Conditions of Use

​Thank you for visiting the Department of Community Services and Development (CSD) website and reviewing our Use Policy. You should also be aware that CSD has a Privacy Policy, which is available on this website as well. CSD wants you to know about the collection, use, security, and access to information that may be obtained through use of CSD’s website. By visiting this website, you are accepting the policies and practices described in this document, which covers the following topics:
  • Personal Information and Choice ​
  • Protections for Children
  • Information Collected and How it is Used
  • Use of Internet Request for Assistance Form Information
  • If You Send Us E-mail​
  • Public Disclosure
  • Automatic Collection of Information/Cookies
  • Security
  • Links to Other Sites
  • Limitation of Liability
  • Intended Use and System Monitoring
  • Ownership

Please note that this Use Policy is subject to change without notice, and that it reflects CSD's current business practices. This Use Policy is dated June 28, 2019.

​ Personal Information and Choice

"Personal information" is information about a natural person that identifies or describes an individual, including, but not limited to, his or her name, Social Security number, physical description, home address, home telephone number, education, financial matters, and medical or employment history, readily identifiable to that specific individual. A domain name or Internet Protocol address is not considered personal information; however, it is considered "electronically collected personal information."

According to Government Code § 11015.5., "electronically collected personal information" means any information that is maintained by an agency that identifies or describes an individual user, including, but not limited to, his or her name, Social Security number, physical description, home address, home telephone number, education, financial matters, medical or employment history, password, electronic mail address, and information that reveals any network location or identity, but excludes any information manually submitted to a state agency by a user, whether electronically or in written form, and information on, or relating to, individuals who are users serving in a business capacity, including, but not limited to, business owners, officers, or principals of that business.

"Electronically collected personal information" that we automatically collect includes your domain name or Internet Protocol address, and statistical information about which web pages you visit. If you voluntarily participate in an activity that asks for specific information (i.e., completing a request for assistance, personalizing the content of the website, sending an e-mail, or participating in a survey) more detailed data will be collected. If you choose not to participate in these activities, your choice will in no way affect your ability to use any other feature of the website.
State law, including the Information Practices Act of 1977, Government Code Section 11015.5., and the federal Privacy Act of 1974, may protect any type of personal information that is requested on the website or voluntarily provided by the user. However, this information may be a public record once you provide it, and may be subject to public inspection and copying if not otherwise protected by federal or state law.

Protections for Children

Children are not eligible to use State website services that require submission of personal information. Minors (under the age of 18) are prohibited from submitting personal information to CSD. Minors may access services only in conjunction with access of the state website(s) by their parent(s) or legal guardian(s).

In the event that the state/CSD determines necessary the collection of minors’ personal information, it will notify parents that information is being requested, disclose the reasons for collecting it, and disclose our intended use of it. CSD will seek parental consent before collecting any personally identifiable information. If it does collect such information, parents may request documentation on the type of data being collected, view their child's information, and, if they choose, prohibit CSD from making further use of their child's information. CSD will not provide personal information about children to third parties.

Information Collected and How It Is Used

Personal information is collected directly from individuals who volunteer to use some of our services. Collection of this information is required to deliver the specific services, but use of these services is voluntary.
If you do nothing during your visit to the website except browse or download information, we automatically collect and store the following information about your visit:

• The Internet Protocol Address and domain name used, but not the e-mail address. The Internet Protocol Address is a numerical identifier assigned either to your Internet service provider or directly to your computer. We use the Internet Protocol Address to direct Internet traffic to you and generate statistics used in the management of this site;
• The type of browser and operating system you used;
• The date and time you visited this site;
• The Web pages or services you accessed at this site;
• The website you visited prior to coming to this website;
• The website you visit as you leave this website; and
• If you downloaded a form, the form that was downloaded.
The information we automatically collect or store is used to improve the content of our Web services and to help us understand how people are using our services. This information does not identify you personally and is used for gathering website statistics. The information we automatically collect and store in our logs about your visit helps us analyze our website to continually improve the value of the materials available. Our website logs do not identify a visitor by personal information, and we make no attempt to link other websites with the individuals that browse CSD's website.

Government Code § 11015.5.(a)(6) prohibits all state agencies from distributing or selling any electronically collected personal information, as defined above, about users to any third party without the permission of the user. CSD does not sell any "electronically collected personal information." Any distribution of "electronically collected personal information" will be solely for the purposes for which it was provided to us.

CSD may provide or distribute certain lists and statistical reports of regulatory information as provided by law, but no personal information is sold or distributed, and all relevant legal protections still apply to CSD's website.

What Happens to Information You Submit to Us?

If you choose to submit information to us, the information will be transmitted through secure lines to our departmental database. Any private information will only be used for the purposes for which it was provided and will not be shared with another entity except as prescribed by law. Please see our Privacy Policy for additional information.

Use of Internet Request for Assistance Form Information

Any information you provide to us will only be shared with entities involved in your case as necessary. Information you provide may be included with other consumers' information to be used for statistical reporting, trending data, and/or investigative actions. If you provide us with information regarding an issue that does not fall within our regulatory jurisdiction, we may refer your information to the appropriate local, state, or federal agency on your behalf.

