Acceptance of terms and conditions

The goal of this service provided by York Support Services Network (YSSN) through it’s Community Crisis Response Service, 1-855-310-COPE (2673), (the “Service”) is to help people in crisis. We are here to help you move from a “crisis” state to a “calm” state, and we try to help equip you with tools to move yourself from “crisis” to “calm” if you face a crisis in the future.

Before using or accessing the Service, please read the following. By accessing or using the Service you agree to these Terms of Service (the “Terms of Service”) and the privacy statement (the “Privacy statement” and together with the Terms of Service, these “Terms”) described below. These Terms govern your access and use of the Service. You may contact YSSN about these terms at contact@yssn.ca. If you do not agree to these Terms, you may not use the Service. If you no longer wish to receive messages, you may opt out at any time by texting the word STOP.

Prior to accessing the Service, please ensure that you are in a safe place from which to do so. Texting and driving is illegal in the Province of Ontario and many other jurisdictions, and YSSN encourages Service users to refrain from using the Service while operating a vehicle.

Survey

At the end of your conversation, you may receive a link to take a survey. This is to help us learn from you and improve our service. Some policies surrounding the survey:
1.You can skip questions.
2.Responses are anonymous.
3.If you leave a note for your Crisis Responder, we’ll share it with them! Your note might also be used for marketing and training to show the impact of the Service.

Your participation in this survey is optional and your participation will not impact your ability to access the Service in the future.

Nature and use of information provided through the service

The purpose of the Service is to assist individuals who are in crisis. We are here to help in a professional and clinical matter, but we will not be able to provide you with medical or legal advice. If you believe you are experiencing a medical emergency, immediately call your doctor or 911.

Your interaction with the Service is voluntary, and you can choose to stop communicating with us at any time.

During your communication with the Service, you may disclose personal information to us. This information will be kept confidential, subject to legal limits, and in accordance with our Privacy Notice, which you can find below.

Please note that if you are under age 16, we have a legal obligation to report abuse, neglect, or risk of harm to the appropriate authorities if you disclose this during your interaction with the Service.

Risks, use of service

Neither the Service, nor YSSN are responsible for any of the decisions that you make while, as a result of, or after using the Service. By using the Service, you agree to assume all risk for use of the Service, and understand that YSSN will not have any liability for your actions that result from your use of the service, or from the unavailability of the Service.

The service is provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis. This means that YSSN does not guarantee that the Service will always be available nor that the Service will meet your requirements and expectations at all times. By signing up for the Service, you understand and acknowledge the foregoing.

Prohibited uses

Right to terminate access

You may use the Service only for lawful purposes and in accordance with these Terms. You agree not to use the Service:
•to impersonate or attempt to impersonate another person or entity; or
•to engage in any other conduct that restricts or inhibits anyone’s use or enjoyment of the Services, or which, as determined by us, may harm YSSN or users of the Services or expose them to liability; or
•to threaten, harass, or otherwise inappropriately abuse YSSN, its employees, partners, agents, subcontractors, Crisis responders, or others;
•in any way that violates any applicable federal, provincial, local and international law or regulation;
•for the purpose of exploiting, harming or attempting to exploit or harm minors in any way by exposing them to inappropriate content, asking for personal information or otherwise;
•to send, knowingly receive, upload, download, use or re-use any content which does not comply with these Terms;
•to “spam,” gather or attempt to gather personal information belonging to users or others for the purposes of spamming, marketing, selling to third parties, or otherwise abusing YSSN or its users;
•to copy, adapt, decompile, reverse engineer, attempt to discover the source code of or make derivative works of the Service or any portion of the Service; or
•to otherwise attempt to interfere with the proper working of the Service.

YSSN reserves the right to terminate your access to the Service if you violate these Terms. Abuse of the service and violence or threats of violence will not be tolerated and will lead to service being immediately terminated.

YSSN may unilaterally terminate your access to the Service at any time, at our sole discretion. We are not required to give you notice in advance of the termination of access to the Service.

If you require a different kind of support or require service beyond those that we can reasonably provide to you, we may terminate your service and refer you to a more appropriate service provider.

Governing law

International users

The Service is operated in Canada. If you are located outside Canada, please be aware that any information you provide will be collected in or transferred to Canada. By using the Service and/or providing us with your information, you consent to that collection and transfer.

These Terms of Service and the provision of the Service is governed solely by, and shall be interpreted according to, the laws of the Province of Ontario without giving effect to principles of conflict of law. Any disputes shall be adjudicated under the laws of the Province of Ontario.

Privacy and security

We take your privacy and security very seriously, so we employ reasonable security controls (including encryption) to help protect your information. You agree to use the Service and submit information to YSSN at your own risk, and you agree that YSSN has no liability regarding anyone’s unauthorized access to the Service or the data associated with it.

For further information about how we protect your privacy, please review the privacy statement below.

Severability

Entire agreement

If a court finds any provision of these Terms of Service to be invalid or unenforceable, that provision shall be enforced to the maximum extent possible and the remaining terms shall remain in full force and effect. These Terms constitute the entire agreement between you and YSSN, superseding any other written or oral agreements or understandings.