Privacy Policy

Last Updated April 3, 2006

Notification of Change
The Information We Collect
Opting Out
Your California Privacy Rights
Correct/Update Your Profile
Aggregate Information
Cookies
Security of Your Information
Tell-A-Friend, Ecards and Personal Fundraising Pages
Links to Other Web Sites
Information from Children
Transmission of Health-Related Data

Welcome to the Easterseals Online Network, the Web site of Easterseals, Inc. (Easterseals headquarters) and participating Easterseals affiliates across the country.

Because Easterseals values the privacy of constituents visiting the Easterseals Online Network, users of the Easterseals Online Network have the right to manage their own personal information.

You can contact Easterseals for more information related to the privacy of the information you provide online:

Mail: 141 W Jackson Blvd, Suite 1400A, Chicago, IL 60604
Phone: 312-726-6200
Online: Click here to contact Easterseals via email. Your request will be answered within 2-3 business days.

Notification of Change

Easterseals reserves the right to change this policy at any time. Easterseals privacy policy will be kept up-to-date and clearly posted on our Web site.

The Information We Collect

On many pages of the Easterseals Online Network -- in particular when donating online, completing an action alert, registering for a special event, purchasing a product, or completing various feedback forms -- visitors are asked to list name, address, and other personal contact information. Information collected is specifically and knowingly provided by site visitors and may include name, email address, format preference (HTML vs. text), address, telephone number, interests and other similar information. Collecting this information helps Easterseals to better provide site visitors with relevant and useful content.

Easterseals has partnered with Convio, Inc. to power the Web content, email and transaction processing capabilities to serve our constituents and fulfill our mission on the Internet. Convio, Inc. is an Internet software and services company that provides online electronic Constituent Relationship Management (eCRM) solutions for nonprofit organizations and higher education institutions. Convio will not disclose your name or other personally identifiable information (such as your e-mail address or phone number) to any party other than Easterseals.

Neither Easterseals nor Convio store sensitive information such as credit card numbers. When an online transaction is completed through the Easterseals Online Network, such as a charitable contribution, credit card information is used solely for the purpose of completing that specific transaction and is not retained in the Easterseals or Convio database.

Easterseals will not sell, share or exchange personal contact information collected from this Web site with other organizations. If a user has a previous relationship with Easterseals through another channel (i.e., mail, phone), Easterseals will occasionally rent or exchange those names and addresses with other organizations as a way of providing extra funds to help support services. If you do not want to participate in this program, please let us know.

Visitors to the Easterseals Online Network are not required to share any personally identifiable information. Users who do not wish to share personal information when visiting the Easterseals Online Network can still access the Network's Web pages and the valuable information provided.

Opting Out

Easterseals provides site visitors with the opportunity to opt-out of receiving our online and offline communications.

If you would like to opt-out of receiving email communications please update your user profile. Email unsubscribe requests are processed immediately.

To discontinue the receipt of postal mail, please contact Easterseals. Shortly, Easterseals will be adding the capability to remove your name from our postal mailing list online. You'll need to register as user of the Easterseals Online Network. Please note: there is a 8-12 week lapse period due to the fact that a subsequent mailing may already be in production. If you do receive another mailing, please disregard it.

Your California Privacy Rights

To review a special notice for California residents only per California Privacy Law (SB27): Exchanging, Renting, Reselling Personal Information, please visit the "Your California Privacy Rights" section.

Correct/Update Your Profile

Easterseals offers the option to change and modify personally identifiable information. Upon your request, Easterseals will remove personally identifying information retained in organizational databases. If you are a registered user of this site, you can access your Easterseals profile and update your contact information and user preferences by clicking here.

Easterseals reserves the right to maintain information on users who have had their access to the Easterseals Online Network blocked.

Aggregate Information

Demographic and profile data (i.e., age, gender, browser usage) is also collected via the Easterseals Online Network. Easterseals uses such data to improve marketing and promotional efforts, statistically analyze site usage, improve content and product offerings and to customize site content, layout, and services. Additionally, this data may be shared with third parties on an aggregated basis. Easterseals does not share personally identifying information with third parties, except to a court or governmental agency if required by law and as stated above in the section titled "The Information We Collect."

