Policies

Privacy Policy

This website is owned and operated on behalf of Hand to Hold, a 501(c)3  nonprofit organization based in Austin, Texas. Hand to Hold is committed to maintaining the confidentiality, integrity and security of the information that is shared with us. We recognize that visitors to our site may be concerned about the information they provide to us and how we treat that information. This policy addresses those concerns. (See also our editorial and sponsorship policy below)

If you have any questions about our Privacy Policy or would like to be removed from any of our contact lists, you may reach us in the following ways:

You may opt-out of receiving email correspondence by clicking on the opt-out link within the email you received. You have the choice to opt-out of this communication or all communications from Hand to Hold. For all other inquiries, contact Kelli Kelley at kelli [at] handtohold [dot] org, 512-293-0165 or toll-free 1-855-424-6428.

Personal Information

You can visit www.handtohold.org or our blog www.preemiebabies101.com without sharing your personal identity. However, you may have to give us personal information such as your name, address and email if you want to volunteer, donate, participate in our programs or request information or assistance for yourself or a family member.

Hand to Hold may collect personal information from you when you send email, send an online form, visit a social media outlet or access one of our transaction programs. Hand to Hold also may ask you for personal information at other times, such as when you ask a question or report a problem with this site. If you contact Hand to Hold, we may keep a record of that session or correspondence, including a record of your email address. Any information you provide in such circumstances, including personal information, may be collected.

To access our transaction programs such as to make a donation or purchase an event registration, we may ask you for your address and/or credit card information. Currently, donations are processed through Blackbaud and PayPal.

Security Practices

Personal information is protected by Hand to Hold in a number of important ways. We take substantial precautions to ensure that our systems are secure and that they meet industry standards, including the application of firewalls for our Internet-based systems. When appropriate, Hand to Hold employs the use of encryption technologies, user authentication systems (e.g., passwords and personal identification numbers) and access control mechanisms. Organizations we work with to process credit card transactions also use high grade encryption and security protocols. It is our policy that we do not sell or give personal information to outside organizations.

Data We Collect

When you arrive at or leave the Hand to Hold website, we automatically receive the web address of the site that you came from or visit next. We also collect information on which pages of our website you visit while you are on our hosted site, the type of browser you use and the times you access our hosted sites. Hand to Hold also may collect IP addresses, domain names and similar items regarding users of this site to measure the number of visits, pages visited, average time spent on this site and similar items. We use this information to better understand visitor preferences and to manage the load on our servers. We may use this data to analyze trends and statistics and to provide better service, but we do so in ways that keep the information anonymous.

Privacy Practices of Other Sites

This Privacy Policy only addresses the use and disclosure of information Hand to Hold collects online through this site, not information that Hand to Hold collects through other sources. For your convenience, this site contains links or addresses to other websites. Hand to Hold is not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of such websites. Carefully review the approach these sites take to your privacy before you use them or provide them with information. Hand to Hold does not share any of the individual personal information you provide us with to the sites to which we link, although we may share aggregate data such as how many people use our website.

We assume no liability for any unauthorized actions of third parties or accidental transmission errors that may disclose information about you, and Hand to Hold is not responsible for these other sites’ content or privacy policies, which may be different from Hand to Hold’s privacy practices.

Policy Revisions

Hand to Hold may revise this Privacy Policy at any time by updating this posting. Please consult this Privacy Policy regularly.

With so much health information on the Internet, it is important to know who publishes information and why. This information is specifically created to answer questions about who is in charge of Hand to Hold, how it is funded, its mission, its advertising and sponsorship policies, editorial policy and its code of ethics. We welcome your questions at Kelli [at] handtohold [dot] org.

Refund Policy

If for any reason you are not 100 percent satisfied with your purchase from Hand to Hold’s store site, please email us at customerservice [at] handtohold [dot] org within 30 days of the date on the packing list. All sales are final after 60 days. Shipping and handling charges are not refundable, and customers are responsible for return shipping charges and restocking fees for any returns. All returns must be accompanied by the original packing list.

Editorial & Sponsorship Policies

Who is in charge of Hand to Hold?

Hand to Hold was founded by Kelli Kelley and is an independant 501(c)3 nonprofit. It was previously a 501(c)3 operating as a fund of the Austin Community Foundation. In collaboration with a board of directors and advisory team, Ms. Kelley makes all decisions in regard to the content selected for website articles, programs, newsletters, blog and daily oversees a small staff and numerous volunteers. She is not a medical professional. She is a parent of two preemies and ardent advocate for connecting families who have had a difficult pregnancy, premature birth, loss of a baby, or a child with a special health care need with education, resources and support.

Hand to Hold’s Blog, PreemieBabies101, Moderation

Hand to Hold launched a parent blog in spring 2012 called PreemieBabies101. This blog was originally founded by fellow preemie parent Afton Mower. She transferred ownership of the blog so that it could expand and continue under the leadership of  Hand to Hold.

