Privacy Policy

1. Who We Are

PNW Home for Life LLC (also operating as WCF-PNW Home for Life PLLC) is a state-contracted Lead Community-Based Organization (CBO) under the WA Cares Community Assistance Network, administered by the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS). We serve San Juan, Island, and Skagit Counties in Washington State.

Mailing Address: 1805 11th St, Anacortes, WA 98221
Email: wacares@pnwhomeforlife.com
Phone: (360) 217-9207
Website: www.pnwhomeforlife.com

2. Information We Collect

When you use our WA Cares contact form, we collect only:

• Your first and last name
• Your email address
• Your phone number (optional)
• The county you live in (San Juan, Island, or Skagit)
• Your preferred language
• The type of WA Cares assistance you are requesting (selected from a fixed list)

We do not collect any health information, financial information, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, immigration status, or any other sensitive personal data through our website contact forms. This is by design to protect your privacy and comply with HIPAA.

If you contact us by phone or email directly, we may collect additional information you voluntarily share in order to assist you. Any such information is handled in accordance with this policy and our DSHS contract data security requirements.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information you provide solely to:

• Contact you to schedule a WA Cares assistance appointment
• Connect you with a trained Community Assistor in your area
• Provide you with program education and application support
• Fulfill our reporting obligations under DSHS Contract #2635-69137 (using de-identified or aggregated data only — never your personal details)

We will never use your information to market unrelated products or services to you.

4. How We Protect Your Information — HIPAA & Data Security

As a Business Associate under HIPAA and a contractor under DSHS data security requirements, we are legally required to protect your information. Our safeguards include:

• Restricting access to your information to only staff with an authorized business need
• Using secure, encrypted communication channels for transmitting any sensitive data
• Maintaining a 30-day data purging routine for contact form submissions stored on marketing servers
• Never storing Protected Health Information (PHI) on public-facing marketing servers indefinitely
• Conducting background checks on all Community Assistors who may access applicant information
• Complying with Exhibit A — Data Security Requirements of our DSHS contract

In the event of a data breach or potential compromise of your information, we are required to notify DSHS within one (1) business day of discovery and take immediate steps to mitigate any harm.

5. Who We Share Your Information With

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to any third party. We may share limited information only in the following circumstances:

• DSHS / WA Cares Community Assistance Network: We submit required monthly reports to DSHS as part of our contract. These reports use aggregate or de-identified data and do not include your personal contact information.
• Network Partner Subcontractors: If we partner with another organization to assist you within our service area, we may share your contact information with that partner solely to arrange your assistance appointment. All subcontractors are required by our contract to maintain the same data security standards we follow.
• Legal Requirements: We may disclose information if required by law. Per our DSHS contract, we are required to report any non-routine requests from law enforcement or federal agencies for health care information or program eligibility information to DSHS within 24 hours.

6. Your Rights

You have the right to:

• Request access to the information we hold about you
• Request correction of inaccurate information
• Request deletion of your information (subject to our legal retention obligations)
• Withdraw your consent for us to contact you at any time by emailing wacares@pnwhomeforlife.com
• File a complaint if you believe your privacy rights have been violated

As a HIPAA Business Associate, you also have rights regarding any Protected Health Information (PHI) that DSHS holds about you. Contact DSHS directly at dshs.wa.gov for those rights.

7. Cookies and Website Analytics

Our website uses Google Analytics 4 (GA4) to collect anonymized data about how visitors use our site — such as which pages are visited and how long visitors stay. This data is used only to improve our website and fulfill our state contract reporting requirements for website traffic metrics.

• We do not use advertising cookies or tracking pixels
• Analytics data is de-identified and does not include your name or contact details
• You can opt out of Google Analytics by using the Google Analytics opt-out browser add-on

8. Children’s Privacy

Our services are intended for adults (age 18 and older) or their authorized legal representatives. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has submitted information through our site, please contact us immediately at wacares@pnwhomeforlife.com.

9. No Fees — Ever

Per our DSHS contract ethics requirements, we are strictly prohibited from charging any fee, requesting any compensation, or providing any incentives to individuals in connection with WA Cares Fund assistance. Our services are 100% free. If you are ever asked for money by anyone claiming to represent PNW Home for Life for WA Cares assistance, please report it to us immediately and to DSHS.

10. Language Access

This Privacy Policy is available in other languages upon request. Contact us at wacares@pnwhomeforlife.com or call (360) 217-9207 to request a translated version.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. The “Last updated” date at the top of this page will reflect any changes. Continued use of our services after any change constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

12. Governing Law

This Privacy Policy is governed by the laws of the State of Washington. Any disputes arising under this policy shall be resolved in accordance with Washington State law and venue shall be in Skagit County, Washington.