Cookies

A cookie is a small text file a Web site places on a site visitor's computer hard drive. Its purpose is to let the site know when a user visits and to perform certain functions such as saving passwords and personal preferences.

Cookies help evaluate visitors' use of a Web site, such as what viewers want to see and what they never read. This information allows Easterseals to better focus online information and to concentrate on information people are using.

Your browser is probably set to accept cookies. If you would like to turn this feature off, you will need to change the settings of your Internet browser.

Security of Your Information

All credit card and personal profile information provided to Easterseals or our Internet software partner, Convio, Inc., is transmitted using SSL (Secure Socket Layer) encryption using Verisign as a payment gateway. SSL is a proven coding system that allows a browser to automatically encrypt, or scramble, data before it is sent.

Easterseals also protects account information by placing it on a secure portion of the Easterseals Online Network that is only accessible by certain qualified employees of Easterseals. Unfortunately, no data transmission over the Internet is 100% secure. Easterseals strives to protect your information, however cannot ensure or warrant the security of such information.

Tell-A-Friend, Ecards and Personal Fundraising Pages

If you elect to use the referral service to inform a friend about a page on the Easterseals Online Network, send an ecard, or raise funds for Easterseals by soliciting friends and family, you will be asked for the friend's name and email address. Easterseals will automatically send the friend a one-time email inviting them to visit the site. Easterseals stores this information to send this one-time email only. In addition, the contact information will be maintained solely for the future convenience of the individual who provided the information - to send subsequent ecards or fundraising reminders/updates.

Links to Other Web Sites

Easterseals has links to other Web sites outside of the Easterseals Online Network. Easterseals is not responsible for the content of any linked Web site, or any link contained in a linked Web site, or any changes or updates to such Web sites. The inclusion of any link does not imply endorsement by Easterseals of that Web site.

In addition, please be aware that Easterseals is not responsible for the privacy practices of such other Web sites. Easterseals encourages you to read the privacy statements of each and every Web site that requests personal information from you.

Information from Children

Easterseals does not seek to collect personal information about children through the Easterseals Online Network. If a child submits information through any part of the Network, and Easterseals is aware that the user submitting the information is a child, the information is not used for any purpose, nor is it disclosed to third parties. Easterseals will comply with all regulations set forward by the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). To learn more about COPPA, visit the Federal Trade Commission.

Transmission of Health-Related Data

Easterseals understands the sensitivity of collecting and using health-related data. Personally identifiable health-related data collected on the Easterseals Online Network will not be shared with entities other than Easterseals, Inc., and Easterseals affiliates. Any transfer of personally identifiable health-related data between Easterseals organizations will take place in a secure environment with access allowed only to certain qualified employees of Easterseals. Easterseals will comply with all regulations set forward by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). To learn more about HIPAA, visit the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights.

Easter Seals of Southeastern Pennsylvania

Notice of Privacy Practices
For Protected health Information

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.

Easter Seals is honored that you have chosen us to provide services for you and your family. As part of providing these services, Easter Seals accumulates records and information regarding protected health information (PHI) about you and/or a family member. Protected health information is defined as any individually identifiable health information whether oral or recorded in any medium. This may include health condition, treatment plans, service outcomes and recommendations specific to a particular person.

This information helps to ensure that we provide the highest level of care in response to your family's needs and goals. We understand and appreciate that this health information is personal and confidential. At all times we desire to maintain the confidentiality of this information and to maintain the trust that you place in us.

We are providing this notice to help you understand how protected health information about you may be used and shared. In accordance with applicable laws, we also want you to be aware of your rights regarding protected health information.

Easter Seals Use & Disclosure of Health Information
As a routine part of providing services to you and/or a family member, Easter Seals may use and share protected health information in some or all of the following ways:

To Provide Treatment and Care
Protected health information about you and/or a family member help us to ensure that the services we provide are appropriate and responsive to your needs. It allows us to coordinate services where appropriate with other members of your treatment team. Health information may be shared with therapists, teachers, nurses social workers, student interns or other personnel who are involved in you or your family's treatment or services.

