Privacy Policy

At Cook Social Work Professional Corporation, operating as Family TLC (“Family TLC”, “we”, “us”, or “our”), we are committed to maintaining the accuracy, confidentiality, and security of personal information and personal health information entrusted to us.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, store, and protect personal information and personal health information of individuals who interact with Family TLC, whether in person, online, or otherwise.

Family TLC operates primarily in Ontario, Canada, and this Privacy Policy is intended to comply with applicable Canadian privacy legislation, including but not limited to:

the Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004 (Ontario) (“PHIPA”)
the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (“PIPEDA”), where applicable

Where provincial and federal privacy laws differ, Family TLC complies with the law that provides the greater protection of personal information and personal health information.

This Privacy Policy applies only to activities subject to Canadian privacy laws. Privacy rights and obligations may vary depending on jurisdiction. If you are unsure how this Privacy Policy applies to you, please contact our Privacy Officer.

Last updated: January 2026

Personal Information and Personal Health Information

For the purposes of this Privacy Policy:

Personal information means information about an identifiable individual, such as name, email address, phone number, or IP address.
Personal health information (PHI) has the meaning set out in PHIPA and includes identifying information about an individual’s physical or mental health, health history, health care services received, or payment for health care services.

Family TLC is a Health Information Custodian under PHIPA with respect to personal health information in its custody or control.

We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 13 except in accordance with applicable law and with appropriate consent from a custodial parent or legal guardian.

How Personal Information Is Collected

As a general rule, Family TLC collects personal information and personal health information directly from you, or from your custodial parent or legal guardian where applicable. Information may be collected:

through intake forms, consent forms, assessments, and clinical interactions
through online or virtual services (telehealth)
through email, telephone, or website contact forms
from third parties at your request or with your consent (e.g., physicians, schools, insurers)
as otherwise permitted or required by law

Where personal information is obtained from a third party, we take reasonable steps to ensure that the third party is authorized to disclose the information to us.

In limited circumstances, we may collect information without your knowledge or consent where permitted or required by law, including under PHIPA.

Types of Information Collected

Depending on the nature of your interaction with Family TLC, we may collect:

Personal and Contact Information

Name
Address
Email address
Phone number
Emergency contact information
Billing and insurance information

Personal Health Information

This may include, but is not limited to:

Date of birth
Reason for referral
Personal, family, and developmental history
Mental health history and treatment records
Clinical notes, assessments, and care plans
Records of appointments, communications, and services provided
Information received from other professionals with your consent

Website and Technical Information

When you visit our website, we may collect:

IP address
Browser type and device information
Pages visited and interactions with the site

This information is used for website functionality, security, analytics, and improvement purposes.

Purposes of Collection, Use, and Disclosure

Family TLC collects, uses, and discloses personal information and personal health information for purposes that include:

providing counselling, psychotherapy, and related services
establishing, maintaining, and managing our relationship with you
clinical supervision, mentoring, and quality assurance
scheduling, billing, and administrative operations
insurance claims and third-party payer verification, where applicable
internal service evaluation and improvement
legal and regulatory compliance
risk management, fraud prevention, and security
responding to inquiries and requests
any other purpose permitted or required by law, or to which you have consented

Use of Online Services and Telehealth

Family TLC provides services both in person and through telehealth and online communication tools. While reasonable safeguards are used, no method of electronic communication or data transmission is completely secure.

By participating in telehealth services or communicating electronically with Family TLC, you acknowledge and accept the inherent risks associated with electronic communications.

We encourage clients to ask questions if they are unsure whether a particular communication channel is secure.

Cookies, Analytics, and Advertising Technologies

Family TLC’s website uses cookies and similar technologies to improve functionality, analyze usage, and support marketing activities.

We use third-party tools and services, which may include:

Google Analytics
Google Tag Manager
Google Ads remarketing
Meta (Facebook) Pixel

These tools may collect information such as IP address, device identifiers, browsing behaviour, and interactions with advertisements. This information is generally aggregated and used to understand website usage and deliver relevant advertising.

Where required by law, we obtain consent for the use of cookies and similar technologies through a cookie consent banner or similar mechanism. You may manage or withdraw your cookie preferences through your browser settings or the cookie consent tool on our website.

Disclosure of Personal Information

Where permitted or required by law, Family TLC may disclose personal information and personal health information to:

employees, contractors, and clinicians who require the information to perform their duties
third-party service providers (e.g., software providers, IT support, billing and payment processors) under confidentiality obligations
insurers, employee assistance programs (EAPs), or other third-party payors, with consent where required
regulatory bodies, including the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers
legal and law enforcement authorities where required by law
child protection authorities where there is a legal duty to report
other health care professionals, with consent or as permitted by law

We may also disclose information without consent where required or permitted by law, including:

to prevent or reduce a risk of serious harm
to comply with court orders or legal processes
in emergency situations
in connection with a merger, acquisition, or restructuring, subject to confidentiality protections

Children and Youth Privacy

Family TLC is committed to protecting the privacy of children and youth.

Access to a child or youth’s personal health information is governed by PHIPA and applicable professional standards. In certain circumstances, a child or youth may have the legal right to control access to their own personal health information, even where a parent or guardian is involved in their care.

Storage and Retention of Information

Family TLC retains personal information and personal health information in accordance with PHIPA, professional standards, and legal requirements.

Client records are retained:

for at least ten (10) years following the last date of service
for at least ten (10) years after a client reaches the age of eighteen (18), where applicable

Information may be stored in electronic and/or physical form. Some service providers may store data on servers located outside of Canada. In such cases, personal information may be subject to the laws of those jurisdictions.

Safeguards and Security

Family TLC employs administrative, physical, and technical safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity of the information, including:

secure storage of paper records
password-protected systems and access controls
staff training on privacy obligations
confidentiality agreements
secure transmission methods where feasible

Despite these measures, no security system is perfect, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Data Breach Notification

In the event of a privacy breach involving personal health information that poses a real risk of significant harm, Family TLC will comply with all applicable breach notification requirements under PHIPA, including notification to affected individuals and the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario, where required.

Consent and Withdrawal of Consent

We collect, use, and disclose personal information with your consent, except where permitted or required by law. Consent may be express or implied, depending on the circumstances and sensitivity of the information.

You may withdraw or modify your consent at any time, subject to legal or contractual restrictions, by contacting our Privacy Officer in writing.

Access and Correction

You have the right to request access to your personal information and personal health information and to request corrections where appropriate, subject to legal limitations.

Requests must be made in writing. We may require verification of identity and may charge a reasonable fee, which will be disclosed in advance.

Privacy Officer Contact Information

Privacy Officer
Family TLC
Email: privacyofficer@familytlc.ca
Subject Line: Privacy Policy Inquiry

Revisions to This Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy may be updated from time to time to reflect changes in legal requirements or our practices. The most current version will be posted on our website.

Governing Law

This Privacy Policy is governed by the laws of the Province of Ontario and applicable Canadian federal laws. Any disputes shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the courts of Ontario.