Last updated September 24, 2020 

Volunteers may have access to participants’ confidential information as they carry out their job duties.  In doing so they are obligated to take precautions to ensure such information is used only as intended. 

What’s confidential information? 

• Name in associations with a program 
• Address  
• Phone number 
• Household 
• Health information 

• Diagnosis 
• Treatment 
• Status 
• Insurance 

• Daily schedule 

• Income level 

What is my responsibility in handling confidential information? 

• Do not discuss clients and their situations with anyone, including your friends, family, and acquaintances, unless it is required for the delivery of program services or you have explicitly been given permission to do so by the client 
• Honor the participant’s wishes regarding release of information 

• Not sure if they have given permission for their information to be shared with their family members?  Then do not provide any information to their family members. 

• Limit the disclosure of information to those with a need to know  

• Program staff 
• Auditors 
• Adult Protective Services if you suspect abuse, neglect, or exploitation 
• Law enforcement if you think that a crime is being committed or someone’s safety s in imminent danger 

• Disclose the least amount of information necessary to accomplish your goal 
• If you are given hard or electronic documents containing participants’ confidential information, return them to the source or destroy as soon as you have completed your volunteer assignment 

• Do not throw away any client information in the garbage without shredding them first. 
• Must have current antiviral software 
• Must be secured from access by unauthorized users 

• If you need to send an email with confidential information, either encrypt the email or ask the Meals on Wheels staff member to send you a secure message, to which you can reply 

Permission to use material from this Website or portal / Reprints / Copyright 

Meals on Wheels Collin County retains copyright on the content of this site, unless otherwise noted. Information and materials copyrighted by Meals on Wheels Collin County are for noncommercial use only. 

Reprint or reuse of information from this site/portal without change 

Individuals or organizations may reprint or reuse information on this site, provided: 

• The information is used without change. 
• The following credit is included: 

Reproduced with the permission of Meals on Wheels Collin County 
Copyright 2020 Meals on Wheels Collin County 
Using any of the Meals on Wheels Collin County's registered logos or graphics without the organization's prior consent is strictly prohibited. Please direct queries to [email protected] 

The photographs on our Web site are not available for reproduction. 

Press releases 

Reprint of Meals on Wheels Collin County content or references to Meals on Wheels Collin County contact information in an organization's press release must be approved by the Communications Specialist of the organization. Please direct queries to [email protected] 

Linking policy 

Web site managers should request permission to link to Meals on Wheels Collin County's Web site. Please direct queries to [email protected] 

Meals on Wheels Collin County reserves the right to determine sites to which it will link. Please direct queries [email protected]  

Meals on Wheels Collin County is not responsible for information or advice provided by others, including those we link to from this site. 

Your Consent 

By using the Connections Agency on Aging Web site, you consent to the collection and use of the information described above. Any changes to this policy will be posted prior to their implementation. 

Disclaimer 

Meals on Wheels Collin County works to ensure that the information provided on its official Web site and portal is accurate, timely, and useful. However, the information contained on Meals on Wheels Collin County Web site should not be considered medical guidance or professional advice. Meals on Wheels Collin County, its affiliates or agents, or any other parties involved in the preparation or publication of this site are not responsible for errors or omissions in information provided on this site or any actions resulting from the use of such information. Readers are encouraged to confirm the information contained herein with other reliable sources and to direct any questions concerning their personal health to licensed physicians or other appropriate health care professionals. Corrections and additions to this site will be made when necessary or as time permits.