HazeldenBettyFord.org Privacy Policy

Effective Date: December 21, 2021
Last Updated: March 6, 2026

This Privacy Policy ("Policy") explains how Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation ("HBFF," "we," "our," or "us") collects, uses, and shares personal information when you visit or interact with hazeldenbettyford.org and  web-based services that are operated by or on behalf of the HBFF on that site (the "Site"). This Policy applies to the Site generally and does not replace other notices that may apply in specific contexts, such as our Notice of Privacy Practices or other specific privacy notices.

At a Glance

• We collect information you provide directly (for example, when you request information, apply to programs, or donate) and information collected automatically through cookies and similar technologies.
• We use personal information to respond to requests, process donations and applications, communicate with you, and improve and operate the Site.
• We share information with trusted service providers that help us operate the Site and deliver services, payment processors, and analytics providers.
• You can control certain cookies and may have privacy rights depending on where you live. 
• We honor Global Privacy Control (GPC) signals where supported.

1. Personal Information We Collect

A. Information You Provide

The personal information we collect depends on how you use the Site. With respect to personal information shared with our service providers, including sensitive identifiers and treatment information, we require service providers to contractually commit to protecting the privacy and security of such information in accordance with applicable law. Where we share Protected Health Information (PHI), we require service providers to sign Business Associate Agreements (BAAs) or other similar contracts as required by HIPAA and other applicable laws. These agreements limit how service providers, such as Salesforce and our payment processors, may use your information and require the implementation of appropriate administrative, technical, and physical safeguards.   

Examples include:

Treatment Services Inquiries

If you request information about treatment services or complete a contact form, we may collect information such as your name, email address, telephone number, birth date, and details related to your inquiry (for example, insurance provider or preferences for how we contact you).

These forms are enabled through Salesforce, our customer relationship management (CRM) system. Information submitted through the forms may be stored in Salesforce.

When you complete a Self-Test, your responses are used only to provide results during that session and are not stored or linked to your identity. We collect limited, aggregated Self‑Test usage information through Google Analytics (such as total completion counts and overall trends), which does not identify individuals or allow tracking of specific Self-Tests.

Graduate School Inquiries and Applications

If you request information about or apply to the Hazelden Betty Ford Graduate School, we may collect contact information and application-related information, which may include sensitive identifiers such as Social Security Number (SSN), Date of Birth (DOB), citizenship, and academic records. Certain applicants may be required to provide sensitive information, such as a Social Security Number, through a secure applicant portal accessed via a personalized link. This information is not collected through public website forms and is handled in accordance with applicable privacy and security requirements.  

Graduate School forms and applications are supported through Pardot and/or Salesforce forms, and information may be stored in Pardot and/or Salesforce CRM. Additional Graduate School-specific privacy disclosures may apply and is available on the Students & Alumni webpage within the Student Handbook. 

Donations

If you donate through the Site, we collect information necessary to process the donation, such as your name or organization name, mailing address, email address, and payment method information (for example, limited payment card details, ACH, or digital wallet information). We do not store raw credit card numbers or full payment card details on our systems.  

Donations may be processed through third-party fundraising and payment partners (such as Classy and CardPointe). Donation records may also be stored in Salesforce CRM.

Publishing and Bookstore

If you purchase publications or place orders through our publishing or bookstore features, we may collect order and contact information necessary to fulfill your request. Orders may be processed through third-party commerce or payment service providers, and order information may be stored in systems such as Oracle and Salesforce CRM, where applicable. We do not store raw credit card numbers or full payment card details on our systems.  

Thought for the Day

If you view daily readings or similar content, you generally are not required to submit personal information. However, information about your interaction with the Site may be collected automatically through cookies and analytics, depending on your cookie choices.

Careers

If you apply for a job, we will collect information relating to your application, such as your first and last name, address, telephone number, email address, Social Security Number, driver's license, and resume.  Our collection, use, and disclosure of job applicant information are further described in the Job Applicant Privacy Notice available on our Careers page.  

Text Messaging (SMS Communications)

If you opt in to receive text messages from Hazelden Betty Ford, we may collect your mobile phone number(s) and your consent to receive SMS communications at that number(s). These messages will include appointment reminders, informational updates, and other communications related to our services. They may also include promotional or marketing messages. These messages may be sent using automated dialing technology and may be sent by Hazelden Betty Ford or service providers acting on our behalf. Message frequency may vary. Message and data rates may apply. Consent is voluntary and is not a condition of purchase.