Health information may also be shared with emergency personnel such as paramedics or hospital staff if you or your family member requires such intervention.

For Payment
Health information about you or your family member may be shared with an organization or entity reimbursing Easter Seals for provision of services. This may include an insurance company, a county program (such as the Office of mental Retardation), an Intermediate Unity or a school district. In some circumstances, information regarding services you are going to receive may be shared in advance to secure prior approval or to determine whether these costs will be covered.

For Quality Management
Health information about you or your family member may be shared with both Easter Seals personnel and on occasion external professionals to review the treatment and care received and to assess and improve the services provided and the outcomes achieved. This allows us to ensure that we are providing the highest quality services to all families and understand the best practices that should be used to achieve the most meaningful results.

For Fund Raising
Information (limited to only your name, address and phone number) may be shared with our Development Department who might contact you to invite your financial support of Easter Seals or participation in a fund raising activity or project.

For Community Awareness
On occasion, individuals including current or prospective donors, parents interested in determining if Easter Seals is an appropriate placement for their child or other parties may tour our facilities. As a part of these tours the individual may become aware of a limited amount of protected health information. Each visitor who tours an Easter Seals facility is required to sign a statement of confidentiality.

As Required by Law
Easter Seals will disclose protected health information when required to do so by federal, state or local law or governmental agency or a court of law having appropriate jurisdiction. Information may also be shared with other oversight entities, such as an auditing firm, when we are required to do so.

At Your Request
you may request that Easter Seals disclose protected health information as part of a referral for services to another provider, as part of litigation or for some other reason. In these instances, only information that has been developed by Easter Seals and not information we may have from some other source will be disclosed. Typically you will be asked to sign a release of information form indicating the party to whom the information may be released.

Your Rights Regarding Protected health Information
Current law provides you with several rights regarding protected health information regarding you and/or a family member. These include:

The Right to Inspect & Copy Your PHI
You have the right to inspect and copy of protected health information that has been generated by Easter Seals. Usually this includes treatment and billing records. To review and inspect information available to you, please contact the Director or Program Coordinator of the division providing the services to your family. At a mutually convenient time (not to exceed three working days) you will be able to visit our center and review your records.

At your request a copy of your information can be provided to you. A copy can be made when you review your records or mailed to you. A fee may be assessed to cover the costs involved in copying or mailing the information.

Right to Amend Your Records
If you feel that the information we have about you is incomplete or inaccurate, you can request that it be amended. To amend your records, please provide us your request in writing indicating the changes that should be made and reasons for doing so. Your request for amendment should be submitted to the Director or Program Coordinator of the division providing services to you or your family member.

Right to an Accounting of Disclosures
You have the right to an accounting of parties to who protected health information about you and/or a family member has been disclosed. Please submit in writing your request for this information to the Director or Program Coordinator of the division providing services to your or your family member.

Right to Request Restrictions on Uses & Disclosures
You have the right to restrict or limit the use and disclosure of health information about you and /or a family member has been disclosed. Please submit in writing your request for this information to the Director or Program Coordinator of the division providing services to you or your family member.

Right to a Paper Copy of This Notice
You have the right to have a paper copy of this notice if you are reviewing it in a form other than paper. to request a paper copy, please contact our Director of Programs, Janet Rubien at jrubien@easterseals-sepa.org.

Right to Confidential or Alternate Means of Communications
You have the right to request that communications with you regarding health information be done in a certain way or at a certain location. This could mean that you wish us to contact you only at work, only at home or using some specific method of communications. We will honor any written request to use confidential or alternate means of communications that we are able to do. Your written request should be as specific as possible as to the method(s) of communication to be used and should be submitted to the Director or Program Coordinator for the division providing services to you or your family member.

