Online Privacy Policy

Thank you for visiting the Maryland Department of Disabilities (MDOD) website and reviewing our privacy policy. Our privacy policy is straightforward: we collect no personally-identifiable information about you when you visit our website unless you choose to provide information that will help us assist you.

How do we handle information about your visit to our website?

No Information is Permanently Collected and Stored Automatically

If you just browse through the website, read pages, or download information, no information will be collected from you (or your computer).

When you browse these websites, read pages, or download information, certain information about your visit is automatically gathered and stored. This information does not identify you personally, and includes the following:

• The internet domain (example: aol.com) and the IP address (the number automatically assigned to your computer when surfing the Web) from which you access our portal;
• The type of browser and operating system used to access our site (e.g. Internet Explorer);
• The date and time you access our site;
• The pages you visit;
• The duration of your visit to each page;
• The duration of your visit to our domain;
• The search words used to find our site;
• The search words used to find content within our site; and
• The IP address from which you linked to our website.
  

This information is used to make these websites more useful to visitors, to learn about the number of visitors to our site, and the types of technology our visitors use. We use this information to determine whether to update our website or if our website is not formatted properly for the majority of visitors using the information on our site.

These websites also use "temporary cookies" to track user navigation in order to make visiting the various MDOD websites more useful. A temporary cookie is erased when the user (you) closes the Web browser. The "temporary cookie", also called a session cookie, is stored in temporary memory in the form of a text file on your computer, and is erased after the browser session is ended.

We do not track or record identifying information about individuals and their visits.

Our site software will also count the number of visitors or “hits” to our site. It does not record any information about you to do this.

What if you provide us you with your Personal Information?

At MDOD, we do not collect personal information from your visit to our websites for any purpose other than to respond to you. If you choose to provide us with personal information -- as in an e-mail, or by filling out the “Contact Us” form, or by enrolling in a program using an on-line form and submitting it to us through our website -- we use that information to respond to your inquiry and to help us get you the information you have requested. If you choose not to provide the information called for in one of the blanks on the forms on our site, it may limit our ability to provide you with a comprehensive response via e-mail.  But you can always call us or send us a letter using US Mail.

The information you provide in that way is also entered into a demographic database that we use internally to help us measure things like, “which jurisdiction or age group is submitting the most requests about a particular topic or program?” We do not develop mailing lists or voluntarily provide this information to any private organizations. We only share the information you give us with another government agency if your inquiry relates to that agency, or as otherwise required by law. Please see below about our obligations to disclose certain documents.

E-Mails Sent to Us

E-mail sent to and from MDOD is not encrypted, so you should not send messages containing highly sensitive information by e-mail.  Other people – not MDOD or State employees – may be able to intercept your e-mail to us and steal your personal information.  This is not likely but it is possible.

If you need to submit such information, contact us by telephone or U.S. mail. If you send us e-mail, we use the information you send us to respond to your inquiry, just as we do with written correspondence. E-mail correspondence to the office, like mailed correspondence, may become a public record. As a public record, your correspondence could be disclosed to other parties upon their request, in accordance with Maryland's public records law.

Forms Submitted Via the Websites

The Constituent Services Program and the Attendant Care Program each have websites that are part of the Maryland Department of Disabilities group of websites.  These programs have on-line forms accessible from these websites that you may fill out to ask questions about, get information about, or enroll in the programs.  When you submit the forms on-line, the information is not encrypted so you should be careful about including highly sensitive personal information.  You are able to print-out and mail each form to us at the address on each page.  Mailing the form may slightly delay our response to you.

We treat emails and forms the same way we treat other documents. We are required to maintain many documents and some are subject to release under Maryland's Public Information Act. However, typically we are not required to release information that identifies an individual, or can be used to identify an individual, who applies for, receives, or participates in a service administered by us.

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When We Disclose Documents and Information 

It is the policy of the MDOD to preserve the privacy of personal records and to protect confidential or privileged information. Such information will be disclosed publicly only as required by the Public Information Act or as necessary and permissible to carry out the duties of the MDOD.

When the MDOD collects personal information - that is, information that identifies an individual with an address, identification number, telephone number, photograph, or medical information - it is our general policy, pursuant to State law, to collect that information from the person to whom the information relates. If we collect such information from you, you generally have a right to know: the purpose for which we are collecting that information; the consequences if you refuse to provide that information; your right to inspect, amend, or correct that information; whether that information is available to the public; and whether that information is shared with other entities.

If we administer a program with another State agency, if you ask us a question about another State agency, or if you ask us for help working with another State agency, we will share the information that you give us with that agency.  Also, if we have an obligation to disclose the information or documents by law, we must follow the law and provide the information or documents.

What about Children who visit these websites?

We have no way of distinguishing the age of individuals who access our Website, and so we carry out the same Privacy Policy for individuals of all ages. If a child has provided us with personally-identifying information without parental or guardian consent, the parent or guardian should contact us.

Links to Other Sites

Our Website has links to many other useful and informative sites. Once you link to another site, you are subject to the privacy policy of the new site.These hypertext links or pointers to information and resources are not endorsed nor favored over any other resource or entity listed on our site and are created and maintained by other public and private organizations. These links and pointers are provided for the user's convenience. The Maryland Department of Disabilities does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of this outside information. Further, the inclusion of links or pointers to particular items in hypertext is not intended to reflect their importance, nor is it intended to endorse any views expressed, or products or services offered, on these outside sites, or the organizations sponsoring the sites. Please report any broken, outdated or incorrect links to our webmaster.

Changes to Our Policy

Changes to our websites may require changes to our privacy statement. Notification will be posted on the Maryland Department of Disabilities website at the Privacy Policy link at least 14 days before the new policy becomes effective. The information contained in this Privacy Statement applies only to the Maryland Department of Disabilities website accessible from that central site.  This policy does not apply to any linked sites operated by other agencies or organizations or to all websites maintained by Maryland State agencies. You should review the individual privacy statements at any linked site that you visit.

Your Consent

By using our Website, you consent to the collection and use of this information in the manner we describe.

If you have any questions about these privacy policies, please e-mail them to the webmaster. 

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