Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Hope & Cope is committed to protecting your personal information and your right to privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your data when you use our AI-powered mental wellness platform.

This policy is in compliance with Republic Act No. 10173 (Data Privacy Act of 2012) and supports the objectives of Republic Act No. 11036 (Philippine Mental Health Act).

2. Information We Collect

We collect the following types of information:

• Personal Information: Full name, email address, date of birth, organization, and group/section
• Assessment Data: Responses to mental health screening tools (DASS-21, PHQ-9), scores, severity levels, and AI-generated insights
• Usage Data: Login timestamps, assessment completion dates, and session activity
• Account Data: Encrypted password, role, and consent records

3. How We Use Your Information

Your information is used to:

• Provide mental health screening and wellness assessments
• Generate AI-powered insights to support clinical decision-making by authorized professionals
• Enable authorized guidance counselors, psychologists, and psychiatrists to review assessment results and provide support
• Track your wellness journey over time
• Produce aggregate, anonymized reports for institutional planning

4. Who Can Access Your Data

Access is controlled by a strict role-based system:

• You (Student/Client): Full access to your own assessment results and history
• Guidance Counselor: Can view assessment results for students in their assigned groups
• Psychologist/Psychiatrist: Can view results for cases specifically assigned to them
• Organization Admin: Can manage users and tokens but cannot access individual clinical data
• Platform Administrator: Technical access for system maintenance only

5. Data Storage & Security

Your data is stored securely using industry-standard practices:

• Data is hosted on Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud infrastructure in the Asia-Pacific region
• All data transmission is encrypted using HTTPS/TLS
• Passwords are hashed and never stored in plain text
• Database access is restricted to authorized systems only
• Regular security reviews are conducted to maintain data integrity

6. Data Retention

Your assessment data is retained for the duration of your enrollment or employment with your organization. Upon graduation, transfer, or separation, your account is marked accordingly but historical records are preserved for continuity of care and institutional reporting purposes.

You may request deletion of your personal data by contacting your organization's administrator or our support team.

7. Your Rights

Under the Data Privacy Act of 2012 (RA 10173), you have the right to:

• Access: Request a copy of your personal data
• Correction: Request corrections to inaccurate personal data
• Erasure: Request deletion of your personal data, subject to legal and institutional requirements
• Object: Object to the processing of your personal data in certain circumstances
• Portability: Request transfer of your data in a structured, commonly used format

8. Consent

By creating an account and using Hope & Cope, you consent to the collection and processing of your personal and assessment data as described in this policy. You may withdraw your consent at any time by contacting your organization's administrator.

For users under 18 years of age, parental or guardian consent is required prior to account creation and participation in mental health screening.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Users will be notified of significant changes through the platform. Continued use of the platform after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

10. Contact Us

For questions, concerns, or requests regarding your personal data and privacy: