In accordance with legislature, Dr. Rebecca Nemiroff has been appointed as the psychologist in charge of safeguarding the private information of all clients at The Aylmer Mental Health Clinic. For any concerns regarding privacy and confidentiality, please do not hesitate to contact Dr. Nemiroff.
Confidentiality
All services are completely confidential. Your therapist will not share your information with anyone without your express, written consent. This includes your spouse, family members and medical professionals. Custodial parents or guardians have the right to see the files of children under the age of 14.
Clinicians working under supervision must share clinical files with their supervisor.
There are a few special circumstances where the law mandates that your clinician may have to break confidentiality:
Clinicians working under supervision must share clinical files with their supervisor.
There are a few special circumstances where the law mandates that your clinician may have to break confidentiality:
- If you are at risk of harming yourself or another person, they may have to break confidentiality in order to ensure safety
- If they hear of a child being maltreated or is at risk of maltreatment, they have to report this to the appropriate child protection authorities
- Courts have the right to subpoena files
Privacy
Safeguarding your privacy means that the confidential information entrusted to your therapist will be well protected. All paper files are kept in a locked filing cabinet in the office, and the office itself is locked when not occupied. All electronic files are password protected and stored in an encrypted file.
Privacy also means that you have the right not to share information with your therapist if you do not wish to. Psychotherapy, counselling, and psychological assessment involve sharing very personal information; however, your clinician will not ask for information that they do not feel will be relevant to your care, and you always have the right to refuse to answer any questions.
Client files must be kept for a period of at least 5 years following the end of services. At times files may be stored for a longer period if clinically warranted. Archived files are stored with the same care as active files.
Your therapist's professional order (i.e. the Order of Psychologists of Quebec or the Order of Occupational Therapists of Quebec) may choose to review case files without your prior consent as part of their quality assurance procedures. If that should happen, this agency is also bound to protect your privacy and confidentiality.
Sometimes you may happen to run into your therapist in a public setting. This is especially true in a relatively small community like Aylmer. If this should happen, your therapist will never approach you, but will leave the choice to make contact or not to your discretion.
In order to protect your privacy, your therapist cannot accept friend requests from current or former clients on social media.
Privacy also means that you have the right not to share information with your therapist if you do not wish to. Psychotherapy, counselling, and psychological assessment involve sharing very personal information; however, your clinician will not ask for information that they do not feel will be relevant to your care, and you always have the right to refuse to answer any questions.
Client files must be kept for a period of at least 5 years following the end of services. At times files may be stored for a longer period if clinically warranted. Archived files are stored with the same care as active files.
Your therapist's professional order (i.e. the Order of Psychologists of Quebec or the Order of Occupational Therapists of Quebec) may choose to review case files without your prior consent as part of their quality assurance procedures. If that should happen, this agency is also bound to protect your privacy and confidentiality.
Sometimes you may happen to run into your therapist in a public setting. This is especially true in a relatively small community like Aylmer. If this should happen, your therapist will never approach you, but will leave the choice to make contact or not to your discretion.
In order to protect your privacy, your therapist cannot accept friend requests from current or former clients on social media.
