Legal Business Name:
     Josi B Chaves Psychotherapy & Counselling

Professional credentials:
    Licensed as: Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
    Registration Number: 16218

Professional affiliations:
    Member of: College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO),
    Canadian Association for Psychodynamic Therapy (CAPT), and
    Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA).

As a registered professional, I am regulated by the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO), which ensures that I adhere to professional standards of practice and ethical guidelines.
The CRPO can be contacted at
https://crpo.ca/complaints-reports/filing-a-complaint/ OR
[email protected] OR
416-479-4330, option 4 should you have any concerns about my professional conduct.

Confidentiality
The privacy of your communications during therapy is protected by professional ethics and legal regulations in the province of ONTARIO. 

Registered Psychotherapists (Qualifying) are bounded by the Professional Practice Standards of confidentiality as outlined by the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO).

The Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004 (PHIPA) establishes the rules relating to confidentiality and privacy of personal health information in Ontario. PHIPA requires that personal health information be kept confidential and secure. It is a fundamental responsibility of members to always maintain client confidentiality. In compliance with PHIPA, members must ensure that the professional relationship with the client and the client’s personal information are kept confidential, within legal limitations.
I cannot and will not disclose information about your treatment without your written permission, with the following exceptions:

Limitations to Confidentiality
Risk of harm to self or others: 

If I have reason to believe that you are at risk of harming yourself or another person, I am obligated to take protective actions, which may include contacting family members, emergency services, potential victims, and/or the police.
Suspected abuse or neglect: 

If I have reasonable cause to believe that a child, elderly person, or vulnerable adult is being abused or neglected, I am required by law to report this to the appropriate authorities, such as Child Welfare or Adult Protective Services.

 Legal proceedings: 

If you are involved in legal proceedings, your records may be subject to subpoena or court order. While I will make every effort to protect your privacy, I must comply with valid court orders.
Insurance billing requirements: 

If you are using insurance, I may be required to provide certain information to your insurance company, such as a diagnosis, treatment plan, or treatment summary.

Professional records
I am required to keep appropriate records of services provided. These records include dates of service, assessments, treatment plans, progress notes, and billing information. You have the right to request access to your records or a summary of your care. Records are maintained for 10 years from the date of the last interaction, as required by provincial law and professional standards. Records may be released to third parties only with your written authorization or as required by law.

Telehealth
Telehealth (also called virtual care or online therapy) refers to the provision of healthcare services remotely using telecommunications technologies, such as video conferencing. Telehealth allows us to connect with you using interactive video and audio communications when you and your therapist are not in the same physical location.

Telehealth and technology requirements
I use Jane Clinic Management Software to perform electronic processes in my practice. The Privacy Policy for Jane App can be found: Here

Jane utilizes encryption and other security measures to protect your privacy. You will receive instructions on how to access this platform prior to your first telehealth session.

I DO NOT USE AI IN MY WORK.

Potential risks of telehealth
As with any healthcare service, there are potential risks associated with telehealth, including:
Technology failures: 

Sessions may be disrupted by technology failures, such as internet outages, computer crashes, or software issues.
Reduced visual and non-verbal cues: 

Your therapist may have less ability to read body language and non-verbal cues compared to in-person sessions.
Privacy and security risks: 

Despite our best efforts to ensure confidentiality, telehealth platforms can never be 100% secure. There is a risk of unauthorized access to sensitive information transmitted electronically.
Emergency situations: 

It may be more difficult for your therapist to provide immediate assistance in the event of a crisis or emergency during a Telehealth session.
Insurance coverage: 

Some extended health insurance plans may not cover Telehealth services or may provide reduced coverage.

Steps I take to address these risks:
    I use secure, encrypted video platforms that comply with Canadian privacy legislation. In addition, I use a VPN service and 2-step verification to sign in to all platforms and services.
    I conduct sessions only in private, secure locations and expect the same from you.

    I have established protocols for managing technical difficulties and emergency situations.
    I maintain the same documentation standards as for in-person sessions.
    I verify your identity by having a waiting room activated in Zoom, at the beginning of each session.

For the safeguarding of personal health information during the provision of virtual care, or communication with users via e-mail, I take additional steps as follows.
    Use of firewalls and protections against software threats;
    Regular updates of security and anti-virus software.
    Review and set default settings to the most protective privacy.
    Verify and authenticate a client’s identity before engaging in a video session.
    Obtain client consent to communicate personal health information via electronic means.
    Keep all technology containing personal health information in a secure location.
    Use passwords, lock screens and physical barriers to keep personal health information secure.
    Use of strong passwords.
    Restrict access to servers to only authorized individuals and keep such locations locked when unattended.
    your video sessions are not recorded.

    Ensure there are no unauthorized persons attending or within hearing or viewing distance during the provision of client services by telehealth.

Care is used in the secure disposal or destruction of personal health information, to prevent unauthorized parties from gaining access to the information.

Privacy breach protocols are in place in case of theft, loss or unauthorized access to client personal health information. In case of data breach, I have the following steps to minimize the effects of the breach and prevent further breaches:
    Notification of unauthorized access.
    Containment and minimization of the breach.
    Assessment of the risk of access to the personal health information.
    Notification to the client if the risk of access to the client personal health information is necessary.
    Investigation of the circumstances that lead to the breach.
    Implementation of improved processes to prevent future breaches of similar type.
    Reporting to the regulator, as required by law.
    One complementary 50-minute session for each client who may require extra time to discuss the event.

    One 20-minute phone call to respond to administrative questions if needed.

My website is powered through SiteJet Builder. The Terms of Service and Privacy Policy for SiteJet Builder can be found: Here

Changes to policies
Tuning In Therapy reserves the right to change any of the policies described above. If I make changes, I will provide you with a revised copy of the policies. Any changes will be communicated to clients with at least 30 days' notice.

If you are not satisfied with my Privacy Policy, you may choose to report this by contacting:
Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada 
30 Victoria Street
Gatineau, QC K1A 1H3
Telephone: 1-800-282-1376