Policies & Disclaimers

Rock Island County Government is committed to providing access to our web pages for individuals with disabilities. We recognize the importance of making our website available to the largest possible audience and our goal is to attempt to design the website to be accessible by everyone. To meet this commitment, our goal is to attempt to voluntarily comply with requirements of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1998, and Level 1.0 Accessibility Guidelines proposed by World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).

Rock Island County is in the process of redesigning its website. As each major section of the website is redesigned, it will be reviewed for accessibility compliance. It is our goal to follow the recommended guidelines based on the W3C Content Accessibility Priority One Guidelines and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act.

If a page does not comply with the above guidelines, a link will be provided to an alternative compliant page when possible. The alternative page will be accessible, will have equivalent information (or functionality) and will be updated as often as the inaccessible (original) page. Some applications that Rock Island County offers on its website are visual in nature and can not be presented in equivalent text pages. Mapping and GIS applications are examples. If you have questions or difficulty accessing a certain page on our website, please email the Rock Island County Webmaster.

Free Screen Reader

To assist those individuals with a visual handicap, a free screen reader called WebAnywhere is available on the internet. WebAnywhere is a web-based screen reader for the web. It requires no special software to be installed and enables the blind or visually impaired to access the web from any computer they have access to that has a sound card.

Text Relay

Free calls for people with hearing loss or speech disabilities. Purple Communications' (formerly GoAmerica) online relay service is an easy way for people who have hearing loss or speech disabilities to make a call and never miss a word. Relay is a free, government-regulated service designed to make it easy for people with hearing loss or speech disabilities to place phone calls.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Coordinators

ADA Coordinator for Rock Island County:
Erin Hughes
Human Resources Department
Americans with Disability Act Coordinator
1504 3rd Avenue
Rock Island, Il 61201
Phone: 309-558-3606
Email Erin Hughes

View the Rock Island County Grievance Procedure and Americans with Disabilities Act of 1991 (PDF).

ADA Coordinator for the Rock Island County Courts:
Victoria Bluedorn
ADA Coordinator for the Rock Island County Courts included in the 14th Judicial Circuit
Phone: 309-558-3289
Email Victoria Bluedorn

Spam

Rock Island County does not approve of spam, also known as unsolicited commercial email (UCE). Rock Island County does not send spam and it does not act as a relay point for spam from other mail servers. To report spam problems related to Rock Island County, email the Rock Island County Network Administrator. Please attach the email in question in order to preserve all headers from the original message and send the message from an email account with a valid reply address.

Use of Email Addresses

On certain pages on its website, Rock Island County requests an email address. These email addresses will be used for the requested purpose only.

Mailing Lists

If email addresses are requested for the purpose of being added to a mailing list, Rock Island County will follow these guidelines:

• Each request for an email address will explain the reason the email address is needed and of the email what subscribers will receive and when messages will be sent.
• All new subscription requests will be verified either by sending an email message to the subscriber who must reply or by visiting a webpage to complete the subscription.
• Subscribers can request removal from a mailing list by sending an email to a specific address.
• A contact telephone number will be provided for each mailing list.
• If an email cannot be delivered to an address, the address will be removed from the mailing list.
• Rock Island County will not use a mailing list for any purpose other than what was originally intended.
• Rock Island County does not sell or redistribute mailing lists that it collects to any third party.
• Rock Island County will not add an email address to another mailing list other than the one requested.

Linking to Rock Island County's Website

You may link to any web page on Rock Island County's website without permission. We recommend that you confine these links to Rock Island County's homepage or to the homepages of individual departments. If you are going to link to other web pages within Rock Island County's website, you do so at your own risk. These pages may be removed or changed without notice. Pages on Rock Island County's website that contain time-sensitive content may be removed from the site when that information is no longer valid.

Use of Rock Island County Logos

If you wish to use Rock Island County's logos on your webpage, please email the Webmaster for further information. Written permission must be obtained to use Rock Island County logos.

