Impact Support Services Inc. is committed to protecting the privacy of personal information which we handle. Personal information is information which directly or indirectly identifies a person.

We collect and handle a range of personal information for the purposes of providing a service. We also collect some personal information to meet our contractual arrangements with the Department of Human Services (DHS) under the Disability Services Act 2006 and the Mental Health Act 1986.

In accordance with our contract with DHS, the services and functions which we provide relate primarily to disability and mental health support.

We recognise that the nature of these services means that the information we handle is sensitive.

We recognise that privacy principles protect personal information both as a matter of individual right.

We recognise the essential right of individuals to have their information handled in ways which they would reasonably expect - protected on the one hand, and made accessible to them on the other.

These privacy values are reflected in and supported by our organisational practices.

We are bound by the Victorian privacy laws, the Information Privacy Act 2000, the Health Records Act 2001 and the Commonwealth Privacy Act 1988, as well as other laws which impose specific obligations in regard to handling information.

We have adopted the respective Privacy Principles contained in the Victorian privacy laws as minimum standards in relation to handling personal information.

In broad terms this means that we:

• collect only information which we need for a specified primary purpose;

• ensure that the person knows why we collect it and how we will handle it;

• use and disclose it only for the primary or a directly related purpose, or for another purpose with the person's consent (unless otherwise authorised by law);

• store it securely, protecting it from unauthorised access

• retain it for the period authorised by the Public Records Act 1973;

• provide the person with access to their own information, and the right to seek its correction.

This policy is complemented by a privacy procedure and a code of conduct.