Privacy Policy

1. Our Commitment to Privacy

Starting De Novo Foundation respects the privacy and dignity of everyone who reaches out to us. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, protect, disclose, and retain information when you visit our website, contact us, request support, join a program, or otherwise interact with us.

Because our work involves sensitive topics such as trauma, domestic violence, abuse, and mental health, we treat information shared with us with heightened care. If you are in immediate danger, please call 911. If you are in crisis, call or text 988 in the United States.

2. Information We Collect

We may collect the following categories of information:

• Contact information, such as your name, email address, phone number, mailing address, and preferred method of contact.
• Support request information, such as the reason you contacted us, appointment preferences, program interest, and information you choose to share in a form or message.
• Limited health-related or trauma-related information that you voluntarily provide so we can respond appropriately or connect you with services.
• Donation, billing, or payment information when applicable. Payment card details are handled by third-party payment processors and are not stored by us in full.
• Website usage information, such as IP address, browser type, device information, pages visited, referral source, and cookie identifiers.
• Communications, including emails, form submissions, call notes, appointment messages, and support-related correspondence.

3. How We Use Information

We use information for purposes consistent with our mission, including to:

• Respond to inquiries, consultation requests, crisis-related questions, and support needs.
• Schedule, coordinate, and provide services, programs, referrals, or follow-up communications.
• Assess eligibility for free, discounted, or sliding-scale support where applicable.
• Operate, secure, personalize, and improve our website and services.
• Send service updates, resources, newsletters, or event information when you have opted in or where permitted by law.
• Process donations, payments, forms, administrative records, and compliance obligations.
• Protect the safety, rights, confidentiality, and security of clients, staff, volunteers, and visitors.

4. Sensitive Information and Health Privacy

Please share only the information you are comfortable providing through our website forms. Online forms and general email may not be appropriate for urgent crisis communication or highly sensitive details.

If you become a client or program participant, additional privacy notices, consent forms, confidentiality rules, and clinical record practices may apply. Where health privacy laws such as HIPAA apply to a specific service, we handle protected health information according to those requirements.

5. Legal Bases for Processing

Where privacy laws require a legal basis, we may process information based on your consent, our legitimate interests, performance of services you request, compliance with legal obligations, protection of vital interests, or another lawful basis recognized by applicable law.

6. When We Share Information

We do not sell personal information. We may share information only in limited circumstances, including:

• With service providers that help us operate our website, scheduling, communications, analytics, payments, hosting, security, or administrative systems.
• With clinicians, program staff, referral partners, or support providers when needed to provide services you request or authorize.
• With emergency services, crisis responders, or appropriate authorities if we believe there is a serious risk of harm, abuse, neglect, exploitation, or another situation requiring legal or safety intervention.
• When required by subpoena, court order, law, regulation, professional obligation, grant reporting requirement, or lawful government request.
• In connection with organizational changes such as a merger, restructuring, or transfer of assets, subject to appropriate confidentiality safeguards.

7. Cookies and Analytics

We use cookies and similar technologies to keep the website working, remember preferences, understand site traffic, improve content, and measure outreach. You can learn more in our Cookie Policy and control many cookies through your browser settings.

8. Data Security

We use administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect information from unauthorized access, loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. These safeguards may include access controls, encryption where appropriate, secure hosting practices, staff training, and vendor review.

No website, email system, or internet transmission can be guaranteed completely secure. Please avoid sending emergency information or highly sensitive details through unsecured channels.

9. Data Retention

We retain information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this policy, including service delivery, safety, legal, accounting, grant, insurance, reporting, dispute resolution, and recordkeeping needs.

Retention periods may vary depending on whether the information is a website inquiry, donor record, administrative record, or client/service record.

10. Your Privacy Choices and Rights

Depending on where you live, you may have rights to:

• Request access to personal information we hold about you.
• Ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
• Request deletion of certain information, subject to legal and safety-related exceptions.
• Object to or restrict certain processing activities.
• Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent.
• Opt out of marketing emails by using the unsubscribe link or contacting us.
• Request information about categories of data shared with service providers.

11. Children and Minors

Our website is not intended to collect personal information from children under 13 without appropriate parent or guardian involvement. Services for minors may require additional consent, confidentiality, and safety procedures depending on applicable law and the nature of the service.

12. External Links

Our website may link to hotlines, community resources, government agencies, payment processors, social media platforms, or other third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those external sites.

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The updated version will be posted on this page with a revised effective date. Material changes may be highlighted on our website or communicated through other appropriate channels.

14. Contact Us