Links to Other Websites

Rock Island County provides links to:

• Other government agencies
• Special purpose districts
• Educational institutions (public and private)
• Libraries
• Museums
• Hospitals
• Police and fire departments
• Newspapers that serve Rock Island County

Some links are provided to commercial websites that:

• Provide useful information related to Rock Island County
• Provide useful information or resources deemed of value to Rock Island County citizens
• Provide additional information related to services offered by Rock Island County departments and agencies
• Participate in economic development partnerships with Rock Island County
• Are important to Rock Island County's economic development

The above links would be excluded under any of the following circumstances:

• The site promotes or contains offensive or illicit materials or information.
• The site promotes or contains discriminatory materials or information.
• It is determined by the Web Administrator that the contents are unsuitable or non-representative of Rock Island County and/or its image.

Rock Island County reserves the right to reject or remove links to any website if the site's content is inappropriate.

Disclaimer

Links to other websites are provided for convenience and information only. Rock Island County assumes no responsibility for their content and does not endorse these websites or their organizations. Rock Island County reserves the right to remove links to other websites at any time and without notice. Please read the Terms of Use statement for additional information.

Disclaimer of Endorsement

Rock Island County is a distributor of content sometimes supplied by third parties and users. Any opinions, advice, statements, services, offers, or other information or content expressed or made available by third parties, including information providers, users, or others, are those of the respective author(s) or distributor(s) and do not necessarily state or reflect those of Rock Island County and shall not be used for advertising or product endorsement purposes. Reference herein to any specific commercial products, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by Rock Island County.

Rock Island County is committed to protecting individual privacy. Rock Island County provides this policy to explain what information is collected from you and how it is used. To make this policy easy to find, it is available from a link on the homepage and most of the other pages on the website.

This privacy policy only applies to Rock Island County's website. If you leave Rock Island County's website by clicking on a link, you are then subject to the privacy policy of that website which is not reviewed, approved or verified by Rock Island County.

Statistical Information Collected When You Visit Our Website

When you visit our website, Rock Island County collects and stores statistical information about your visit. We use the statistical information to help improve the design of our website and to determine what pages are accessed and how web pages are being accessed.

Information You Provide to Us

Some applications on our website allow you to enter information on forms so that we can provide you with a customized response. In this case, the information you supply is not recorded or tracked. Examples include forms that request search keywords in order to find specific information or forms where you enter your address or pin number to receive customized information.

Other applications on our website ask for personal information so that we may respond to your request. This information may be stored in a database that will be accessed by authorized personnel in order to fulfill your request. Examples of personal information collected include:

• Your name
• Address
• Phone Number
• Email Address

Use of Collected Information

Information collected from you will be used for the purpose that was defined when you made the request. The information may be given to another government agency in order to respond to your request. We do not share the information collected from you with other outside parties unless the information is subject to disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act or by court order or subpoena or it is deemed necessary to release it to an authorized law enforcement agency.

We do not create personal profiles containing information about the requests you make on our website.

We use email addresses to answer the email we receive. The addresses are not used for any other purpose and are not shared with outside parties.

How to Contact Us

If you have questions or concerns regarding this privacy policy, email the Rock Island County Web Administrator.

Access to the Rock Island County website is provided subject to the following terms and conditions. Please read these terms carefully as use of these sites constitutes acceptance of all of the following terms and conditions:

Disclaimer of Liability

Neither Rock Island County Government nor any of its Board members, officers, agents or employees shall be held liable for any improper or incorrect use of the information described and/or contained herein and assumes no responsibility for anyone's use of the information. In no event shall the Rock Island County website or its Board members, officers, agents or employees be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, exemplary, or consequential damages (including, but not limited to, procurement or substitute goods or services; loss of use, data, or profits; or business interruption) however caused and on any theory of liability, whether in contract, strict liability, or tort (including negligence or otherwise) arising in any way out of the use of this system, even if advised of the possibility of such damage. This disclaimer of liability applies to any damages or injury, including but not limited to those caused by any failure of performance, error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operation or transmission, computer virus, communication line failure, theft or destruction or unauthorized access to, alteration of, or use of record, whether for breach of contract, torturous behavior, negligence or under any other cause of action.

