or guardian.
How can I make corrections to personal health records with the Peel board?
If you believe that information in a record is not accurate, you may make a written request to the school to correct the record and, if there is not an agreement to correct the record as requested, you may file a notice of disagreement into the record.
Where can I learn more about personal health information?
The board's privacy statement has been developed in accordance with the law of Ontario as well as with professional regulations and ethical standards. Further details of the applicable laws, regulations, and standards may be found at the following websites:
The Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care: www.health.gov.on.ca
The College of Psychologists of Ontario: www.cpo.on.ca
The College of Audiologists & Speech-Language Pathologists of Ontario: www.caslpo.com
Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers: http://www.ocswssw.org/
Who can I contact at the Peel board about personal health information?
If you would like more detailed information at any time, would like to access or ask for a correction of your record, have a concern about privacy or have a complaint about the way your privacy has been handled, please contact the Freedom of Information and Privacy Coordinator at (905) 890-1010, ext. 2019.
Complaints may also be addressed to:
Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario
2 Bloor Street East, Suite 1400
Toronto, Ontario
M4W 1A8
416-326-3333 or 1-800-387-0073
Fax: 416-325-9195
TTY: 416-325-7539
