Privacy Policy

The Furniture Bank of Metro Atlanta receives funding from U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to provide services for homeless and near homeless individuals and their families.  A requirement of this funding is that the Agency participates in the Pathways, which collects basic information about clients receiving services from this Agency.  This requirement was enacted in order to get a more accurate count of individuals and families who are homeless and to identify the need for different services.

We only collect information that we consider to be appropriate. The collection and use of all personal information is guided by strict standards of confidentiality.

THIS NOTICE DESCRIBES HOW INFORMATION ABOUT YOU MAY BE USED AND DISCLOSED AND HOW YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE REVIEW IT CAREFULLY.

How your data will be protected:

As a client, you have certain rights, which protect you and your information:

·          You have the right to ask for your identifying information to be hidden from view from other agencies.  Otherwise, your identifiers will be viewable by other agencies so they can easily locate your record if you go to them for services.

·          You have the right to view a copy of your electronic client file upon request.  The Agency must provide the hardcopy for your review within 3 business days of your request.  As well, you have the right to an explanation of any information that you do not understand.  You also have the right to add a comment to your electronic and/or hardcopy file clarifying, disputing, or amending information in your file.

Your information is also protected by many security measures within the Pathways System

·          With the exception of the basic identifying information mentioned above, we will not share your information with other agencies unless you give us specific written permission to do so. 

·          All users in the system must have a user ID and password to access the system.  There are also extensive technology mechanisms in place to protect your data from unauthorized access.

How your data will be used or disclosed: 

Your client data may be used or disclosed for (1) case management, (2) administrative, (3) billing, and (4) analytical purposes.  Uses involve sharing parts of your information with persons within our agency.  Disclosures involve sharing parts of your information with persons or organizations outside of our agency.

·          Case Management Uses and Disclosures:  We may use or disclose your information for case management purposes associated with providing or coordinating services for you.  Unless you request that your record remain hidden, your personal identifiers will be disclosed to other ECM-HMIS agencies so they can easily locate your record if you go to them for services.  Beyond your identifiers, this agency will only share your information with other agencies with your written consent.

·          Administrative Uses and Disclosures: We may use your information internally to carry out administrative functions, including but not limited to legal, audit, personnel, reporting, oversight and management functions.  Your information will be stored on a central citywide case management database; as such your information could be disclosed for system administration purposes (only) to authorized City employees or contractors who administer the central database.

·          Billing Uses and Disclosures include functions related to payment or reimbursement for services.  An example might include generating aggregate reports for the people and organizations that fund our agency.  Your personal information may be disclosed for billing purposes, if required by the funder.

·          Analytical Uses and Disclosures:  We may use your information for internal analysis.  An example would be analyzing client outcomes to evaluate program effectiveness.  We will disclose your personal identifiers to the central system administrators for uses related to creating de-identified protected personal information.  We may disclose portions of your client information without the personal identifiers for analytical purposes related to analyzing client data, including but not limited to understanding trends in homelessness and needs of persons who are homeless.

In accordance with the Housing and Urban Development Data and Technical Standards Final Notice, your information may also be used or disclosed for such purposes: 1) as required by law; 2) as necessary to avert a serious threat to health or safety; 3) to report victims of abuse or neglect and 4) law enforcement purposes only in response to a lawful court order, court-ordered warrant, subpoena or summons issues by a judicial office or a grand jury subpoena. The Furniture Bank will not use or disclose client information for any other purpose without the individual's written authorization and the individual may revoke such authorization.

Right to File a Complaint

You have the right to file a complaint about the policies contained within this Notice or to file a grievance about any person who you believe is violating this Notice. To file a complaint please contact:

Megan Anderson, Executive Director

The Furniture Bank of Metro Atlanta

538 Permalume Place

Atlanta, GA 30318

404-355-8530 ext. 225

There will be no penalty of any kind for filing a complaint

Revisions to this Notice of Uses and Disclosures

This Notice may be amended at any time and amendments may affect information obtained from you prior to the date of the change. An amendment will be effective to all information previously collected, unless otherwise stated. We will maintain a record of all amendments to this Notice, and can provide it upon request.

The Furniture Bank staff is required by law to maintain the privacy of your private personal information.  We must provide you with a copy of this notice and get your written acknowledgement of its receipt.  We must follow the terms of this notice that are currently in effect.

We reserve the right to change this Notice at any time.  This Notice is not a legal contract.  If this notice is changed, a copy of the revised notice will be available upon request or posted at our location or on our website.  We may change our practices and those changes may apply to medical information we already have about you as well as any new information we receive in the future.

For further information or if you have any questions please contact the Furniture Bank at 404-355-8530 ext. 225.