Right to Revoke Your Consent
If you have given us consent to use protected health information for any reason you have the right to revoke that consent to the extent that it has not already been relied upon. This might include, but not be limited to, a situation where you have allowed us to use personal information as part of our community awareness and fund raising activities but now desire that we not do so. If you desire to revoke your consent, please submit that request in writing to the Director or Program Coordinator for the division providing services to you or your family member.

Questions and/or Complaints
If you have any questions regarding this notice or if you believe that your rights have been violated, you may contact either the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Humans Services or Easter Seals.

you may direct any questions or complaints regarding this notice to Easter Seals c/o:

     Janet Rubien
     Director of Programs
     Easter Seals of Southeastern Pennsylvania
     3975 Conshohocken Avenue
     Philadelphia, PA 19131
     (215) 879-1000
     (215) 879-8424 FAX
     jrubien@easterseals-sepa.org

Individuals and families will not be penalized in any manner for filing a complaint.

Changes to this Notice
Easter Seals reserves the right to change, alter or modify this notice from time to time as required by law or operating conditions. The amended notice will be sent to all individuals currently receiving services from Easter Seals and will be posted on our Website at www.easterseals-sepa.org

Our blog

Motivation is All Around Us!
Tuesday, February 7, 2023, 9:10 AM

Motivation is All Around Us!

Tuesday, February 7, 2023, 9:10 AM

by Jeanine Johnson In my blogs, I often write about Easterseals, the students and the miracles I see…

by Jeanine Johnson

In my blogs, I often write about Easterseals, the students and the miracles I see on a daily basis. Recently I have been thinking about the life coping skills we can learn from Easterseals’ students. My daughter Autumn, who is currently one of Easterseals nurses, started out as a therapy aid. She had the opportunity to work closely with the students and I believe it gave her direction in what career she would ultimately choose. She left Easterseals and obtained her nursing certification. She knew she would lean toward working with young children. The opportunity opened and she returned to Easterseals. Autumn has in the past year and a half been hit with some life-changing health issues. First, she learned she has non-diabetic hypoglycemia, then was diagnosed with Elher’s Danlos Syndrome and lastly Mass Cell Activation Syndrome) (MCAS). With each diagnosis, I watched her pivot and adjust to a new normal.

I try my best to check in to see how she is coping because, while she seems to be adjusting well, I’m sure there are days when it’s overwhelming. She went from not having any medical equipment to having to wear MAFOs and in order for her not to lose her ability to walk independently, she is required to use a wheelchair for any extensive trips. Elher’s Danlos Syndrome is a condition where your connective tissue is too stretchy and cannot support your body properly. I am relieved that Autumn’s diagnosis does not affect her heart. She was wise enough to join some forums with people who have the same conditions and has been able to get great practical advice from people who are living and functioning with various issues.

We made a video call to our favorite Easterseals graduate Mung. (You know he’d make an appearance in my blog somewhere. ) He was confused as to why Autumn used to be able to walk and can’t now. Autumn explained to him that she can still walk. She told him that it’s like his muscles are very tight (he has CP) and hers are too loose). She told him she must wear the mafos for short distances and use the wheelchair for longer outings. Autumn, Mung and I met up at the Franklin Institute for the Harry Potter Exhibit. It was Autumn’s first trip taking her wheelchair in an Uber. (She got enough good advice to pick one that would be easily portable when needed). Our reunion was as fun as ever.

We could have never guessed that Autumn’s time at Easterseals would prepare her for what has been a life-altering period. She said about the students here “They always give us perspective” and in her silly voice said “Ain’t nothing that bad!” Attitude is everything! I’m grateful for Easterseals and the students and proud of and motivated by my daughter!

I guess she gets some perks, in the picture below she is in the wheelchair-accessible section at the Elmwood Park Zoo and she’s close enough to “Kiss the Giraffe!”

