DVA Assistance Dog Privacy Collection Notice

The Department of Veterans’ Affairs, including the Repatriation Commission (DVA or “We”) are committed to protecting your privacy and managing personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (Privacy Act) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs). 

This notice explains why we collect personal and sensitive information for DVA assistance dog services, and how we use, disclose and protect that information.

Introduction

DVA provides eligible veterans with access to assistance dogs and related support services through the Rehabilitation Appliances Program (RAP). 

DVA assistance dogs include guide dogs, hearing dogs, mobility dogs and psychiatric assistance dogs, which are specially trained to perform tasks that assist with the effects of a veteran's disability. 

Depending on individual circumstances, DVA may provide an assistance dog, training, ongoing support services and assistance with approved upkeep and maintenance costs, or other assistance dog-related supports.

Purposes of collection

We collect, use and disclose personal and sensitive information to deliver assistance dog services and perform our functions under legislation administered by DVA.

We collect this information to:

• assess your eligibility, clinical stability and suitability for an assistance dog

• verify information provided in support of your application

• determine the appropriate assistance dog services and supports 

• enable contracted service providers to provide assistance dog services on DVA's behalf
• process reimbursements of assistance dog expenses and other requests 

• communicate with you and relevant third parties about your application or participation

• manage complaints, incidents and feedback

• undertake program administration, quality assurance, evaluation, audit, reporting and continuous improvement activities

• comply with legal and administrative requirements.

Legislative authority

We are authorised under our portfolio legislation and the Privacy Act to collect, use and disclose a range of personal information. A full listing of the legislation we administer is set out in the Administrative Arrangements Orders. Assistance dog services are provided under the Treatment Principles, which are legislative instruments determined by the Repatriation Commission. 

What we collect

The personal information we collect about you may include: 

• identity details such as your full name, date of birth, veteran card number and DVA file number
• contact details, including your address, telephone number and email address 
• Australian Defence Force service details
• information relevant to your eligibility and suitability for an assistance dog, including: 
  
  • relevant medical and health information, including information about your condition, treatment history, symptoms, functional needs and recovery goals
  • DVA-accepted conditions 
  • any history of suicide attempts or self-harm behaviour (psychiatric assistance dogs only) 
  • any history of substance misuse, domestic violence or animal abuse
  • information about your living arrangements, support network and home environment.

We may also collect personal information about other individuals connected with your application and the provision of assistance dog services. This may include: 

• information about your treating health provider, including their name, practice address and contact details
• information about people in your support network and other household members where the dog will be located, including their name, contact details and any history of domestic violence or animal abuse.

If you provide personal or sensitive information about another person, such as a household member, family member or support person, you should share this notice with them and obtain their consent before providing their information to DVA.

How we collect your personal information

DVA collects personal information directly from you through forms, correspondence and other communications relating to assistance dog services.

With your consent, DVA may access relevant information already held in DVA records to help assess your eligibility and suitability for assistance dog services.

We may also collect information about you from your health providers and contracted service providers engaged by DVA to deliver assistance dog services.

Information submitted through DVA webforms is collected via a form hosted on GovCMS, the Australian Government’s content management system administered by the Department of Finance. The Department of Finance, through GovCMS, acts as a service provider to DVA by hosting, maintaining and supporting the webform. DVA remains responsible for determining the purposes for which your personal information is collected and how it is used.

How we use or disclose information 

We handle personal and sensitive information collected in connection with assistance dog services in accordance with this Privacy Collection Notice, DVA's Privacy Policy and, where relevant, DVA's Health Information Privacy Collection Notice.  

DVA generally uses and discloses personal information, including health information, only for the primary purpose for which it is collected. In certain circumstances, we may use personal information for another purpose but only where this would be authorised by the Privacy Act. 

This may include where you have provided consent or where the use or disclosure is authorised or required by law.

We may use and disclose your personal and sensitive information, and collect information from:

• relevant areas within DVA, where necessary to administer assistance dog services or perform DVA's functions

• medical and health professionals, where necessary to assess eligibility or suitability for assistance dog services, verify information relevant to your application, or support the delivery of DVA benefits, payments and services

• DVA mental health advisers, where required to assess requests for psychiatric assistance dogs

• contracted service providers engaged by DVA to assess suitability for services and, where applicable, source, match, train and provide ongoing support for an assistance dog

• your nominated representative or authorised agent

• other persons or organisations where required or authorised by law.

Engagement of external service providers

DVA engages external service providers to deliver assistance dog services on its behalf. To provide these services, DVA and its service providers need to collect, use and share relevant personal and sensitive information. This can include information about you, your support persons and members of your household, where it is relevant to the delivery of services. 

External service providers who access personal information collected by DVA, or who collect personal information on DVA's behalf, are required to handle that information in accordance with the Privacy Act and any privacy, confidentiality and security obligations contained in their contractual agreement with DVA.

Storage and retention

DVA stores personal information securely and retains it in accordance with the Archives Act 1983, relevant records authorities, and DVA’s Privacy Policy. When no longer required, information is disposed of securely.

Overseas disclosure

DVA does not disclose your personal information overseas in connection with assistance dog services. 

Privacy complaints and access

DVA’s Privacy Policy contains information about how you can access the information DVA holds about you, how you can ask DVA to correct your information and how you can make a complaint if you have concerns about how DVA has managed your information. 

For more information please refer to our Privacy Policy or phone 1800 VETERAN (1800 838 372) or email privacy@dva.gov.au.

What happens if you do not provide your information

You are not required to provide personal and sensitive information unless it is necessary to support your application, request or participation. 

However, if relevant information is not provided, DVA may be unable to properly assess your application or provide assistance dog services and related supports.