Privacy Policy

  OutCast Ministries

(Your Privacy is critically important to us)

Thank you for our website and for your interest in our mission. This Privacy Policy outlines the types of information we collect, how we use and protect that information, and your choices regarding the collection and use of your data.

By accessing or using our website, you agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with the terms of this Privacy Policy, please do not use our website.

It is OutCast Ministries policy to respect your privacy regarding any information we may collect while operating our website.  This privacy policy appliews to https://www.outcastministries.org (hereinafter, "us","we", or "outcastministries.org").  We respect your privacy and are committed to protecting personally identifiable information you may provide us through this website.  We have adopted this privacy policy ("Privacy Policy") to explain what information may be collected on our website, how we use this information, and under what circumstances we may disclose the information to third parties.  This privacy policy applies only to infomation we collect through the Website and does not apply to our collection of information from other sources.

This privacy policy, together with thew terms and conditions posted here on our website, set forth the general rules and policies governing your use of our website.  Depending on your activities when visiting our website, you may be required to agree to additional terms and conditions.

Website Visitors

Like most website operators, OutCast Ministries collects non-personally identifying information of the sort that web browsers and servers typically make available, such as the browser type, language preference, referring site, and the datew and time of each visitor request.  OutCast Ministries' purpose in collecting non-personally identifying information is to better understand how OutCast Ministries' visitors use its website.  From time to time, OutCast Ministriews may release non-personally identifying information in the aggregate, e.g., by publishing a report on trends in the usage of this website.

OutCast Ministries also collects potentially personally identifying information likew Internet Protocol (IP) addresses for logged in users and for users leaving comments on https://www.outcastministries.org blog posts.  OutCast Ministries only discloses logged in user and commenter IP addresses under the same circumstances that it uses and discloses personally identifying information as described below.

Information We Collect

Certain visitors to OutCast Ministries' website may choose to interact with OutCast Ministries in ways that require OutCast Ministries to gather personally identifying information.  The amount and type of information that OutCast Ministries gathers depends on thew nature of the interaction.  For example, we ask visitors who sign up for a blog or newsletter at https://www.outcastministries.org to provide a username and email address.

  1. Personal Information:

    • We may collect personal information, such as your name, email address, phone number, and postal address, when you voluntarily provide it to us, such as when you subscribe to our newsletter, make a donation, or contact us through our website.
       

  2. Non-Personal Information:

    • We may collect non-personal information, such as browser type, IP address, and pages visited, to improve the functionality and content of our website. This information is collected through cookies and similar technologies.

Security

The security of your personal information is important to us but remember that no method of transmission over the internet, or method of electronic storage implement security measures to protect the confidentiality and integrity of your information. However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure 100%.  While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security.  

Advertisements

Ads appearing on our bebsite may bew delivered to users by advertising partners, who may set cookies.  These cookies allow the ad server to recognize your computer each time they send you an online advertisement to compile information about you or others who use your computer.  This information allows ad networks to, among other things, deliver targeted advdertisements that they believe will of most interest to you.  This privacy policy covers the use of cokies by OutCast Ministries and does not cover the use of cookies by any advertisers.

OUTCASTMINISTRIES.ORG uses Google Adwords for Remarketing

www.outcastministries.org uses the remarketing services to advertise on third party websites (including Google) to prewvious visitors to our site.  It could mean that we advertise to previous visitors who haven't completed a task on our site, for example using the contact form to make an enquiry.  this could be in the form of an advertisement on Google search results page, or a site in the Google Display Network.  Third-party vndors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on someone's past visits.  Of courswe, any data collected will be used in accordance with our own privacy policy and Google's privacy policy.

You can set preferences for how Google advertises to you using the Google Ad Preferences page, and if you want to you can opt out of interest-based advertising entirely by cookie settings or permanently using a browser plugin.

Links to External Sites

Our service may contain links to external sites that are not operated by us.  If you click on a third-party link, ou will be directed to that third party's site.  We strongly advise you to review the privacy policy and tewrms and conditions of every site you visit.

We have no control over, and assume no responsibility for the content, privacy policies or practices of any third-party sites, products or services.