You may opt out of receiving text messages at any time by replying STOP to any message. After you send STOP, you may receive a confirmation message confirming your opt out. For assistance, reply INFO or contact us at HOPE@hazeldenbettyford.org.

We maintain records of your opt in consent in accordance with applicable laws and mobile carrier requirements.

B. Information Collected Automatically

When you use the Site, we and our service providers may automatically collect certain information about your device and how you interact with the Site. This may include pages viewed, links clicked, approximate location (city or regional level), browser and device information, and referring or exit pages. This information is typically collected through cookies and similar technologies.

2. How We Use Personal Information

We use personal information for purposes such as:

• Responding to inquiries and providing information or services you request.
• Processing Graduate School inquiries and applications.
• Processing and acknowledging donations, including sending receipts and confirmations.
• Sending communications you opt into and managing communication preferences.
• Operating, maintaining, securing, and improving the Site and our services.
• Measuring and understanding the effectiveness of our outreach and marketing activities.
• Complying with legal obligations and enforcing our terms.
• Evaluating your candidacy for employment.  

3. Cookies, Analytics, and Advertising Measurement

Website Chatbot and Artificial Intelligence

The Site may offer a chat or virtual assistant feature that utilizes artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to help respond to general inquiries and provide information. 

Information you choose to share through the chatbot, including insurance information, may be collected and processed to operate the chatbot, respond to your requests, verify benefits, and maintain and improve the Site. When interacting with these features, you are interacting with an AI-powered agent and not a natural person. While reasonable safeguards are used to protect information submitted through the chatbot, users should limit shared information to what is requested and necessary for the intended purpose.

The chatbot does not make fully automated decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects for users (such as eligibility determinations, benefit confirmations, or decisions about services) without human involvement. Any verification or informational responses provided by the chatbot are generated to support general inquiries and are subject to human review as appropriate. Hazelden Betty Ford does not use the chatbot to engage in profiling that produces legal or similarly significant effects. If this were to change in the future, we would update this Privacy Policy and provide any required rights, opt out options, or notices under applicable law.

If we use a third-party AI vendor to provide or support these features, those service providers may process information under contract and are required to do so in accordance with applicable privacy and security requirements.  

Information submitted through the chatbot may be used, where appropriate and in de identified or aggregated form, to train and improve the chatbot's knowledge base and responses, enhance user experience, and support ongoing optimization of our digital services. Because of how these features are configured, information provided through these features may be automatically shared with, or accessible to, the service providers who supply the features. 

We use cookies and similar technologies to operate the Site and, depending on your choices, to analyze Site usage and measure the effectiveness of our marketing. Some cookies are strictly necessary or functional (for example, to enable embedded forms), while others may be used for analytics, experience measurement, and advertising measurement.

Examples of Tools We May Use

To support Site operations, analytics, communications, and experience optimization, we work with third‑party service providers. Examples of the types of tools we may use include website analytics platforms, advertising and conversion measurement tools, website optimization and testing tools, and form and email communication platforms. Examples of vendors that may provide these services include Salesforce, Google Analytics, and Google Ads. These examples are provided for transparency only and may change over time as our services evolve.

Your Cookie Choices

You can manage cookies through:

• Our cookie banner, where available, may allow you to opt out of certain categories of cookies.
• Your browser settings, which allow you to refuse or delete cookies (note that some Site features may not function properly without certain cookies).

Global Privacy Control (GPC): Where supported, we honor GPC signals as a request to opt out of certain sharing for advertising measurement or targeted advertisement measurement.

Do Not Sell or Share (Certain U.S. State Laws)

Some state privacy laws provide residents with the right to opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising. Where required, we provide a "Do Not Sell or Share" link or mechanism and process opt-out preference signals such as GPC.

4. How We Share Personal Information

We may share personal information in the following circumstances:

A. Service Providers

We share personal information with service providers that perform services on our behalf, such as hosting and operating the Site, processing donations and payments, managing forms and communications, and providing analytics, measurement, and optimization services. These service providers are permitted to use personal information only as necessary to perform services for us and in accordance with applicable law. Examples of service providers may include fundraising platforms, payment processors, customer relationship management tools, analytics providers, and communication vendors. We do not sell personal information to service providers.