If You Send Us E-Mail

You may choose to provide us with personal information through e-mail with a comment or question. We use the information to improve our service to you or to respond to your request. Sometimes we forward your e-mail to other state employees who may be better able to help you, and this staff may be employed by a different agency within the state. Except for authorized law enforcement investigations, or as required by law, we do not share your e-mail with any other organizations.

We use your e-mail to respond appropriately. This may be to respond to you, to address issues you identify, to further improve our website, or to forward the e-mail to another agency for appropriate action.

Public Disclosure

In the state of California, laws exist to ensure that government is open and that the public has a right to access appropriate records and information possessed by state government. At the same time, there are exceptions to the public's right to access public records. These exceptions serve various needs, including maintaining the privacy of individuals. Both state and federal laws provide exceptions.
All information collected at this site becomes public record that may be subject to inspection and copying by the public, unless an exemption in law exists. In the event of a conflict between this Use Policy and the Public Records Act, the Information Practices Act, or other law governing the disclosure of records, the Public Records Act, the Information Practices Act, or other applicable law will control.

Personal Information

Under Government Code § 11015.5., if you choose, you may have any personal information collected about you discarded without reuse or distribution, provided we are contacted in a timely fashion.

Automatic Collection of Information/Cookies

Cookies are simple text files stored on your computer by your Web browser. Our website does not automatically require the use of cookies.

CSD makes every attempt to avoid the use of cookies. When needed to maintain the functionality of an application, unlike the common usage of cookies, CSD only uses cookies during the session in which you access our interactive applications.

Cookies created on your computer by using this website do not contain "personal information" and do not compromise your privacy or security. We use the cookie feature only to store a randomly generated identifying temporary tag on your computer. You can refuse the cookie or delete the cookie file from your computer by using any of the widely available methods. However, if you turn your cookie option off, you may not be able to access some of the features in any interactive applications.

Security

CSD, as developer and manager of this website, has taken several steps to safeguard the integrity of its telecommunications and computing infrastructure, including, but not limited to, authentication, monitoring, auditing, and encryption. Security measures have been integrated into the design, implementation, and day-to-day practices of the entire operating environment as part of the state’s continuing commitment to risk management. This information should not be construed in any way as giving business, legal, or other advice, or warranting as fail-proof the security of information provided via this website.

Links to Other Sites

Our website has links to sites we feel might be useful to you and which may provide services. When you link to another site, you are no longer on our site and are subject to the privacy policy of the new site.
This website and the information it contains are provided as a public service by CSD. This system is monitored to ensure proper operation, to verify the functioning of applicable security features, and for comparable purposes. Anyone using this system expressly consents to such monitoring. Unauthorized attempts to modify any information stored on this system, to defeat or circumvent security features, or to utilize this system for reasons other than its intended purposes are prohibited and may result in criminal prosecution.

Limitation of Liability

CSD attempts to maintain the highest accuracy of content on its website. While CSD believes the information to be reliable, human or mechanical error remains a possibility. Therefore, CSD does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, or correct sequencing of the information. Neither CSD, nor any of the sources of the information, shall be responsible for any errors or omissions, or for the use or results obtained from the use of this information. Other specific cautionary notices may be included on other Web pages maintained by CSD. Any errors or omissions should be reported for investigation.

CSD makes no claims, promises, or guarantees about the absolute accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the contents of this website and expressly disclaims liability for errors and omissions in the contents of this website. No warranty of any kind, implied, expressed, or statutory, including, but not limited to, the warranties of non-infringement of third party rights, title, merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and freedom from computer viruses, is given with respect to the contents of this website or its hyperlinks to other Internet resources. Reference in this website to any specific commercial products, processes, or services, or the use of any trade, firm, or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the public, and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the State of California, CSD, or its employees or agents.

This Use Policy is subject to change without notice.

Intended Use and System Monitoring

This website and the computer system (“system”) that hosts and controls this site, is operated by CSD and is for official use only. This system is monitored to ensure proper operation, to verify the functioning of applicable security features, and for comparable purposes. Anyone using the website expressly consents to such monitoring. Unauthorized attempts to modify any information stored on the system that hosts the website or to use the information for any reasons other than its intended purposes are prohibited and may result in criminal prosecution.

Ownership

In general, information presented on this website, unless otherwise indicated, is considered in the public domain. It may be distributed or copied as permitted by law. However, CSD/The State of California does make use of copyrighted data (e.g., photographs) which may require additional permissions prior to further use. Any person seeking to use, from the website, any information of any nature not owned or created by the State of California, must seek permission directly from the persons or entities that own (or hold) rights to such information. The State of California shall have the unlimited right to use for any purpose, free of any charge, all information submitted via this site, excepting those submissions made under separate legal contract. The State of California shall be free to use, for any purpose, any ideas, concepts, or techniques contained in information provided through this site.

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