Client Bill of Rights

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Right #1: Right to be treated with Dignity and Respect

• All clients are to be treated with dignity and respect throughout all aspects of their experience with Managed Care, including, but not limited to, registration, counselling appointments, cultural competency and psychological assessments.
• All clients are to be treated with dignity and respect regardless of their age, gender identity, race, culture, religion, sexual orientation, mental and/or physical disability, socioeconomic status, etc.
• All clients’ beliefs, values, experiences, and needs are to be respected.

Right #2: Right to Freedom from Harm

• All clients are to be provided a safe space in which to receive psychological and/or non-psychological mental health services with Managed Care; free from physical, psychological, sexual, spiritual, or financial dangers or harm.
• All clients are to receive psychological and/or non-psychological mental health services from Managed Care that are free from discrimination, harassment, and exploitation.

Right #3: Right to Privacy and Confidentiality

• All clients have the right to receive services from Managed Care in a manner that respects their privacy and confidentiality.
• All clients have the right to communicate with administrative and/or mental health professionals of Managed Care in a manner that respects their privacy and confidentiality, which includes, but is not limited to, communication via telephone, email, videoconferencing technology, and in-person meetings.
• All clients have the right to their personal health information being stored in a confidential and secure manner.
• All clients have the right to provide full, informed, written consent prior to any personal health information being communicated with third-parties, whether directly or indirectly.
• All clients have the right to be fully informed about the legal limits to confidentiality, including the legal and/or ethical obligations to (see Policy ### for more information):

o Inform a potential victim of violence of a client’s intention to harm;

o  Inform an appropriate family member, health care professional, or police if necessary of a client’s intention to end his or her life;

o  Inform the Children’s Aid Society if there is suspicion of a child being at risk of, or in need of, protection due to neglect, or physical, sexual, or emotional abuse;

o  Report a health professional who has sexually abused a client;

o  Report elder abuse in long term care facilities;

o  Release a client’s file if there is a court order to do so; and,

o  Release a client’s file is there is a warrant for client information.

Right #4: Right to Accessible Services

• All clients have the right to receive psychological and/or non-psychological mental health services regardless of geographic location (within the province of Ontario), or physical limitations.
• All clients have the right to receive psychological and/or non-psychological mental health services in-person, at a location convenient to them, via secure videoconferencing technology, or via telephone.

Right #5: Right to Safe Services that Comply with Standards and Legislation

• All clients have the right to receive psychological and/or non-psychological mental health services that are carried out by mental health professionals with the professional competence and experience to support their unique challenges.
• Every client has the right to receive psychological and/or non-psychological mental health services that comply with the governing regulations and legislation around psychological and non-psychological mental health services in the province of Ontario.

Right #6: Right to Independent, Informed Decision-Making and Consent

• All clients have the right to be fully informed about all their service options and the routes to receiving said services, including fee information, with Managed Care.
• All clients have the right to be fully informed about all aspects of the psychological and/or non-psychological mental health service they receive through Managed Care, including, but not limited to, the potential risks and benefits of the service, to whom information gathered will be disclosed and why, goals of service, length of service, and diagnoses, as applicable.
• All clients have the right to be informed when any third-party request for their personal health information is made, and, in the case that they agree to disclosure, the right to fully review the information prior to disclosure.
• All clients have the right to make independent, and fully informed decisions regarding their mental healthcare with Managed Care, including, but not limited to, whether to register and engage in the services, and the goals of treatment.
• Should a client be unable to understand the information presented to them (e.g., a child), their parent or custodial parent/legal guardian will be provided the information.

Right #7: Right to Complain

• All clients have the right to complain to Managed Care regarding any aspect of their interaction or services received by the organization, without fear of retribution.
• All clients have the right to complain to the regulatory college (e.g., the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario, the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers, etc.) with which their mental health professional is registered.
• All clients will be informed of the internal and external complaints procedures at the time that they consent to service with Managed Care.