B. Legal and Safety

We may disclose personal information if required to do so by law or legal process, or if we believe disclosure is necessary to protect the rights, safety, and security of Hazelden Betty Ford, our users, or others.

C. Organizational Transactions

We may share personal information in connection with a merger, acquisition, reorganization, or sale or transfer of assets, subject to applicable law.

5. Data Retention

We retain personal information for as long as reasonably necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law. Retention periods may vary depending on the context (for example, admissions applications or donations may be subject to recordkeeping requirements).

6. Security

We maintain reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect personal information. However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is completely secure.

7. Children's Privacy

The Site is not intended for children 15 and under, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children 15 and under.

8. Other Privacy Notices

Depending on how you interact with us, other privacy notices may apply, including:

• Our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices for health information related to treatment services.
• A Graduate School-specific privacy notice applicable to Graduate School webpages and services is available on the Students & Alumni webpage within the Student Handbook.
• Our Job Applicant Privacy Notice for job applicants can be found on the Careers Page. 

9. Privacy Rights and Choices (U.S. State Privacy Rights)

Hazelden Betty Ford is a nonprofit entity. Most state privacy laws do not apply to nonprofit entities. If you reside in one of the handful of states with comprehensive privacy laws applicable to nonprofit entities, for example, Colorado, Delaware, Maryland, Minnesota, Montana, New Jersey, and Oregon, you (or an authorized agent acting on your behalf) may have certain rights regarding your personal information. Depending on your state of residence, these rights may include the right to:

• Confirm whether we collect or process your personal information. 
• Access and obtain a copy of your personal information. 
• Correct inaccuracies in your personal information. 
• Request deletion of your personal information, subject to certain exceptions. 
• Opt-out of the sale of personal information (not applicable, because Hazelden Betty Ford does not sell personal information).
• Obtain a list of the categories of third parties to whom we have disclosed personal information. 
• Opt-out of targeted advertising (not applicable, because Hazelden Betty Ford does not engage in targeted advertising).
• Opt-out of certain profiling activities that produce legal or similarly significant effects (not applicable, because Hazelden Betty Ford does not engage in such profiling).
• Where applicable, limit the use and disclosure of sensitive personal information, to the extent required under the laws of your state.

Please note that there are exceptions to these rights under applicable state privacy laws. For example, "protected health information" regulated under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is generally exempt from state privacy laws and, as such, may not be subject to these rights. 

Nevada Residents

Nevada residents have the right to opt out of the sale of certain personal information as defined by Nevada law. Although we do not currently sell personal information as defined under Nevada law, Nevada residents may still submit a verified opt out request, and we will honor such requests should our practices change.

Global Privacy Control (GPC) and Opt-Out Signals

Where required by law, we provide mechanisms to exercise these rights and honor opt out preference signals, including the Global Privacy Control (GPC), as a valid request to opt out of certain data uses.

Non-Discrimination

We respond to verifiable privacy requests within the timeframes required by applicable law and will not discriminate against you for exercising any privacy rights available to you under applicable law. 

How to Exercise Your Rights

You may submit a privacy rights request by contacting us at info@hazeldenbettyford.org or calling 1-855-997-3536. We may need to verify your identity before responding to your request. To that end, your request must include your name, email address, mailing address, phone number, the nature of your inquiry and the context in which we may have received your information.  If you are an agent submitting a request on behalf of a consumer, we may request that you submit signed permission from the consumer authorizing you to make the request.  To protect the privacy and data security of consumers, the verifiable consumer request must: 

• Provide sufficient information that allows us to reasonably verify you are the person about whom we collected personal information or an authorized representative of such consumer; and 
• Describe your request with sufficient detail that allows us to properly understand, evaluate, and respond to it.

We will not discriminate against you for exercising any privacy rights available to you under applicable law.  Depending on the law of the state where you reside, in the event we deny your privacy request, you may have the right to appeal that denial. You may do so by emailing us at info@hazeldenbettyford.org and explaining the basis for your appeal. If we reject your appeal, you may contact the attorney general or other appropriate regulator of your state with any concerns regarding the result of your appeal.

Marketing Communications

You may opt out of marketing emails at any time by using the unsubscribed link included in the footer of our emails or by contacting us at the email address above.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will post the updated version on this page and update the Effective Date above.

11. How to Contact Us

To contact us for questions or concerns about our privacy policies or practices contact info@hazeldenbettyford.org.