Harford County Community Services

Privacy Policy for Information Requested

 In order to secure federal and state funding for many of the services provided to seniors by the Harford County Office on Aging, the Maryland Department of Aging requires us to provide information which shows how seniors benefit from the services they receive here in Harford County. For this reason, we ask seniors to complete a registration form with basic information which is kept in secure files here at the Office on Aging.

 We respect the individual privacy of every senior who registers with us, so we want you to know that neither the Maryland Department of Aging nor the Harford County Office on Aging will ever voluntarily share any personal information which identifies you (such as your name, your social security number, address, telephone numbers, email address(es), etc.) with any other person or agency except people working for them who need the facts to perform their jobs.

The information you provide to us is added together to prepare local, state, and federal reports and to help improve programs and services for seniors in Maryland, and ensure that the programs are serving persons who are qualified for the program. It may be shared with the Maryland Department of Aging (MDoA). For example, the number of seniors who register to eat lunch at the senior centers may be tallied so that the Maryland Department of Aging can see how many seniors enjoy eating together at Harford County senior centers. In this way, the Maryland Department of Aging knows how many Harford County seniors are benefiting from a balanced meal each day. The Maryland Department of Aging is then able to add the numbers from all Maryland counties to be able to report to the Administration on Aging how much money is needed to fund the senior nutrition program in Maryland.

We sincerely appreciate your cooperation in filling out the registration form because the information you give us helps us to tailor our services to best meet your needs. For example, answers we have gathered from seniors who have vision problems have encouraged us to provide more low-vision services in our centers. When we are able to share this kind of information with the Maryland Department of Aging, they are also better able to provide funding and support to help improve programs and services for seniors throughout the state. The information you provide to us is voluntary and is considered confidential by us and is only shared with the Maryland Department of Aging as described above. Even if you choose not to provide information, you will still be eligible for most services so long as they do not require proof of limited income or medical eligibility. You may refuse to give some or all of the information requested. However, if a program is provided for persons who meet certain qualifications (such as age, income, or health condition), and you do not share this information that shows program eligibility, then you will not be able to participate in that program. Harford County Office on Aging staff can tell you which information is required to show program eligibility.

You may look at a record that identifies you in order to ensure that the information is correct. To view your record, you must write to the Harford County Office on Aging, 145 North Hickory Avenue, Bel Air, MD 21014 or Maryland Department of Aging at 301 West Preston Street, Suite 1007, Baltimore, MD 21201.