Privacy Policy

Confidentiality Agreement: Upon admission, both the student and parent/caregiver sign a Confidentiality Agreement.

·        With the signing of this document the client agrees to the following:

o   In order to protect the confidentiality of all Pine River participants, they will not divulge any identifying information such as names, physical descriptions, addresses, work/school positions, or other data that would allow one to identify another Pine River participant.  This includes published photos or videos.

o  Additionally, they will keep all information pertaining to treatment issues of other PRI clients in the strictest of confidence.

o   Acknowledge that what is said in treatment will remain confidential among the Pine River Institute team with 3 exceptions: if a staff member has reason to believe that the client is going to harm themselves, harm someone else, or someone is harming them in which case PRI staff have a legal and professional obligation to disclose this information. 

o   The client will be notified before this exception to the general obligation of confidentiality is made unless waiting poses a serious danger of injury or death.

 Consent to Release Information

·        At the time of admission clients sign Consent to the Release of Information, allowing an individual or organization to release personal information to PRI. This written consent will be signed by the student (if 16 years of age or older), or the parent/guardian (if
student is under 16 years of age), or a substitute decision maker (“SDM”), as per Ontario’s Personal Health Information Protection Act (2004).

·        With the signing of this document the clien agrees to the following:

o   This consent and authorization allows PRI to speak with individuals who provide health care, or professional services, or
educational services to the client, or have done so in the past;

o   The client may cancel or modify their consent at any time (except where the institute has already taken action on the basis of the consent), as long as they do so in writing; and

o   Unless revoked by the client, the consent to release of information remains valid for the duration of their participation in
the live-in phase of the program. If the client enters the Aftercare program,  they will sign a new consent that will be valid for the duration of their participation in Aftercare.

Release of Personal Information

·        PRI will not release personal information concerning a client, to an individual or organization, without written consent from the student (if 16 years of age or older), or the parent/guardian (if student is under 16 years of age), or substitute decision maker (“SDM”), as per
Ontario’s Personal Health Information Protection Act (2004). The Consent to Disclosure of Information is used for this purpose.

The Consent to Disclosure of Information remains valid for the duration of enrollment at Pine River Institute, until program discharge, unless the client withdraws their consent in writing. 

·         Personal information could include, but is not limited to, health information, results of assessments and psychological tests, educational information, including academic records, transcripts.