HealthyPlace.com Privacy Statement

The Internet contains a wealth of information. Unfortunately, it may also contain personal details about you that you don't want everyone to know. For example, your real name (lots of people on the Internet use aliases, alter egos or nicknames), street address, phone number, or e-mail address. Also, when you go online, sites you visit may be gathering information about you --- without your knowledge.

HealthyPlace.com's Policy

HealthyPlace.com's policy on our wholly controlled and operated Internet sites is to respect and protect the privacy of our users. HealthyPlace.com will never willfully disclose individually identifiable information about its visitors to any third party without first receiving that visitor's permission. This policy statement tells you how we collect information from you and how we use it. Using the Internet should be a fun experience and we want to help you make it so.

HealthyPlace.com shares information about our users with advertisers, business partners, sponsors and other third parties. However, in most cases, we talk about our users in aggregate, not as individuals. For example, we will say HealthyPlace.com's audience is x percent females and y percent males. This data is used to customize HealthyPlace.com content and advertising for our users.

There are cases where HealthyPlace.com may ask you for personal information such as your name or address. We do this when you register for contests/promotions or services that require registration or subscription (for example, the HealthyPlace Support Network). HealthyPlace.com needs to collect this information for fulfilling prizes, tracking/verifying compliance with HealthyPlace.com policies as well as federal, state and local laws and/or for editorial and feedback solicitation purposes. When we intend to use your personal information, we tell you up front. This way you can decide whether you want to give us the information or not. For example, we may want to post the names of contest winners on our site or send you materials via e-mail or regular mail at your request. In case you change your mind or some personal information may change (such as your marital status), we will endeavor to provide a way to correct, update or remove the personal data you give us.

GOOGLE ANALYTICS

Currently we are using Google Analytics to analyze the audience of the HealthyPlace.com website and improve our content. No personal information is collected from Google Analytics. For further information on the privacy policy concerning Google Analytics, please go here.

USE OF COOKIES

Upon your first visit to HealthyPlace.com, HealthyPlace.com sends a "cookie" to your computer. A cookie is a file that identifies you as a unique user. It stores personal preferences and user data. In no way does this tell us that you're "Bob Smith."

HealthyPlace.com has two primary uses for its cookies. First, we use them to specify unique preferences. For example, in HealthyPlace.com's News Channel, users can specify keywords across several news categories. This way you don't have to tell us over and over again about the kinds of news stories you want to see. Secondly, we use cookies to track user trends and patterns. This helps us better understand and improve areas of the HealthyPlace.com service that our users find valuable. While both of these activities depend on the use of a "cookie," visitors to HealthyPlace.com always have the option of disabling cookies via their browser preferences.

Most browsers are initially set up to accept cookies. You can reset your browser to refuse all cookies or indicate when a cookie is being sent. However, note that some parts of the HealthyPlace.com service may not function properly if you refuse cookies. For example, without cookies, you will not be able to set personalized news preferences.

BLOGS AND BLOG COMMENTS

All blogs on the HealthyPlace website are written by people who are mental health consumers and not mental health professionals (ie, doctors, therapists, counselors, social workers, etc.). A short biographical description of each blog author can be found by clicking on the author's name link on the individual blog. All bloggers have lived experience with their particular blog topic and share their personal insights and experiences. What is written on the blogs is not to be considered advice nor a substitute for seeking a personal mental health diagnosis and/or treatment from a doctor or a licensed mental health professional. DO NOT make any changes in your treatment based on what you read on the HealthyPlace blogs and/or website. Always discuss your treatment questions and concerns with your doctor or therapist before making any changes to your treatment.

Each blog author is responsible for moderating their individual blog. They check the blog's comments several times a week on an irregular basis. It is up to the individual blogger to determine if the comments are suitable to be seen by the general public.

VERY IMPORTANT: You should be aware that when you make a comment on the blogs or anywhere on the HealthyPlace website, everyone can read your comment and use its content. There is also a high likelihood that Google and other search engines can index that content in it's entirety. So if you use your real name or put in your email address, this too will be available to the general public and likely visible in all search engines on the internet. That means anyone including, for example, relatives, friends, current or future employers, etc. might come across it if they do a search on you. HealthyPlace is not responsible for any ramifications or damages stemming from a comment you have made on the website.

Users cannot go back and edit blog comments nor remove them on their own. You can write info(AT)healthyplace.com and request that it be done. For various reasons, we cannot guarantee action on your request in a timely manner. In addition, just because the comment is removed from the HealthyPlace website, it does not mean that it will not appear in other places such as internet search engines like Google, Yahoo and Bing. In fact, there's a high likelihood that it will remain on search engines and other places on the internet.

LINKS TO OTHER SITES

Users should be aware that when you are on HealthyPlace.com, you could be directed to other sites that are beyond our control. There are links to other sites from HealthyPlace.com pages that take you outside our service. For example, if you "click" on a banner advertisement or a "referral link to another site", the "click" takes you off the HealthyPlace.com website. This includes links from some advertisers, site sponsors and partners that may use HealthyPlace.com's logo as part of a co-branding agreement. These other sites may send their own cookies to users, collect data or solicit personal information. Always be aware of where you end up!

KEEPING YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION PRIVATE

Please keep in mind that whenever you give out personal information online --- for example, via the HealthyPlace Support Network bulletin boards, blogs or chat --- that information can be collected and used by people you don't know. While HealthyPlace.com strives to protect its user's personal information and privacy, we cannot guarantee the security of any information you disclose online and you do so at your own risk. You should also know that if you post anything in the HealthyPlace Support Network, you can modify that content anytime by logging in and clicking the "edit" link for your post.

HealthyPlace.com's policy does not extend to anything that is inherent in the operation of the Internet, and therefore beyond HealthyPlace.com's control, and is not to be applied in any manner contrary to applicable law or governmental regulation.

We reserve the right at our discretion to make changes to this policy at any time. Please check this page periodically for changes.

This statement discloses the privacy practices for the HealthyPlace.com Web site, and includes:

1. What information is gathered/tracked
2. How the information is used
3. Who the information is shared with

Questions regarding this statement should be directed to the HealthyPlace.com site coordinator at info@healthyplace.com

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