BiPolar
Bears
Privacy
Policy
- It is
the policy of the BiPolar Bears to protect the privacy of individuals
attending BiPolar Bears Meetings.
- The
person assigned to collect and maintain sign-in sheets and other data
shall be known as the BiPolar Bears Data Master.
- The
Data Master may maintain data collected from sign-in sheets and other
related data.
- Detail
information regarding individuals shall not be maintained on the Internet,
except when otherwise permitted
- Reports
in aggregate form may be provided to bona fide organizations in summary
format.
- Data
will not be provided in such a way as to be able to identify individuals
in the database.
- Data
on individuals will be provided with basic identifying information (e.g.
Telephone list) after the individual has indicated explicit permission.
- Explicit
permission to list individual information may be withdrawn within
reasonable time after the Data Master has been notified in clear written
form. Changing the indicator
on the sign-in sheet is not sufficient.
- Data regarding
individuals may be provided in the following cases:
- Bona
fide legal orders approved by an Arizona Superior Court judge
- Bona
fide legal orders approved by a Federal Judge
- During
a medical emergency when data is otherwise unavailable
- Individual
information will not be made available to other mental health or similar
agencies for mailing lists, telephone lists, or similar purposes. In any case, data identifying
individuals will not be made available to third parties
- The Data Master, while not an attorney, has determined that the BiPolar Bears is exempt from the new HIPAA Privacy Rules (45 CFR 160) because:
- Data collected is not collected as part of a paid service
- Data collection is voluntary, and may be refused and/or limited
- Data collected is not transmitted in electronic form
- Data is de-identified prior to publication or distribution
- Exceptions
to this policy may be made after the proposal has been approved by 2/3
vote of the consumers present in two (2) meetings over four (4) meetings.
-
This policy adapted by the Bi-Polar Bears meeting on November 27, 2002
-
Revised on April 30, 2003