Clinic Services

The privacy of personal information is of primary importance to the YUPC. Personal information includes personal health information (e.g., mental health, medical, developmental history and current functioning, etc.), as well as identifying information, activities, and views (e.g., name, address, date of birth, religion, community involvement, etc.). We are committed to the responsible collection, use, and disclosure of personal information and will only do so as required to provide psychological services.  The privacy policy of the YUPC complies with the Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA, 2004) and the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), along with standards of professional practice outlined for psychologists (Standards of Professional Conduct, 2017 – CPO Public).

How is your Personal Information Being Protected?

• The YUPC uses a secure, web-based practice management system that is PHIPA compliant (OWL Practice) to store and manage client information and clinical records.
• Virtual services are provided using a secure platform (Zoom for Healthcare).
• Hard copy information is stored in secure locations, in locked rooms in locked drawers.
• Electronic information is stored on secure, password-protected computers or secure servers.
• Any hard copy information being transported are required to be stored in a locked carrying case.
• Staff, student clinicians, and consulting psychologists have been trained in the collection, use, and disclosure of personal information.
• In compliance with PHIPA, personal information is retained for 10 years after the last date of contact for adult clients and 10 years after the child’s 18^th birthday for youth clients to ensure our capacity to answer questions that may arise after service and to ensure accountability to regulatory bodies. After 10 years, paper information will be shredded and electronic information will be permanently deleted.
• Clients have the right to request their personal information, with the exception of copyrighted test materials or if information contained in the file could foreseeably result in risk of serious harm to the individual or another individual.  
• Requests to share information (e.g., with a health care professional, school board, etc.) can be directed to Dr. Jessica Abrams, Clinic Director. Sharing information will require written consent. 
• You may withdraw your consent for the collection, use, and disclosure of personal health information at any time by contacting your clinician or by contacting our Information Officer, Dr. Jessica Abrams at 416-650-8488.
• All the information obtained through your involvement in the clinic is kept     strictly confidential and will not be released to any person or organization without your     written permission. Nevertheless, there are some exceptions to this policy.

What are the limits to confidentiality?

• If you indicate that you are a serious danger to yourself or others, the YUPC may disclose confidential information to ensure your safety or the safety of another individual.
• If there are reasons to believe that a child under the age of 16 years old is at risk of potential neglect, abuse, or witnessing parental violence, the clinician is required by law to make a report to the relevant local child protection service agency (e.g., Children’s Aid Society, Jewish Child and Family Service, Catholic Children’s Aid Society, Native Child and Family Services of Toronto). The clinician may make a report to the relevant child protection service agency regarding youth aged 16-18 years of age.
• If you report inappropriate sexual behavior by a regulated health care professional  towards you as a patient or client, and you provide us with the name of this health care professional, then the clinician is required by law to report the offence to the appropriate professional college.
• If there are grounds for apparent, suspected, or potential abuse of residents of long-term care facilities or retirement homes, the clinician is required by law to report     the alleged or potential offender to protect that individual.
• Psychologists may be required to release confidential personal health information to the police if the information will assist in finding a missing person.
• When a court issues a summons for records or testimony, like all health care professionals, psychologists do not have immunity from having to present information about a client to a court if called upon to do so.
• Psychologists are required to review a random sample of files with the College of Psychologists if selected for peer review for quality control purposes. Reviewers are members of the College, and as such, are required to maintain confidentiality of all records.

In the event of any of these situations, we would attempt to discuss our intentions with you before an action is taken (when appropriate), and we would limit disclosure of confidential information to the minimum necessary.

Contact by insurance companies: If you receive financial reimbursement by an insurance company for psychological services rendered at the York University Psychology Clinic, we may be contacted by your Insurer to verify the submitted treatment claims. We will ask for consent to share only the following information with your insurance provider: dates attended, who attended each session, length of sessions, and fees for sessions.

What Should I Do If I Have a Concern or Complaint?

• Concerns or complaints about services can be directed to the YUPC Director, Dr. Jessica Abrams. If we cannot address your concerns to your satisfaction, you can share your concern with the College of Psychologists of Ontario.
  • The College of Psychologists of Ontario
    110 Eglinton Avenue West, Suite 500
    Toronto, Ontario, M4R 1A3
    Telephone: 416-961-8817
    Fax: 416-961-2635
    Website: www.cpo.on.ca 
• If you believe that there are any mistakes to your record, you have the right to request a correction to errors. This is applicable to factual information only and does not apply to professional opinions. Should we not agree that an amendment is warranted, you have the right to have a statement of disagreement be included within your record.
• You have the right to address concerns or complaints about privacy to the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario.
  • Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario
    2 Bloor Street East, Suite 1400
    Toronto, Ontario, M4W 1A8
    Telephone: 416-326-3333 /1-800-387-0073
    Fax: 416-325-9195
    Website: www.ipc.on.ca