  • This blog is moderated. Moderators are paid staff. Blog contributors are all volunteers. Internet users posting comments on this blog should not be considered as health professionals. If you are a health professional, please identify yourself in your comments.
  • Comments posted on this Blog should be designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between a patient/site visitor and his/her existing physician or health provider.
  • We remind you that everyone can read and use your comments. Once posted, you may not erase your comments. The moderator may occasionally edit comments with typos.
  • We ask that Internet users commenting on this blog behave with respect and honesty at all times.
  • This blog is designed to help parents support one another. Please be respectful and do not use this forum to post commercial/advertising-related comments.
  • Internet users commenting on PreemieBabies101 must post information which is true and correct to their knowledge. We invite you to provide resources (references, links, …) on health/medical claims when possible and relevant.
  • In keeping with the mission of Hand to Hold, PreemieBabies101 doesn’t promote third-party fundraising campaigns or soliciting forum members for donations.
  • Moderators reserve the right to erase, without notification, any comment they would judge inappropriate.

Netiquette

The following are a set of recommendations as you leave comments and interact with us on the blog, in the social media space, and on the Hand to Hold website.

  1. Be Yourself & Be courteous –  Be yourself. And, carefully consider how you communicate online, whether in comment to a post on the Website, the blog, or on Facebook or Twitter. Always treat others as you would like to be treated.
  2. Use Emoticons – When communicating online, it can be difficult to gauge a writer’s emotion. You may consider using emoticons to convey your emotion.
  3. Be Concise – Keep your message concise where possible. You may consider using acronyms or abbreviations, including ones that preemie parents are familiar with.
  4. Don’t Shout – Please do not write in all capital letters. It is considered SHOUTING, and considered rude.
  5. Pay Attention to Language – Improper, inappropriate or bad language is not appropriate. Also, remember that people from other countries may be participating in the conversation and language barriers may be an issue.
  6. Think Before Posting – What is posted today, could be harmful in the future. Please carefully consider the comments you make, the photos you post, and what conversations you should or shouldn’t contribute to. Please do not start a “flame war.”
  7. Keep Personal Information Private – Posting private and personal information in the wrong location can have serious consequences. Identity theft is a rapidly growing concern. And, we want to make sure that your family and children are protected as well. Consider using a unique user name instead of a full name for example.
  8. Obey Copyright Laws – Obey copyright laws. Provide links and references for information you provide. Some material may be licensed through a Creative Commons license which requires appropriate attribution.
  9. Help Newbies – Be patient and helpful to others who are new. Remember, everyone was a newbie once.
  10. Do Not Make Threats – Do not use handtohold.org  or any of our website features to post any material which is knowingly false and/or defamatory, inaccurate, abusive, vulgar, hateful, harassing, threatening, invasive of a person’s privacy, or otherwise violative of any law.

Does Hand to Hold accept advertising?

Because Hand to Hold is a 501(c)3 organization, it accepts sponsorships for promotion in place of advertising.

Sponsorship Policy

We accept sponsorships in exchange for promoting products and services we deem to be of interest to our supporters and which are in keeping with our editorial policy of parent empowerment, sound science and medical accuracy. Hand to Hold is funded through grants, sponsorships, events and donations from individuals, families and organizations. Its sponsors typically include medical device companies, pharmaceutical companies, consumer product companies and health care providers that target the unique medical needs preemies and their families have. Sponsorship denotes a financial commitment to support a selected area of the web site, specific space on the blog, Hand to Hold program or fundraising event. Sponsorship will be noted via a clearly marked image at the top of the sponsored pages or as a list of sponsors on an event page. Visit Hand to Hold’s sponsors.

Exclusions

As a matter of policy, we do not accept sponsorship for any product sold through multi-level marketing programs, sales affiliates, or from law firms representing class action law suits.

What does Hand to Hold  do?

Hand to Hold provides comprehensive navigation resources and support programs to parents of preemies, babies born with special health care needs and those who have experienced a loss due to these or other complications. Read the Hand to Hold mission and vision. Information found on the website and blog are not intended to take the place of a personal physician. The Hand to Hold site and blog serves as a resource and outlet to connect a community of families affected by premature birth with one another to provide emotional support. These resources and understanding helps families navigate a complex health care system so families can more easily find the information they need to care for their child and their family. Hand to Hold is not a medical-authored website. Hand to Hold provides peer support for parents and caregivers.

Editorial Policy

Sponsors are not permitted to influence the editorial content Hand to Hold educational resources or the Web content. All sponsorship is labeled while editorial content is designated by an author either by name or by status. Because Hand to Hold is a peer support website, all content of HandtoHold.org including its blog found at both www.preemiebabies101.com and blog.handtohold.org–unless otherwise noted by a medical professional–is authored by non-medical professional authors and parents. All comments are moderated on the website and blog by paid staff.

What is the HON Code?

The Health On the Net Foundation (HON) promotes and guides the deployment of useful and reliable online health information, and its appropriate and efficient use. Created in 1995, HON is a non-profit, non-governmental organization, accredited to the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations. For 15 years, HON has focused on the essential question of the provision of health information to citizens, information that respects ethical standards. To cope with the unprecedented volume of healthcare information available on the Net, the HONcode of conduct offers a multi-stakeholder consensus on standards to protect citizens from misleading health information.

Hand to Hold is currently making refinements to its website in order to seek voluntary certification with Health on the Net.

Credits: Moderation policy adapted from HONCode; Netiquette guidelines adapted from Internet @ Suite 101