Early Childhood Network Policies

Early Childhood Network (ECN) respects the importance of maintaining the confidentiality of personal or sensitive information disclosed to ECN by its clients and providers.  It is ECN policy to take reasonable measures to protect the unauthorized disclosure of such information.  ECN reserves the right to amend or change its Confidentiality Policy without advance notice and will provide an updated copy of this policy upon request.  Please contact ECN with any questions or comments regarding this policy.

CONFIDENTIALITY POLICY FOR CLIENTS & CARE PROVIDERS

Except  as described below, ECN does not sell personal and identifiable client information to outside parties and generally does not share such information with outside agencies or businesses without prior authorization.  However, ECN does share certain client information with the County Departments of Human Services caseworkers or other governmental agencies and/or funding sources if the disclosure of such information reasonably required by its agreements. Similarly, ECN may disclose personal information to certain agencies or authorities pursuant to applicable law, rule or regulation or in response to requests for information or documents pursuant to legal proceedings, investigations, subpoenas, or other similar processes when ECN, in its sole discretion, believes that such disclosures are appropriate or required under the circumstances.  In such cases, ECN shall use reasonable efforts to disclose only the information which it believes is necessary or appropriate to be disclosed.  Finally, if ECN believes that there is ever a circumstance that presents a serious risk to a child or to an adult, ECN reserves the right to disclose information to an appropriate agency. ECN ordinarily will recommend the source of the information to contact the appropriate agency directly and will offer assistance where appropriate. However, if these attempts fail, ECN may decide to make direct contact with the relevant agency.

In certain instances ECN may share personal and identifiable client information with its directors, officers, employees, managers, attorneys, consultants and agents, all of whom have been made aware of this Confidentiality Policy and have been advised to observe its terms.  Staff members are made aware of this policy and are informed not to discuss or share confidential information with organizations or individuals outside the agency unless it is pertinent to case management and performed consistent with this policy.

ECN may disclose certain anonymous, aggregated data and provide it to care providers, funding sources and governmental agencies either for market research and statistical purposes or to ensure compliance with the agreements between ECN and its providers, funding sources, governmental agencies and similar organizations.

ECN generally does not disclose specific information about providers with outside businesses or agencies without authorization unless such information is available to the public.  However, ECN may disclose certain information regarding providers in circumstances similar to those described above.  ECN regularly provides information such as telephone numbers, location and similar data to clients seeking care services. 

Aggregate provider reports, which are available for public distribution, are generated annually and may disclose information such as average rates, salaries, enrollment, and capacities for each county.