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Lasting impressions
Thursday, April 14, 2022, 9:51 AM

Lasting impressions

Thursday, April 14, 2022, 9:51 AM

By Jeanine Johnson Easterseals has a way of building lasting impressions and lifelong friendships bo…

By Jeanine Johnson

Easterseals has a way of building lasting impressions and lifelong friendships both among employees and employees and the families we serve. If any of you have read my blogs in the past like here, here, here, here, and here, I periodically give updates on one of my favorite graduates of Easterseals. Since it has been a while, I thought I’d fill you in on what Mung has been up to.

Covid has put a damper on my semi-annual outings with Mung, but we have managed to stay connected. Thank God for modern technology. It was vital in helping to not feel isolated. His mom texts, sends pictures and short videos of him. I send him gifts now and again to let him know I haven’t forgotten him. It’s hard to believe that he is 10 years old already. While I really enjoyed getting the texts, I was missing the live interaction with Mung so we set up a video call with him, me and my daughter Autumn (school nurse and big fan of his). It was so great to hear his voice and see his face in real time. I am so happy to report that he is still the vibrant, outgoing character he has always been.

He immediately asked how Easterseals has been since he left. He truly misses this place. When asked how he was doing in school, he fell a little silent. So I asked if he is still talking too much in class. (He is quite the talker) He leaned his head to the side, looked at us and exclaimed “I’m really popular at my school”. Autumn and I burst into laughter (as seen in the screenshot his mother took). Autumn responded, “we know Mr. Mayor”. We talked about school, what’s going on in our lives and the prospect of getting together. I won’t lie, I always worry about our children after they leave the nurturing environment of Easterseals. It is quite a special place. It brings me much joy to see he is doing well.

With restrictions lifting and vaccines completed, I am hopeful we will be meeting for an outing sometime when the weather warms. It’s one of the things I look forward to this summer. I am so grateful that his family continues to share him with me. Stayed tuned for more updates!

FaceTime with Mung

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As One Door Closes, It Gets Decorated
Tuesday, March 29, 2022, 11:05 AM

As One Door Closes, It Gets Decorated

Tuesday, March 29, 2022, 11:05 AM

by Jeanine Johnson The work experience is so much more rewarding when you choose to become engaged a…

by Jeanine Johnson

The work experience is so much more rewarding when you choose to become engaged and part of the work community. One way I have done this besides getting to know the kids and forming awesome bonds, is by beautifying the office. When I first started working at Easterseals, I asked if it was ok to decorate. It was around the winter holidays, and I wrapped my door like a big gift. It seemed to bring joy to those around me and things took off from there.

I started decorated my door periodically. Usually, season related or to mark the start of the school year. Trying to spread positivity. These acts afforded me the opportunity to get to know my co-workers. Where one might not have necessarily had a reason to stop by and chat, the door and bulletin boards now opened up conversations. I didn’t expect it to take off as much as it did. People anticipate the door change and often ask me what I am doing next. That adds a little pressure, but it’s all good. I keep it a secret every time. Mostly because I am never sure. I have to scour Pinterest for ideas. I have expanded to decorating some of my coworkers’ doors. One casually mentioned that his door had never been decorated so of course I had to remedy that.

At minimum, my door and the bulletin board outside my office will be decorated. Though, to be honest, no undecorated bulletin board or door is safe from my handy work. If the feeling hits, it’s getting decorated!

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The Cardboard Fairy Strikes Again
Monday, September 27, 2021, 1:09 PM

The Cardboard Fairy Strikes Again

Monday, September 27, 2021, 1:09 PM

by Sue Lowenstein, MSPT, Physical Therapist Well, “The Cardboard Fairy” has done it again! She help…

by Sue Lowenstein, MSPT, Physical Therapist

Well, “The Cardboard Fairy” has done it again! She helped give another child at Easterseals a set of wings by putting her engineering skills and ingenuity to use! This time, the Cardboard Fairy tackled the issue of a walker that needed some additional support.

Let me back up a little for those of you that have not read our previous blogs (here, here and here) about the “Cardboard Fairy.” Her real name is Dorothy Hess. Dorothy is a retired market researcher who volunteers for Easterseals in a very unique way. She uses heavy duty cardboard (sometimes referred to as “tri-wall”), along with various straps, glue, PVC pipe, clips, and whatever other materials might be necessary to create custom-made adaptive equipment.