Disclaimer of Warranties & Accuracy of Data

Although the data found using the Rock Island County access systems have been produced and processed from sources believed to be reliable, no warranty, expressed or implied, is made regarding accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of any information. This disclaimer applies to both isolated and aggregate uses of the information. Rock Island County provides this information on an "as is" basis. All warranties of any kind, express or implied, including but not limited to the implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, freedom from contamination by computer viruses and non-infringement of proprietary rights are disclaimed. Changes may be periodically made to the information herein; these changes may or may not be incorporated in any new version of the publication. If an individual has obtained information from any of Rock Island County's web pages from a source other than the Rock Island County pages, that individual should be aware that electronic data can be altered subsequent to original distribution. Data can also quickly become out of date. It is recommended that careful attention be paid to the contents of any data associated with a file, and that the originator of the data or information be contacted with any questions regarding appropriate use. If an individual finds any errors or omissions, Rock Island County encourages the reporting of them via email to the Web Administrator.

Disclaimer of Duty to Continue Provision of Data

Due to the dynamic nature of the Internet, resources that are free and publicly available one day may require a fee or restricted access the next, and the location of items may change as menus, home pages, and files are reorganized. The user expressly agrees that use of Rock Island County's website is at the user's sole risk. Rock Island County does not warrant that the service will be uninterrupted or error-free. The documents and related graphics published on this server could contain technical inaccuracies or typographical errors. Changes are periodically added to the information herein. The Rock Island County and/or its respective agencies and programs may make improvements and/or changes in the information and/or programs described herein at any time.

Website Security Policy

We attempt to ensure that the Rock Island County website remains available to all users by employing software programs to monitor network traffic to identify unauthorized attempts to upload or change information, or otherwise cause damage.

Abbreviations Used:

• HD - Health Department
• PHI - Protected Health Information

Joint Notice of Privacy Practices, Rock Island County Health Department

This notice describes how medical information about you may be used and disclosed and how you can get access to this information. Please review it carefully.

The Rock Island County HD works with other practitioners in delivering services to you. The practitioners include doctors, laboratories, and hospitals who are not part of the HD's workforce. All of these practitioners will follow this Joint Notice of Privacy Practices in delivering service to you. These practitioners include: Medical Arts, Ltd., Trinity Medical Center, Freed Medical Limited, Western Illinois Billing Service Group, AnMed Billing Group, Metropolitan Medical Laboratories, Cytology Associates, Path Net, Illinois Department of Public Health/Division of Laboratories, Illinois Department of Public Health, and the Illinois Department of Human Services.

The HD and the practitioners involved in your care create a medical record of your health information in order to treat you, receive payment for services delivered, and to comply with certain policies and laws. The uses and disclosures described in this Notice are applicable to the HD and all of the practitioners (collectively "we") who are part of this Joint Notice of Privacy Practices while they are delivering services at a HD facility or on behalf of the HD. This Joint Notice does not apply to service providers who are not part of the HD when they deliver services elsewhere or only on their own behalf.

We are required by Federal and State law to maintain the privacy of your PHI. We are also required by law to provide you with this Notice of our legal duties and privacy practices. In addition, the law requires us to ask you to sign an Acknowledgment that you received this Notice.

This is a list of some of the types of uses and disclosures of PHI that may occur:

• Treatment: We obtain medical information about you in treating you. This medical information is called "protected health information" or "PHI". Your PHI is used by us to treat you. For example, we refer to PHI in treating you at the HD. We may also send your PHI to another physician or counselor to which we refer you for treatment. We may also use your PHI to contact you to tell you about alternative treatments, or other health-related benefits we offer. If you have a friend or family member involved in your care, we may give them PHI about you.
• Payment: We use your PHI to obtain payment for the services that we render. For example, we send PHI to Medicaid, Medicare, or your insurance plan to obtain payment for our services.
• Health Care Operations: We use your PHI for our operations. For example, we may use your PHI in determining whether we are giving adequate treatment to our clients. From time to time, we may use your PHI to contact you to remind you of an appointment.
• Legal Requirements: We may use and disclose your PHI as required or authorized by law. For example, we may use or disclose your PHI for the following reasons:
• Public Health: We may use and disclose your health care information to prevent or control disease, injury or disability, to report births and deaths, to report reactions to medicines or medical devices, to notify a person who may have been exposed to a disease, or to report suspected cases of abuse, neglect or domestic violence.
• Health Oversight Activities: We may use and disclose your PHI to State agencies and Federal government authorities when required to do so. We may use and disclose your health information in order to determine your eligibility for public benefit programs and to coordinate delivery of those programs. For example, we must give PHI to the Secretary of Health and Human Services in an investigation into our compliance with the federal privacy rule.
• Judicial and Administrative proceedings: We may use and disclose your PHI in judicial and administrative proceedings. Efforts may be made to contact you prior to a disclosure of your PHI by the party seeking the information.
• Law Enforcement: We may use and disclose your PHI in order to comply with requests pursuant to a court order, warrant, subpoena, summons, or similar process. We may use and disclose PHI to locate someone who is missing, to identify a crime victim, to report a death, to report criminal activity at our offices, or in an emergency.
• Avert a Serious Threat to Health or Safety: We may use or disclose your PHI to stop you or someone else from getting hurt.
• Work-Related Injuries: We may use or disclose PHI to an employer if the employer is conducting medical workplace surveillance or to evaluate work-related injuries.
• Coroners, Medical Examiners, and Funeral Directors: We may use or disclose PHI to a coroner or medical examiner in some situations. For example, PHI may be needed to identify a deceased person or determine a cause of death. Funeral directors may need PHI to carry out their duties.
• Armed Forces: We may use or disclose the PHI of Armed Forces personnel to the military for proper execution of a military mission. We may also use and disclose PHI to the Department of Veterans Affairs to determine eligibility for benefits.
• National Security and Intelligence: We may use or disclose PHI to maintain the safety of the President or other protected officials. We may use or disclose PHI for the conduct of national intelligence activities.
• Correctional institutions and custodial situations: We may use or disclose PHI to correctional institutions or law enforcement custodians for the safety of individuals at the correctional institution, those that are responsible for transporting inmates, and others.
• Research: You will need to sign an Authorization form before we use or disclosure PHI for research purposes except in limited situations. For example, if you want to participate in research or a clinical study, an Authorization form must be signed.
• Fundraising: If we undertake any fundraising activities, we may contact you about the fundraising activity. We do not engage in marketing activities, and need your authorization to do so.
• Illinois law: Illinois law also has certain requirements that govern the use or disclosure of your PHI. In order for us to release information about mental health treatment, genetic information, your AIDS/HIV status, and alcohol or drug abuse treatment, you will be required to sign an authorization form unless state law allows us to make the specific type of use or disclosure without your authorization.
• Your Rights: You have certain rights under federal privacy laws relating to your PHI. Some of these rights are described below:
• Restrictions: You have a right to request restrictions on how your PHI is used for purposes of treatment, payment and health care operations. We are not required to agree to your request.
• Communications: You have a right to receive confidential communications about your PHI. For example, you may request that we only call you at home. If your request is reasonable, we will accommodate it.
• Inspect and Access: You have a right to inspect information used to make decisions about your care. This information includes billing and medical record information. You may not inspect your record in some cases. If your request to inspect your record is denied, we will send you a letter letting you know why and explaining your options.
  You may copy your PHI in most situations. If you request a copy of your PHI, we may charge you a fee for making the copies and mailing them to you, if you ask us to mail them.
• Amendments of your Records: If you believe there is an error in your PHI, you have a right to request that we amend your PHI. We are not required to agree with your request to amend.
• Accounting of Disclosures: You have a right to receive an accounting of disclosures that we have made of your PHI for purposes other than treatment, payment, and health care operations, or release made pursuant to your authorization.
• Copy of Notice: You have a right to obtain a paper copy of this Notice, even if you originally received the Notice electronically. We have also posted this Notice at the HD offices.
• Complaints: If you feel that your privacy rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with the HD by calling our Privacy Officer at 309-794-7090. We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint. You may also file a complaint with the Secretary of Health and Human Services in Washington, DC if you feel your privacy rights have been violated.

We maintain a facility directory so that if family or friends ask us about your condition, we can tell them general information and the fact that you are here. If you do not want us to tell anyone you are here, please tell us now.

We are required to abide by the terms of the Notice currently in effect; however, we may change this Notice. If we materially change this Notice, you can get a revised Notice on our website or by stopping by our office to pick up a copy. Changes to the Notice are applicable to the health information we already have.

If we seek help from individuals or entities who are not part of this Notice in our treatment, payment, or healthcare operations activities, we will require those persons to follow this Notice unless they are already required by law to follow the federal privacy rule.

Effective Date: April 14, 2009