Protection of certain Personally-Identifying Information

OutCast Ministries discloses potentially personally identifying and personally identifying information only to those of its employees, contractors, and affiliated organizations that (i) need to know that information in order to process it on OutCast Ministries behalf or to provide serices available at OutCast Ministries' website, and (ii) that have agreed not to disclose it to others.  Some of those employees, contractos and affiliated organizations may be located outside of your home country; by using OutCast Ministries website, you consent to the transfer of such information to them.  OutCast Ministries will not rent or sell potentially personally identifing and personally identifing information to anyone.  Other than to its employees, contractors and affiliated organizations, as described above, OutCast Ministries discloses potentially personally identiifying and personally identifying information only in response to subpoena, court order or other governmental request, or when OutCast Ministries believes in good faith that discloser is reasonably necessary to protect the property or rights of OutCast Ministries, third parties or the public at large.

If you are a registered user of https://www.outcastministries.org and have provided your email address, OutCast Ministries may, from time to time, communicate with you by email regarding new features, requests for feedback, or updates concerning OutCast Ministries and its products.  Because such information is primarily shared through our blog or newsletter, these email comunjications are expected to be infrequent.  If you submit a requewst to us, including through a support email or feedback form, we reserve the right to publish that request to clarify or respond to it, or to assist other users.  Outcast Ministries take all measures reasonably necessary to protecxt potentially personally identifying and personally identifying information from aunauthorized acdcess, use, alteration, or destruction.

Aggregated Statistics

OutCast Ministries may collect statistics about the behavior of visitors to its website.  OutCast Ministriews may display this information publicaly or provide it to others.  However, OutCast Ministries does not disclose your personally-identifying information.

Affiliate Disclosure

This site uses affiliate links and does not earn commission from certain links.

Cookies

t enrich and perfect your online experience, OutCast Ministries uses "Cookies", similar technologies and services provided by others to display personalized content, appropriate advertising and sotore your preferences on your computer.  A cookie is a string of information that a website stores on a visitor's computer, and that visitor's browser provides to the website each time the visitor returns.  OutCast Ministries uses cookies to help OutCast Ministries identify and track visitors, their usage of https://www.outcastministries.org, and their website access preferences.  OutCast Ministries' visitors who do not wish to have cookies placed on their computers should set their  browsers to refuse cookies before using OutCast Ministries' website, with the drawback that certain features of OutCast Ministries' website may not function properly without the aid of cookies.

By continuing to navigat our website without changing yhour cookie settings, you hereby acknowledge and agree to OutCast Ministries use of cookies.

How We Use Your Information

  1. Providing Services:

    • We use your personal information to provide you with the services you have requested, such as sending newsletters, processing donations, and responding to inquiries.

  2. Improving Our Website:

    • We use non-personal information to analyze trends, administer the website, and gather demographic information. This helps us improve the user experience and tailor our content to better meet the needs of our audience.

E-Commerce

Those who engage in transactions with OutCast Ministries - by purchasing OutCast Ministries services or products, ared asked to provide additional information, including as necessary the personal and financial information required to prodess those transactions.  In each case, OutCast Ministries collects such information only insofar as is neessary or appropriate to fulfill the purpose ofr the visitor's interaction with OutCast Ministries.  OutCast Ministries does not diclose personally identifying information other than as described below.  And visitors can slways refuse to supply personally identifying information, with the caveat that it may prevent them from engaging in certain website-related activities.

Client Confidentiality

Individuals who enroll or have been enrolled in OutCast Ministries' recovery program arew protected by our client confidentiality policy.  Withou a client cod, given to the client and client-approved contacts upon intake, employees may not confirm or deny an individual's enrollment.  Individuals or agencies requesting program-related client records must complewte an Authorization of Release form which must be signed by the client and notarized.  OutCast Ministries will honor subpoenas served for records as applicable by law.

At no time does OutCast Ministries diagnose or make medical or mental judgments to the condition of the individual.  However, via program application, pre-admission questionaires, and counseling sessions, OutCast Ministries may become privy to the following protected health information of its clients that the individual (or their close personal friend or family member) voluntarily provides to us:

  • the individual's past or present physical or mental health or condition, or
  • the provision of counseling to the individual by OutCast Ministries, or
  • the past or present payment for the client's OutCast Ministries program fee; and
  • information that identifies the individual, such as name, address, birth date, Social Security Number.

