MSFriends Telephone Peer Support
Privacy Policy, Disclaimers and Terms of Use

Your privacy is of utmost importance to MSFriends.org. Our goal is to provide a private, safe, supportive place to talk about living with Multiple Sclerosis with a highly trained volunteer is who also living with Multiple Sclerosis ("MS") through the MSFriends Peer Support telephone service.

Our telephone privacy policy is intended to let you know what information is collected by the MSFriends Telephone Peer Support Service ("MSFriends") and how it is used. We may update our policies and this statement without prior notice to our users. We urge all users to review this privacy policy often.

Types of information we collect

Any personal information you provide during a call to MSFriends is voluntary and will never be rented, traded or sold to any third party.

The MSFriends Peer Support Volunteer who answers your call may ask for your name and telephone number. You do not have to give out this information. If you provide this information it will be recorded in our database. This information will only be used to call you back in case your call is disconnected for any reason.

Any personal information that you volunteer "may" be recorded in our database by the volunteer to be used only as a point of reference if you call again.

You may be asked for your email address in order for the peer support volunteer to email you a list of Resources.

Why we collect this information

  • compile statistics about usage

  • provide better service to all users

  • improve reference services

  • analyze the number and types of requests we receive

Who may access this information

The information collected is only accessible to the MSFriends Telephone Peer Support Volunteers and authorized MSFriends Management.

Generalized statistics generated from this database may be used for reports or publications at the discretion of MSFriends. Personally identifying information such as names, telephone numbers, addresses, email addresses, etc. that might be included as part of the telephone calls will be removed.

MSFriends reserves the right to disclose whatever personal information we have in our database if we are required to do so in compliance with legal process.

Users may opt-out

If you wish to have the information of your MSFriends telephone call deleted from our database, please email your request to the MSFriends Programs Director, Susan Zachary at (szachary@msfriends.org) or call the MSFriends Telephone Peer Support number 1-866-673-7436 and make your request.

DISCLAIMERS

MSFriends Telephone Peer Support Service provides an opportunity for people living with MS to share ideas and concerns with a Peer Support Volunteer who also has MS.

No discussions through or information received from an MSFriends Peer support Volunteer should be construed or interpreted as or substituted for a medical evaluation or treatment by a qualified health care professional.

Participation in MSFriends Telephone Peer Support and use of any resources offered is at the user's own volition and is not intended to provide or confirm a diagnosis, nor is any claim made as to therapeutic efficacy. Users are advised to seek the advice of a qualified health care professional.

MSFriends does not engage in telephone psychotherapy, counseling, or any such professional service. Participation in MSFriends is at the user's own volition.

Under no circumstances shall MSFriends and The VisionWorks Foundation, Inc. be liable whatsoever for any direct or indirect, special or consequential damages relating in any way to the use of information provided during an MSFriends telephone call, including the use of information from outside resources or referrals.

The VisionWorks Foundation, Inc. is a 501c3 nonprofit corporation. Neither VisionWorks nor MSFriends sells or endorses any commercial products or services, although donation premiums may be offered at our discretion and depending on availability.

If you are unhappy with MSFriends Telephone Peer Support service or the MSFriends.org website, your sole remedy shall be to stop using MSFriends Telehone Peer Support Service and to stop visiting the MSFriends.org website.

All materials provided on the MSFriends website are "as is" and without warranties of any kind, either expressed or implied. We strive to maintain the reasonable security of our website and your information, and do not disclose user information to any third party, unless required by subpoena or other legal process. MSFriends and The VisionWorks Foundation, Inc. cannot be held responsible for any hacking attempt that may lead to our data being compromised.

MSFRIENDS TELEPHONE PEER SUPPORT TERMS OF USE

MSFriends Telephone Peer Support is provided to offer one-on-one peer support between an MSFriends Telephone Peer Support Volunteer and an MSFriends Caller M ("you" or the "user"). This telephone service offers the user an opportunity for discussions about MS with a Peer Support Volunteer who is also living with MS.

Observation of the following terms of use will provide for a more positive experience.

  • You agree not to use any abusive, sexually explicit, pornographic, vulgar, obscene, slanderous, threatening, discourteous, hateful, or indecent language ("abusive language") in your communications with the Telephone Peer Support Volunteer.

  • Engaging in abusive language during an MSFriends call and will not be tolerated and will result in the MSFriends Telephone Peer Support volunteer hanging up the phone.

  • All Telephone Peer Support volunteers are highly trained and have MS. They understand living with MS on a daily basis and are ready to share support with you. Mutual respect, honesty and common sense will result in a productive and positive telephone experience.

All of us at The VisionWorks Foundation, Inc. and our MSFriends initiative sincerely hope that you enjoy using MSFriends Telephone Peer Support service and find it a beneficial, supportive and life-enhancing experience, to know that you are not alone in your journey with MS.