Privacy Policy
Your Rights

As a Client of our program,

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You have the right to be treated with dignity and respect at all times.

These services are offered to you regardless of actual or perceived race, color, national origin, ethnicity, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, religion, social/economic status, marital status, pregnancy, veteran status, disability, or any basis prohibited by federal, state or local law.

Confidentiality: All information about you and your situation will remain strictly confidential. Before SAFE SAN JUANS can communicate information about your situation to others, you (or your parent/legal guardian) must sign a Limited Release of Information Form and choose an expiration date for that release of information.

Under Washington Law (RCW 5.60.060), your conversations with a SAFE SAN JUANS advocate are confidential and will not be disclosed without your consent, unless one of the exceptions listed below applies.

Client confidentiality is modified when mandatory reporting, a court order, or imminent harm is an issue, as in:

1. Actual or suspected neglect or abuse of a child is present;

            2. Actual or suspected neglect or abuse of a vulnerable adult is present (see RCW 26.44.030);

3. There is a clear, imminent threat of serious physical injury to yourself or others; or

4. There is a court-ordered release for information.

 

SAFE San Juans has a legal window of 48 hours in which to see that you or a member of our staff make the necessary report. Mandatory Reports made from our offices are documented and kept in a locked file cabinet.

 

For everyone’s safety we ask that you do not bring someone that is or has been abusive to you into the SAFE San Juans offices.

 

Access to your files: Only staff and volunteers involved directly in your support, and their supervisors, have access to information about your situation. We maintain the minimum information required by law, to fulfill statistical reporting requirements for funding and planning our community programs, and for evaluating the success of our services. In the event that certain data needs to verified and reviewed by funders, personal identifying information is removed. Authorized personnel are required to sign a confidentiality agreement before being permitted access to any client files. Client files are kept in a locked cabinet at the office where the client is being served and are reasonably protected from fire,

flood, theft, earthquakes, or other damage. Files transferred between SAFE San Juans offices are transported in a confidential and secure manner.

 

After seven (7) years, an inactive file is either shredded or burned, unless you sign a waiver to have your file released to you or someone designated by you.

 

You have the right to review your file at any time with a 24-hour written notice and proper photo identification. Files are not permitted to leave the building but you may request a copy, in writing, from the SAFE San Juans Executive Director.

 

As a client of SAFE San Juans, we will not photograph or videotape you. We will neither ask you nor compel you to participate in any public appearances. If you wish to participate in any public event as part of your healing process, please let the Executive Director know. If you choose to be photographed or videotaped, we will ask you to sign a release form first.

 

You have the right to file a complaint or grievance with the Executive Director if you have any concern, complaint, or reason to believe that your rights have been violated. If you have a complaint against the Executive Director you may file the grievance with the agency’s Board of Directors.

 

If you would like more information about our policies and procedures, please ask your advocate.