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Agency Policies and Client’s Rights 

As a client of the Domestic Abuse Sexual Assault Crisis Center (DASACC), you have the following rights regarding the confidentiality of your personal information and communications with DASACC staff and volunteers:

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• The information that you provide to DASACC will be kept confidential to the greatest extent allowed by law.

• You may choose what information you want to provide to DASACC. You will not be denied access to services if you choose to not provide certain identifying information.

• The information that you provide to DASACC, including your name, address, phone number, and other personal information will not be shared with other individuals or agencies outside of DASACC without your permission. 

• Records are kept in a secure location and are only accessible to staff. Your caseworker/counselor may discuss your case with staff in different departments in an effort to determine how to best support you.  At no time are your records shared with other outside agencies. No information is released without written consent from you.  

• Some general information about the types of services provided and overall demographics (e.g., age and income ranges, average number of children, ethnicities) of people that utilize DASACC’s services must be shared with the agencies and grants that fund DASACC. However, information that specifically could identify you as someone who used DASACC’s services will never be shared unless specifically authorized in writing by you. 

• After your intake with DASACC, you may choose to be referred to other agencies for additional help and support. DASACC will help assist you in accessing needed services. 

• You can decide how much or how little of your personal information DASACC will or will not share with each agency. If you choose to have DASACC share some of your personal information with an agency, you will be told exactly how and what information will be shared and will be asked to sign DASACC’s Release of Information. DASACC staff will also discuss how the disclosure may affect the advocate/client privilege. If you later decide that you don’t want the information you have provided to be shared with any of the agencies, inform DASACC staff and all communication will immediately cease. 

• All services provided by DASACC are free and voluntary. As a client of DASACC, you may end services at any time.

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Counselor’s Disclosure and Client’s Rights

1. All of DASACC’s ‘counselors’ have acquired a Masters level education and are either licensed by the state of NJ or are working toward licensure. Skill sets vary between counselors, some are trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and/or Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT).  Counselors will only use methodologies they are trained in when working with you and your children. A separate informed consent agreement is required for either of these two modalities.

2. If outside-of-agency-supervision is used to support a counselor’s licensure and/or work in specific modalities, no identifying information about you or your family will be shared at any time with non-staff supervisors/consultants, unless for some reason you have explicitly requested your information be shared, and have signed a Release of Information (ROI) authorizing the counselor to do so.

Child Safety Policy

DASACC is committed to the safety and well-being of all children and youth accessing services. 
To ensure the safety of children, DASACC has developed the following guidelines:

1. No child can be left alone at the agency under the age of 16. Parents/guardians or a pre-approved caregiver must be present in the building when a child is in counseling.  

2. Children under the age of 7 must be supervised while the parent/guardian is receiving counseling.

3. Children age 7 and older do not need direct supervision and may wait in the waiting room. Staff will not be behind closed doors with a child unless it is for counseling or childcare. The parent/guardian must give permission prior to the start of either service. 

4. Staff will not change diapers/clothing or take a child to the bathroom.

5. DASACC has a no touching policy but understands that when working with younger children they may need to be soothed by touching or sitting on a lap.  Staff has been trained on appropriate touching.

Appointments and Cancellations

Services are free to those affected by domestic violence and/or sexual violence. Your appointment time is reserved specifically for you so please try to arrive on time.  Typically, a counseling session will last 45 to 50 minutes and will be scheduled on a weekly or bi-weekly basis.  If you cannot make your appointment, please call DASACC’s hotline (908-453-4181) at least 24 hours in advance.  If you do not show or cancel three consecutive appointments, your appointment time with the counselor you have been matched will not be held. In order to resume services, you will need to arrange for a new intake at which point you can discuss your desire to begin counseling again, potentially at a new time with a new counselor, depending upon availability.

Phone Calls Between Sessions

Please call DASACC’s hotline (908-453-4181) if you need to cancel or reschedule an appointment, need additional services, or are in danger. If you are experiencing an emergency, please call 911. 

Professional Boundaries

In order to do no harm, it is essential for all staff to maintain appropriate boundaries with clients. Touching between the counselor and the client is not appropriate in most situations and is not endorsed by the agency.

Electronic Communication

As part of practicing confidentiality under the Violence Against Women Act, DASACC will limit the use of technology (e.g. email, text messages, etc.) for services, because electronic communication poses potential risks and safety concerns. 

As part of DASACC’s commitment to safeguard client information, staff will generally not communicate with you via written electronic means (e.g. email, text message, etc.) as it is not a secure way to communicate. The exception to this policy during COVID-19, is that when signing intake paperwork and ‘Releases of Information’ (ROIs) is not logistically possible in person, we will collect client signatures via email using our administrative email address (dasacc_admin@dasacc.org) in order to complete the necessary paperwork.

Specifically regarding emergencies, please remember that staff phone numbers and emails are not monitored 24/7 and therefore are not appropriate to report emergency information or concerns for safety. Please call 911 or the hotline (908-453-4181) to speak with an advocate directly if you need immediate support.

Remote Services

As a response to the COVID-19 Pandemic, DASACC is currently offering remote services. If you choose to have services via phone or a secure video platform, a staff member will safety plan with you around remote services including increasing the security utilized on your device. There are inherent risks to using technology for communication, so please be aware that confidentiality could potentially be breached by internet service providers or those who have access to your account or device. Confidential services are between you and staff, and services do not allow for additional people to be present in the room with you. DASACC operates out of the State of New Jersey and is governed by the laws of the state. Please inform staff if you are outside of the State of New Jersey during your session, as it is illegal and unethical for staff to provide services outside of the state that they are licensed in.  

Questions and/or Concerns

If you have any questions or concerns about this notice or your rights, or if you have concerns about the quality of your care or that your confidential information was released without consent, please contact Jill Zinckgraf, Executive Director, at 908-453-4121, ext. 311. ​