Recent Announcements


Internet Policies

Statute

Sec. 182.060 of the Texas Health and Safety Code states that the THSA shall implement a policy requiring the corporation to use appropriate technological solutions to improve the corporation's ability to perform its functions.  The statute further states that the policy must ensure that the public is able to interact with the corporation on the Internet.

Accessibility

THSA strives to make its Web sites accessible to all users.  To meet accessibility objectives, our sites and pages are continually monitored and tested for compliance with Priority 1 Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 1.0) as published by the Web Accessibility Initiative of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).  Documents on our Web sites are presented in many formats that are generally accessible to individuals using screen reading software.  Some files are posted as Adobe Acrobat PDF (Portable Document Format) files.  Adobe offers software that may be downloaded by users with visual disabilities to assist with reading PDF files.

If you have difficulty viewing any page using assistive technology, please contact us so that we can make the information available to you.  Indicate the nature of your accessibility problem, the format in which you would like to receive the material, the Web address of the requested material, and your contact information.

If you use assistive technology and the format of any material on our Web site interferes with your ability to access the information, please contact us.  To enable us to respond in a manner most helpful to you, please indicate the nature of your accessibility problem, the preferred format in which to receive the material, the Web address of the requested material, and your contact information.

Privacy and Security 

The THSA maintains this Web site as a public service.  This policy describes THSA's privacy and security practices regarding information collected from visitors to the site, including what information is collected and how that information is used.  The policy applies to all pages beginning with www.thsa.org.

Please note that all information collected or maintained by THSA is subject to the provisions of the Texas Public Information Act (Chapter 552, Texas Government Code). The email addresses of most members of the public who communicate with THSA through the Internet is confidential under Texas law.  Exceptions to confidentiality may be reviewed at Texas Government code, Section 552.137.

An individual who submits information in electronic format through this website is entitled, on request, to receive and review the information THSA collects about the individual, and to have THSA correct the information.  To do this, please contact us.

Use and Release of Information

Cookies

THSA uses persistent, first-party cookies to track and report visitor information and collect information via web-based forms (see Server Logs/Log Analysis Tools and Web-Based Forms, below).  THSA does not implement third-party cookies.

Server Logs/Log Analysis Tools

THSA uses persistent, first-party cookies, server logs, and log analysis tools to create summary statistics about Web site usage to improve site management.  The statistics are used for purposes such as assessing what information is of most interest to users, determining technical design specifications, and identifying system performance or problem areas.  THSA does not report or use this information in any manner that would reveal personally identifiable information, and does not release the information to any outside parties unless required to do so under applicable law.

The following information is collected for this analysis:

THSA monitors network traffic for site security purposes and to ensure that the site remains available to all users.  Unauthorized attempts to upload information, change information on this site, or otherwise cause damage are strictly prohibited and may be punishable under Texas Penal Code Chapters 33 (Computer Crimes) or 33A (Telecommunications Crimes).  Except as may be required for authorized law enforcement investigations, no attempts are made to identify individual users or their usage habits.  THSA does not use raw data logs for any other purposes; however, it is possible that parts of raw data logs could be determined to be open records by the Office of the Attorney General.  If such a determination were made subsequent to a Public Information Act request for the logs, THSA would be required to disclose parts of the logs deemed open by the Office of the Attorney General.

Web-Based Forms

The THSA Web site uses persistent, first-party cookies with web-based forms for such purposes as collecting survey results and providing online registration for THSA-sponsored events. Personally identifiable information collected from web-based forms is used only for the purpose specified (survey results, online registration, etc.).  

Email

The THSA may not sell or release the e-mail addresses of most members of the public that have been provided to communicate electronically without the affirmative consent of the affected member of the public.  Exemptions to this confidentiality may be reviewed at Texas Government Code, Section 552.137.  Personally identifiable information contained in a question or comment sent to THSA in an email message or submitted in an online form is only used by THSA to respond to the request and to analyze trends.  THSA may redirect the message to a government agency or government employee who is in a better position to answer the question.

For Additional Information

If you have questions or comments about THSA's Privacy and Security Policy, please contact us.

Copyright Texas Health Services Authority 2010

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