Privacy Policy

A site owner may not:

• Capture state agency pages within the site owner’s frames.
• Present state agency website content as that of the site owner.
• Misinform users about the origin or ownership of the content of the state agency website.
• Otherwise misrepresent the content of the state agency pages.

Any link to a state agency site should be a full forward link that passes the client browser to the state agency site unencumbered. The BACK button should return the visitor to the site owner’s site if the visitor wishes to back out.

HHSC asserts its copyright on all content it creates. Unless otherwise noted on an individual document, file, web page or other website, HHSC grants permission to copy and distribute information on its website for noncommercial and nonprofit use, as long as all the following conditions are met:

• The content remains unaltered.
• The information does not imply that either it, as it is presented on your website, or you are endorsed by the state.
• The information is accompanied by a statement that neither it, as it is presented on your website, nor you are endorsed by the State of Texas or any state agency.
• The information identifies HHSC as its source and gives the HHSC web address and the date the information was copied from the HHSC website.

HHSC may not charge a fee to access, use or reproduce information on its website or to link to information on its website. To protect our intellectual property rights, copied information must reflect our copyright, trademark, service mark or other intellectual property rights.

HHSC provides links to the websites of other organizations through its website. Our link policy is to only link to organizations that we are in partnership with or that are appropriate with our mission and functions and those are usually state, federal, city, universities or major nonprofit organizations. These links are provided for additional information only. When choosing external sites to which we link, we consider the external site’s appropriateness and the relevance of the subject matter to our functions. We do not endorse the content, products, services or viewpoints of these external sites or of any external sites that may provide links to our website. Furthermore, we do not guarantee that the information on websites linked to or from our website is accurate, complete or current. We do not independently verify nor exert editorial control over information on pages outside of the “hhs.texas.gov” domain. You are responsible for checking the information presented on websites linked to or from the HHSC website.

The HHSC website does not enter into reciprocal link agreements. We provide links to sites that are appropriate to our mission. Our creation of a link to your site does not obligate you to provide a link back to the HHSC site, but you are, of course, welcome to do so in compliance with this linking policy. We always appreciate a note telling us of new links to our site. Send link information to the HHSC webmaster.

HHS, like all governmental bodies in Texas, is subject to Chapter 552 of the Texas Government Code, also known as the Texas Public Information Act. The Texas Public Information Act creates a presumption that all information collected and maintained by a governmental body is public information that is available to members of the public who request it. Accordingly, in most circumstances, the law will require HHS to release to the public the information collected about visitors to its website if the information is requested.

Although the law will usually require HHS to release information collected about visitors to its website, HHS does not automatically collect any personal information. For site management functions, information is collected for analysis and statistical purposes. This information is not reported or used in any manner that would reveal personally identifiable information. We use log analysis tools to create summary statistics, which are used for purposes such as assessing what information is of most interest, determining technical design specifications, and identifying system performance or problem areas.

HHS uses Google Analytics. However, no attempt is made to match this information with the identity of the visitor, except as is required to comply with a law enforcement investigation.

The only personal information that HHS obtains about website visitors is the information the visitors provide when they communicate with the agency through the website. State law makes your email address confidential in most circumstances. However, website visitors who wish to communicate with HHS through the website should keep in mind that the law may require the agency to release most of the other information they provide if the information is requested through the Texas Public Information Act.

HHS uses cookies for some activities, like searches and website analytics. However, no personally identifiable information is stored on either the visitor’s or HHS computers.

You can setup your browser to let you know when a cookie is received. You can view or delete existing cookies. You can stop your browser from accepting new cookies. You can also disable cookies altogether.

HHS contracts with a company called GovDelivery, Inc., to provide email updates. When you sign up for email updates, you are giving your information to both HHS and GovDelivery. When HHS has your information, it is subject to HHS’s privacy policy. When GovDelivery has your information, it is subject to their privacy policy. Click here to go to the GovDelivery privacy policy(link is external).

Anyone may ask for any information about themselves collected by HHS. This request should be put in writing and mailed, hand-delivered, faxed or emailed to HHS. Consult the Public Information Policy and Procedures for more details about how to ask HHS for information.

Individuals may also ask HHS to correct information it collects about them. A request to correct information must be in writing and must:

• identify the individual asking for the correction;
• identify the information that is allegedly wrong;
• state why the information is wrong;
• include any proof that shows the information is wrong; and
• provide information that will allow HHS to contact the subject of the information.

A request to correct information should be sent to the portion of HHS with whom the subject of the information does business. Anyone who does not know where to send a request to correct information should call 2-1-1 or 877-541-7905 (toll-free). People who are deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired should call 7-1-1 or 800-735-2989 (toll-free).

HHS is not responsible for the privacy policies, or lack of policies, in place at any site linked to or from the HHSC site and not within the domain of hhs.texas.gov.

For site security purposes and to ensure that the site remains available to all users, HHS uses software to monitor network traffic to identify unauthorized attempts to upload or change information, or otherwise cause damage. Except for authorized law enforcement investigations, no other attempts are made to identify individual users or their usage habits. Raw data logs are used for no other purposes. Unauthorized attempts to upload information or change information on this site are strictly prohibited and may be punishable under the Texas Penal Code Chapter 33 (Computer Crimes) or 33A (Telecommunications Crimes).