Privacy Policy for Cuyahoga County Veterans Service Commission

Who We Are

Our website address is: https://cuyahogavets.org.
The Cuyahoga County Veterans Service Commission (CCVSC) is a county agency serving honorably discharged veterans, their spouses, and dependents in Cuyahoga County, Ohio. We provide no-cost assistance with VA claims, financial aid, VetConnect events, and more.

What Personal Data We Collect and Why We Collect It

Comments

When visitors leave comments, we collect the data shown in the comments form, plus the visitor’s IP address and browser user agent string to detect spam.
An anonymized string (hash) from your email may be shared with the Gravatar service to check if you use it. Gravatar’s privacy policy is available here: https://automattic.com/privacy/. After approval, your profile picture is publicly visible with your comment.

Contact Forms

We use Gravity Forms and Divi for contact forms, event RSVPs, or service requests (e.g., VA claims, financial aid). We collect your name, email, phone number, and details you provide to process your request. Google reCAPTCHA verifies you’re not a bot, collecting IP addresses and browser data per Google’s privacy policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy. This data is used solely to assist you, not for marketing.

Scheduling

If you book appointments via Calendly (e.g., for claims assistance), we collect your name, email, and appointment details to schedule and confirm. Calendly’s privacy policy applies: https://calendly.com/privacy.

Events

The Events Calendar collects names, emails, or other details for VetConnect RSVPs or event submissions to manage attendance and send updates. This supports event planning and communication.

Media

If you upload images (e.g., for events), avoid including embedded location data (EXIF GPS). Visitors can download and extract this data, risking your privacy.

Cookies

• Commenting may set cookies for your name, email, and website, lasting one year for convenience.
• Login pages set a temporary cookie to check browser compatibility, deleted when you close your browser.
• Logging in sets cookies for login info and screen preferences, lasting two days (or two weeks with “Remember Me”). Logging out removes these.
• Gravity Forms, Google reCAPTCHA, Google Maps, YouTube, and Facebook may set cookies for functionality or tracking, lasting from a session to several months, depending on the service. You can manage cookies via your browser settings.
• The Events Calendar may set cookies for event interactions, typically lasting up to one year.

Embedded Content from Other Websites

Our site includes embedded content like YouTube videos, Google Maps for locations, or Facebook posts. These behave as if you visited those sites, collecting data like IP addresses, browser details, or interactions, especially if you’re logged into their platforms. Adobe Fonts and Google Fonts load fonts, logging minimal data like IP addresses. See their privacy policies:

• YouTube/Google: https://policies.google.com/privacy
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/privacy/policy/
• Adobe Fonts: https://www.adobe.com/privacy.html

Analytics

We use Google Site Kit to connect with Google Analytics, collecting anonymized data like page views, IP addresses, and device types to improve our site. No personal data is tied to individuals unless you submit it elsewhere (e.g., forms). Google’s privacy policy applies: https://policies.google.com/privacy.

Who We Share Your Data With

We do not sell or rent data. We may share data with:

• CCVSC staff or accredited service officers to process requests (e.g., VA claims, financial aid).
• Federal/state agencies (e.g., VA) to fulfill benefits, per Ohio law.
• Third parties like Google (Analytics, reCAPTCHA, Maps), Facebook, YouTube, Calendly, and Adobe Fonts, which process data under their privacy policies for site functionality or analytics. As a county agency, some data may be subject to Ohio public records laws and could be disclosed if requested, except protected data like Social Security numbers or medical records.

How Long We Retain Your Data

• Comments and metadata are kept indefinitely for follow-up management.
• Form submissions (e.g., Gravity Forms, Calendly) are retained up to three years to track services or meet county rules, then deleted unless legally required.
• Event data from The Events Calendar is kept for one year post-event unless needed longer for records.
• User profiles (if registered) are stored until deletion is requested. Admins can view/edit this data.
• VA claim or financial aid data may be retained longer per Ohio Revised Code §5901 or VA rules.

What Rights You Have Over Your Data

If you’ve commented, submitted forms, or registered, you can request:

• An exported file of your personal data.
• Deletion of your data, except what we must keep for legal, administrative, or security purposes. Email vscmail@cuyahogacounty.gov with requests; we’ll respond within 30 days, per Ohio law.

Where We Send Your Data

• Comments may go through spam detection services.
• Form and scheduling data stays with CCVSC unless shared with the VA or agencies for services.
• Analytics (Google Site Kit), embedded content (YouTube, Google Maps, Facebook), and fonts (Adobe, Google) send anonymized data to those providers.

Your Contact Information

We use contact info from forms or Calendly only for services like claims help, financial aid, or event updates. Opt out of non-essential emails by contacting vscmail@cuyahogacounty.gov.

Additional Information

How We Protect Your Data

We use secure servers, HTTPS encryption, and access controls. Only authorized CCVSC staff handle personal data, trained on privacy protocols. We never request sensitive info (e.g., Social Security numbers) via phone or unsolicited emails.

What Data Breach Procedures We Have in Place

If a breach occurs, we’ll:

• Notify affected users within 72 hours if personal data is compromised.
• Report to Cuyahoga County IT and Ohio authorities, per state law.
• Secure systems to prevent further issues.

What Third Parties We Receive Data From

We may receive data from the VA or Ohio agencies (e.g., eligibility records) to verify service requests, with your consent or as legally required. No marketing data is accepted.

What Automated Decision Making and/or Profiling We Do

We don’t use automated decisions or profiling that affects your rights. Analytics (Google Site Kit) improve site performance, not target users.

Industry Regulatory Disclosure Requirements

Under Ohio Revised Code §5901, we comply with:

• Ohio public records laws, where some data may be disclosable unless exempt.
• VA regulations for claims data.
• Cuyahoga County IT security standards.