Site Policy

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The Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities maintains this website as a public service and complies with the Texas.gov policies.

Privacy Statement

Information and comments collected from web forms are subject to public disclosure under the Public Information Act (PIA), for more information, see the Texas Public Information Act Handbook on the Texas Attorney General’s Open Government Publications webpage. Non-governmental e-mail addresses are not subject to disclosure unless the affected member of the public affirmatively consents to the disclosure of his or her e-mail address. An individual entitled, upon request, to the following: Know if information has been collected about that individual; The receipt and review of the information collected under the Texas Public Information Act (Texas Government Code, Sections 552.021 and 552.023); and The correction of inaccurate information under Texas Government Code, Section 559.004. All of the above are subject to any applicable exceptions.  

Right to Privacy

Confidentiality of Information Position Statement

The Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities recognizes that people with disabilities have the same right to privacy as any other. Privacy refers to both the protection of one’s personal life from intrusions by others and protection of information about oneself. The Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution provides “the right of people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures.” With respect to protection of personal information, confidentiality has historically been a cornerstone in providing medical care and related human services to people.

In an age of rapidly evolving communication technologies, the Council recognizes the positive role electronic media plays in the compilation and exchange of information. Government agencies, businesses, and non-profits can quickly exchange information and gather and analyze massive amounts of data. This helps in streamlining business, reducing costs, and ensuring appropriate services for people. However, this increased capacity for data collection can also be used intentionally or unintentionally to the detriment of the people served by government agencies. The Council supports the following basic principles for all information and data collection systems:

  • Individuals, government entities, nonprofit organizations, and businesses have a shared responsibility for the secure use and protection of personal identifying information.
  • Prior to the collection and disclosure of personal identifying information, each individual must consent and receive a copy of the consent to disclosure of the:
    • Specifics of personal identifying information to be collected and/or disclosed;
    • Dates of the time-limited period during which the consent is valid;
    • Name, address, and phone number of both the entity which is collecting the information and the entity to which the information will be disclosed;
    • Purpose for which the information is to be collected and/or disclosed;
    • Individual’s legal rights to privacy and confidentiality of personal identifying information;
    • Administrative procedures to follow to review personal information;
    • Process to remove, correct or add information that has been entered in a data collection system;
    • Way to file a complaint and claim damages in the case of improper use and/or disclosure of personal information; and
    • Degree and nature of any risk that personal identifying information may be collected by other entities through the electronic transmission processes.
  • Those who obtain, possess or retain personal identifying information of others must ensure it is not shared with, obtained by, or collected by unauthorized parties through the process of electronic data transmission.
  • Personal identifying information should only be disclosed with the consent of the individual. Personal identifying information includes:
    • Name, home address, phone number, or email address;
    • Photograph, audio and/or video recording, fingerprints, or biologically specific markers, including DNA;
    • Social security number, driver’s license number, passport number, or other government-issued identification;
    • Date of birth
    • Religious, political or organizational affiliations;
    • Employment, educational, medical, psychiatric, psychological, and financial status or details;
    • Legal status or history; and
    • Gender and marital status.

Right to Privacy Statement was Council approved November 4, 2016.

Linking Policy

Linking to the TCDD website
Unless otherwise noted, content of the TCDD site is considered “public domain.” TCDD has no restrictions on copying information from or linking to this site as long as a fee is not charged to access TCDD material. However, TCDD would appreciate acknowledgment on any other site of TCDD items used and to link to TCDD in the proper context. TCDD encourages organizations that link to the TCDD website to comply with the requirements of the official website of the State of Texas, Texas.gov, policies, especially regarding the Accessibility Policy and Privacy and Security Policy.

Reciprocal Links
The TCDD website does not enter into reciprocal link agreements and does not dedicate a webpage to featuring external links and resources.

Links from the TCDD Website
Any links outside the TCDD website are provided as a public service and for informational purposes only. No official endorsement should be inferred by those links. TCDD reserves the right to link to external websites that it feels would provide a service or otherwise be of value to constituents. TCDD will link to websites only if those sites are aligned with TCDD’s purpose, mission and goals. This includes the following:

  • Websites operated by federal government agencies or institutions.
  • Websites operated by other State of Texas agencies or institutions.
  • Websites operated by other U.S. state agencies or institutions.
  • Websites operated by organizations that have received TCDD funding.
  • Websites operated by charitable, educational or non profit organizations.

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