Now, let me introduce you to my student, Kayla. She is a sweet and social 4 year old girl who wears purple glasses and has a head full of curls and a smile that can light up a room. Kayla has been attending our approved private pre-school program in Levittown since September of 2020. When Kayla first started preschool, she needed a full wrap-around chest support, along with the sturdiness and width of a gait trainer, to walk. However, as time passed, she approached the point where she was outgrowing this gait trainer. While a larger sized gait trainer could have been ordered for Kayla, it would have been significantly larger and cumbersome. These gait trainers do not fold, which would make it very difficult for her parents to transport it from place to place.

As her physical therapist, I was eager to help Kayla transition to a more traditional style and smaller walker (and one that is foldable!). However, Kayla was still reliant on the full back support that the gait trainer provided her. Many attempts to have Kayla walk in a traditional reverse walker without a back support were unsuccessful. Even though Kayla was strong and balanced enough to walk with this type of walker, she craved the back support that the Rifton gait trainer afforded her. But there were no reverse walkers available on the market that came with larger back supports like the one that Kayla needed.

So I tried my best to create a custom back support. I used pool noodles (PT’s and OT’s love these things), along with some extra cardboard, tape, and cable ties to try to create a custom back support that would be mounted a traditional reverse walker. However, it did not take long for the cardboard to bend and the tape to fall, resulting in an epic fail.

I decided that this was a job for the Cardboard Fairy! With permission from Kayla’s family, and adhering to Easterseals’ COVID protocols, we were able to bring Dorothy in to sneak a peek at Kayla and my sad attempt at building a back support. Dorothy took some measurements, and left our school with the walker in her hand. Just a few short days later, what to my wondering eyes appears on my phone but a video of a lightweight but sturdy back support designed to fit perfectly onto the reverse walker. It is made out of the tri-wall I mentioned above. It snaps easily into place onto the walker, and there are two additional straps to help it remain stable and in place for Kayla when walking. It can also easily be removed to allow the walker to be folded and transported by her caregivers. And to top it all off, Dorothy painted it purple to match the color of the walker and Kayla’s glasses!!!

Kayla’s parents and Dorothy and I are thrilled to report that Kayla took to this back support and the walker very quickly, and she is now WALKING INDEPENDENTLY all around her home and in the hallways of her preschool. The Cardboard Fairy did it again…she gave another child a set of wings (this time in the form of a purple back support) so she could take off!!! Well done, Dorothy. Kayla…you keep on walking, girl!!!!

Kayla using her adapted walker!

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The Hall of Thanks
Thursday, September 2, 2021, 10:23 AM

The Hall of Thanks

Thursday, September 2, 2021, 10:23 AM

by Adrienne Aiken I became a part of the Easterseals family in 1999. In 2000, I wanted to find a way…

by Adrienne Aiken

I became a part of the Easterseals family in 1999. In 2000, I wanted to find a way to celebrate the Bucks County Division staff and let them know that they are appreciated. I reached out to our families that we service in the community and in our Approved Private School, to see if they would be willing to write a letter to say “thank you” as part of Staff Appreciation Week. We provided a colorful piece of stationary to families and they responded by sharing their love an appreciation on paper. The letters were hung in the hallway for staff to read and the response was better than I could have imagined. There were smiles, tears of joy and laughter in the hallway as staff read through the letters. Some parents shared with me that this project was the first time they wrote anything about their child’s special needs and that it was cathartic for them. Since then, I have continued the tradition and kept every letter given to us.

The pandemic has been quite a challenge for all of us and I struggled with how I could provide some sunshine to staff this summer. I decided to pull out the binder with all of the testimonials from our Easterseals’ families that were collected since 2000, and hang as many up in the hallway as I could. The hallway is currently labeled as “The Hall of Thanks,” for the rest of the summer.

Hopefully seeing the old pictures of the little faces, artwork and hand prints that families added to the letters, will bring smiles to all everyone that reads them.

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