Once the decision has been made to participate in a multi-sectoral risk intervention model, such as a Situation Table, agencies/organizations should also ensure transparency by making information about their participation publicly available, including the contact information of an individual who can provide further information or receive a complaint about the agency/organization's involvement.

*Note: Information contained below should not be construed as legal advice.

Information Sharing Principles for Multi-Sectoral Risk Intervention Models

Information sharing is critical to the success of collaborative, multi-sectoral risk intervention models and partnerships that aim to mitigate risk and enhance the safety and well-being of Ontario communities. Professionals from a wide range of sectors, agencies and organizations are involved in the delivery of services that address risks faced by vulnerable individuals and groups. These professionals are well-placed to notice when an individual(s) is at an acutely elevated risk (see definition outlined on page 46) of harm, and collaboration among these professionals is vital to harm reduction.

Recognizing that a holistic, client-centered approach to service delivery is likely to have the most effective and sustainable impact on improving and saving lives, professionals involved in this approach, who are from different sectors and governed by different privacy legislation and policy, should consider the following common set of principles. It is important to note that definitive rules for the collection, use and disclosure of information are identified in legislation, and the following principles highlight the need for professional judgment and situational responses to apply relevant legislation and policy for the greatest benefit of individual(s) at risk.

Consent

Whenever possible, the ideal way to share personal information about an individual is by first obtaining that individual's consent. While this consent may be conveyed by the individual verbally or in writing, professionals should document the consent, including with respect to the date of the consent, what information will be shared, with which organizations, for what purpose(s), and whether the consent comes with any restrictions or exceptions.

When a professional is engaged with an individual(s) that they believe is at an acutely elevated risk of harm, and would benefit from the services of other agencies/ organizations, they may have the opportunity to ask that individual(s) for consent to share their personal information. However, in some serious, time-sensitive situations, there may not be an opportunity to obtain consent. In these instances, professionals should refer to pieces of legislation, including privacy legislation, which may allow for the sharing of personal information absent consent.

With or without consent, professionals may only collect, use or disclose information in a manner that is consistent with legislation (i.e., FIPPA, MFIPPA, PHIPA and/or other applicable legislation to which the agency/organization is bound), and they must always respect applicable legal and policy provisions.