The following catagories describe differnt ways OutCast Ministries uses and discloses Protected Health Information (PHI):

  • For Counseling: We may use or disclose your health information to your counselor to provide and coordinate the counseling that you need.  Also, counselors mayu disclose your health information to each other to coordinate individual and group therapy sessions for your recovery.
  • Individuals Involved in Your Counseling or Payment for Your Counseling: When appropriate we may disclose to a personal friend or family member who is involved in our addiction therapy or payment for your recovery.  Unless you object, we may disclose to a pmember of your family, a relative, a close friend or any other person you identify with your Protected Health Information that directly relates to that person's  involvement in your addiction program.  If you are unable to agree to object to such a disclosure, we may disclose such information as necessary if we determine that it is in your best interewst based on your counselor or program director's judgment.
  • To avert a Serious Threat to Health or Safety: We may use your PHI to appropriat authorities when necessary to prevent a serious threat to your health and safety or the health and safety of another person or the public.  We may ddisclose yhour health information to appropriate authorities if we reasonably believe tht you are a possible victim of abuse, neglect, or domestic abuse or the possible victim of other crimes.
  • Notification: We may use or disclose your PHI to assist in a disaster relief effort so that your family, personal representative, or friends may be notified about your condition, status, or location.
  • Correctional Institutions: If you are or become an inmate of a corretiona institution, we may disclose to the institution or its agents PHI necessary for your health and safety of others.
  • Health-Related Benefits and Services: We may use and disclose your PHI to tell you about health-related benefits or services that you may need or that may be of interest to you.
  • Law Enforcement: We may disclose your PHI for law enforcement purposes as required by law or in response to a court order, subpeona, warrant, summons, or similar process; to identify or locatew a suspect, fugitive, material witness, or missing person; about a death resulting from criminal conduct; about crimes on the premises or against a member of our workforce; and in emergency circumstances, to report a crime, the location, victims, or the identity, description, or location of the perpetrator of a crime.
  • We will not use or disclose counseling notes without your written authorization, and only as permitted by law.\

Individuals participating in OutCast Ministries addiction recovery program have the right to:

  • Obtain a paper copy of OutCast Ministries notice of privacy practices upon request.
  • Request a restriction on certain uses and disclosures of their individually provided health information on their application and pre-admission questionnaire.
  • Inspect and obtain a copy of their program application and pre-admission questionnaire by contacting OutCast Ministries at (251) 228-7578.
  • Amend their health information - as provided voluntarily by the individual and/or their close personal friend or fmily member.  We may deny your requiest for certain specific reasons.  If we deny your request, we will provide yhou with a written explanation for the denial and information regarding further rights you may have at that point.

Although the OutCast Ministries is not a federally-assisted substance use disorder program, it is our practice to only disclose patient identifying information with individual's written consent, as part of a court order, or under a few limited exceptions:

  • Internal Communications
  • Medical Emergencies
  • Reports of alleged child abuse or neglect (if required by state law)
  • Reports of a crime on program premises or against program personnel
  • Qualifies audits or evaluations of the program
  • Research
  • Qualified service organization agreement
  • Pursuant to a Part 2-specific court order

Clients of OutCast Ministries have the right to know that violations of federal law and regulations on Confidentiality of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Patient Records is a crime and suspected violations of 42 CFR Part 2 may be rewported to the United States Attorney's Office or Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) (See contact information below) in accordance with Fewderal rewgulations.  See 42 U.S.C. 290dd-3 and 42 U.S.C. 290ee for Federal Laws and 42 CFR part 2 for Federal Regulations.

Untited States Attorney's Office - Southern District of AL.

Sean P. Costello

11 North Water Street, Suite 30100

Mobile, Alabama 36602

(251) 441-5845

Individuals have the right to complain to us if they believe that we have violated their privacy rights.  If they choose to file a complaint, they will not be retaliated against in any way.  Thew individual may call (251) 228-7578 to lodge their complaint.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

Although most changes are likely to by minor, OutCast Ministries may change their Privacy Policy from time to time, and in OutCast Ministries sole discretion.  OutCast Ministries encourages visitors to frequently check this pagew for any changes to its Privacy Policy.  Your continued use of this site aftewr any change in the Privacy Policy will constitute your acceptance of such change.