Automatically Collected and Stored Information
If you do nothing during your visit but log onto the website, we will gather and store certain information about your visit automatically. This information does not identify you personally. We automatically collect and store information, similar to the following, concerning your visit:
- The Internet domain (for example, “xcompany.com” if you use a private Internet access account or “yourschool.edu” if you connect from a university’s domain);
- The type of browser and operating system used to access our site;
- The date and time you accessed our site; and
- If you linked to our Web site from another Web site, the address of that Web site.
We use this information to help us make our site more useful to visitors, to learn about the number of visitors to our site, and the types of technology our visitors use. We do not automatically track or record personally-identifiable information about our visitors.
Voluntarily Provided Information by the Caller
We do not collect personally identifiable information unless you voluntarily provide it to us. If you provide your telephone number in order for contact by the VHA Suicide Hotline staff, this information will be stored by the hotline.
Privacy and Security
We take your privacy and security very seriously. Security controls, including encryption and authentication, are in place to ensure the protection of your information. Any information provided by you or collected on you will only be shared or disclosed in accordance with applicable Federal laws and regulations. Contractors may act on behalf of VA in administering the Veterans Chat. Any contractor used will be subject to the same legal requirements and responsbilities for protecting the privacy and security of your information as VA.
Interaction with Children
No personally identifiable information is collected from child visitors unless voluntarily submitted as a request for information or services. The information supplied is used to respond to the user’s inquiries or to provide services requested by the user.
Accessibility
The Veterans Chat is committed to making its website accessible to all its vistors and staff in accordance with provisions of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1998.
AGREEMENT:
By entering this site, you expressly acknowledge and agree that Veterans Chat is not responsible for any personal information which you may enter over the Internet during transmission. Despite our efforts to protect your information some level of risk when communicating over the Internet is always present.
Because your participation in Veterans Chat is not medical care or treatment by VA, VA is not responsible for any decisions or results of the decisions that you make while, as a result of, or after participating in Veterans Chat. This includes whether you choose to seek or not seek professional medical or psychiatric care, or to modify or terminate specific treatment that you currently are receiving based on the information provided by this service. You also expressly acknowledge that if the mental health clinician concludes that you may harm yourself, the clinician will request your telephone number so that the VHA Suicide Hotline can attempt to provide you with additional counseling or assistance. As a visitor, you may refuse to provide your telephone number to the clinician and VA will not be able to attempt to contact you to offer you additional counseling or assistance.