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Counselling & Confidentiality...

All communication between you and your counsellor is held in confidence and is not, except under the circumstances explained below, disclosed to anyone, unless you give written authorization to release the information.

A copy of CNC's release form is available from our administrative assistant or from your counsellor. Safeguarding the privacy of your personal information is an ethical obligation our counsellors and staff take seriously. In the event that you would like us to share information with someone, such as your family doctor or an instructor, we will ask you to sign a release of information form.

There are specific times when we are required to break confidentiality. These LIMITS OF CONFIDENTIALITY are outlined below:

    1. If we have reason to believe that a child is in need of protection, we are required by law to report our concerns to a child protection social worker in the Ministry of Children and Families.
    2. If we have reason to believe that a person is a danger to him/herself or others, we must notify the appropriate authorities eg. the RCMP, CNC administration or any other people who have the ability to protect the person at risk. You should also be aware that should we determine that you pose a significant threat to a specific person, we are obligated to notify that individual.
    3. If a judge, coroner, ombudsman, children’s commission and other such authorities order us to provide information, we are obligated to do so. In such cases, the party requesting the information will provide a reason for why this information is necessary. You should also be aware that if you commence a claim/legal action against CNC, we could be ordered to provide information.
    4. If we are requested to provide information in a human rights investigation.

To ensure a high quality of service, cases may be reviewed by other counsellors at CNC. Consultation on difficult issues is frequently sought by team members. If at all possible, your counsellor will discuss the procedures for making a disclosure with you and enlist your assistance in resolution of the situation.

It is a very unusual circumstance for information about you to be shared without your awareness or explicit permission. If you have any questions about privacy issues, your counsellor will be happy to discuss them with you.