In the Waterloo Region District School Board personal health information is collected, used or disclosed only with the knowledge and written consent of a parent or legal guardian or a student over 18 years of age who is able to give independent consent. The only exception to this is an urgent situation where there is risk of harm.

All employees of the Waterloo Region District School Board are committed to respecting and protecting the privacy of all students.  Personal health information is collected and stored in accordance with the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and the Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA).

Why is personal health information collected and how is it used?
Information is collected to assist in making appropriate recommendations about educational programs and services that best meet the needs of a student. This information may also be used for program evaluation and improvement.
Only information that is necessary to provide service is collected. If information is collected for any other purpose, it will be with your knowledge and consent.  Information may be collected from the following sources:

  • Ontario Student Record (OSR);
  • Parents/Guardians/Board Staff interviews;
  • Outside agency reports or documentation;
  • Observations and questionnaires;
  • Standardized and/or informal tests.

Who collects and uses personal health information?
The information may be collected and used by Board audiologists, psychologists, psychological associates, social workers and speech-language pathologists.  The information may be shared with other WRDSB staff involved with the student.  This could include the school principal, classroom teacher, special education and guidance staff.  The information is available to the studentÕs parent or guardian as well as the student, when appropriate.
Only with written consent will information be shared with other health care providers outside the school board with a few exceptions. These exceptions include circumstances in which disclosure is justified by law and allowed by professional, ethical standards (risk of serious bodily harm), or as required by law (reporting a child in need of protection, reporting a health professional who has sexually abused a client or a court order to release information from a record). In certain circumstances this information may also be shared for the purpose of Quality Assurance according to the provisions of the Regulated Health Professions Act.

Where is the personal health information kept and for how long?
Personal health information is stored under locked, secure conditions.
All information collected is held in confidence for a minimum of 10 years from the last date of contact with the student, or until the student is 28 years of age, whichever is the last to occur.


Whom can I contact to request access to personal health information?
Requests for access to a student’s personal health information are made to the individual staff member who collected the information. If this individual is unavailable or no longer employed with the Board, the request should be made to the Chief Psychologist, Learning Services, Waterloo Region District School Board. Parents and guardians have the right to access any record of their child’s personal health information and to request copies of the information with the following exception. Custodial parents and guardians may not access a student’s records without the student’s consent if the student is legally able to provide independent consent and has consented to service on his/her own behalf.

 

Contact Information and Resources
All reasonable attempts are made to ensure that the information collected about students is accurate. If there are inaccuracies in the personal health information that has been collected, a written request to correct the records may be made. If we do not agree with the correction requested, a notice of disagreement can be placed into the record.

If there is dissatisfaction with the collection, use, or disclosure of a studentÕs personal health information, access to it, or a request to have incorrect information corrected, it may be appealed to:

Waterloo Region District School Board
Freedom of Information Coordinator at: 519 570 0300
or by mail at: 51 Ardelt Ave., Kitchener, ON, N2C 2R5.

An appeal may also be made to the Ontario Government’s Information and Privacy Commissioner at: 416 326 3333
web: www.ipc.on.ca or email: commissioner@ipc.on.ca

This document has been developed in accordance with the requirements of the Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004 as well as with professional regulations and ethical standards.