Effective Date: August 18, 2026
Last Updated: August 18, 2026
Breakthrough House, Inc. (“Breakthrough House,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) respects the privacy of the individuals we serve, employees, applicants, community partners, donors, volunteers, website visitors, and others who interact with our organization.
This Privacy Policy describes the types of information we may collect, how we use and protect that information, when information may be disclosed, and the choices individuals have regarding their information. It also describes our practices regarding SMS/text messaging.
Our website is https://breakthroughhouse.org.
1. Information We May Collect
Depending upon how an individual interacts with Breakthrough House, we may collect information including:
Personal and Contact Information
- Name
- Mailing or physical address
- Email address
- Telephone or mobile phone number
- Emergency contact information
- Date of birth or other identifying information when necessary
- Information submitted through website forms, applications, referrals, or other communications
Service-Related Information
When an individual receives or seeks services from Breakthrough House, we may collect information reasonably necessary to determine eligibility, coordinate services, provide assistance, maintain records, process payments, comply with funding requirements, or otherwise perform our responsibilities.
Depending upon the program or service, this may include sensitive personal, financial, benefits, housing, health-related, or service-related information.
Information collected in connection with programs and services may be subject to additional privacy protections, consent requirements, releases of information, contractual requirements, or applicable federal and state laws.
Employment and Volunteer Information
Individuals who apply for employment, volunteer opportunities, internships, board service, or similar positions may provide information such as:
- Contact information
- Employment history
- Education and credentials
- References
- Résumés and applications
- Background information when applicable
- Other information relevant to the application or onboarding process
Website and Technical Information
When individuals visit our website, certain information may be collected automatically, including:
- IP address
- Browser type
- Device information
- Operating system
- Pages visited
- Date and time of access
- Referring website
- Cookie information
- Other technical information used for website operation, security, analytics, and spam prevention
2. How We Use Information
Breakthrough House may use personal information for legitimate organizational purposes, including to:
- Provide, coordinate, and administer programs and services;
- Communicate with individuals receiving or seeking services;
- Respond to questions, referrals, inquiries, and requests;
- Schedule or confirm appointments, meetings, services, or activities;
- Provide service-related reminders and updates;
- Communicate information about programs, resources, events, and organizational activities;
- Process applications for employment, volunteer positions, internships, or other opportunities;
- Administer representative payee, residential, case management, community-based, or other authorized services;
- Maintain appropriate organizational and service records;
- Meet contractual, grant, regulatory, billing, audit, or reporting requirements;
- Protect the safety, security, rights, and property of Breakthrough House and the people we serve;
- Maintain and improve our website, communications systems, and technology;
- Prevent fraud, spam, misuse, unauthorized access, and other security threats; and
- Comply with applicable laws, regulations, court orders, subpoenas, or other lawful requirements.
Breakthrough House will seek to limit the collection and use of personal information to information reasonably necessary for legitimate organizational purposes.
3. SMS/Text Messaging Privacy and Consent
Breakthrough House may communicate with individuals through SMS or text messaging when appropriate consent has been provided or when another legally permissible form of consent applies.
Text messages may include conversational and informational communications such as:
- Responses to questions or requests;
- Appointment or meeting reminders;
- Scheduling and service coordination;
- Program and service updates;
- Requested information;
- Resource information;
- Follow-up communications;
- Administrative notifications;
- Employment or applicant communications; and
- Other communications related to an individual’s relationship with Breakthrough House.
The specific types of messages received will depend upon the individual’s relationship with Breakthrough House and the consent provided.
SMS Consent
Where express consent is required, Breakthrough House may obtain consent verbally, electronically, in writing, through a website form, or through another appropriate method.
Submitting a telephone number to Breakthrough House does not automatically authorize all forms of text messaging. We will obtain consent as required based upon the nature and purpose of the messages being sent.
Consent to receive SMS/text messages is not a condition of receiving services from Breakthrough House unless text messaging is specifically necessary for a requested communication method or service and is otherwise permitted by law.
Mobile Information and SMS Consent Will Not Be Shared
No mobile information, mobile opt-in information, or text messaging consent obtained by Breakthrough House will be sold, rented, or shared with third parties or affiliates for their own marketing or promotional purposes.
SMS opt-in information and consent will not be shared with third parties or affiliates for marketing purposes.
Information may be provided to vendors and service providers that assist Breakthrough House in delivering communications, such as telecommunications and technology providers, when necessary to provide the requested service. Such providers receive information only as necessary to perform services on behalf of Breakthrough House and are not authorized by Breakthrough House to use SMS consent information for their own marketing purposes.
4. SMS Terms of Service
By consenting to receive SMS messages from Breakthrough House, Inc., an individual agrees to receive conversational and/or informational text messages consistent with the consent provided.
Message Frequency
Messaging frequency may vary depending upon the individual’s relationship and interactions with Breakthrough House.
Message and Data Rates
Message and data rates may apply. Charges are determined by the individual’s mobile carrier and wireless service plan. Breakthrough House is not responsible for charges imposed by a mobile carrier.
Opting Out
Recipients may opt out of SMS communications at any time by replying:
STOP
After receiving a STOP request, Breakthrough House will process the opt-out request and the recipient will receive confirmation that they have been unsubscribed from applicable SMS communications.
No additional applicable text messages will be sent unless the individual subsequently provides consent to resume text messaging or as otherwise permitted by law.
Help
Recipients may reply:
HELP
for assistance regarding Breakthrough House text messaging.
Individuals may also contact Breakthrough House through the contact information provided on our website at https://breakthroughhouse.org.
Consent Is Specific to Breakthrough House
Consent to receive text messages from Breakthrough House applies only to communications from Breakthrough House and does not constitute consent to receive marketing or promotional messages from third parties.
Carrier Responsibility
Wireless carriers are not liable for delayed or undelivered messages. Delivery of text messages is subject to the availability and operation of wireless networks and other systems outside the control of Breakthrough House.
5. How We Share Information
Breakthrough House does not sell personal information.
We may disclose information when reasonably necessary for legitimate organizational purposes, including:
Service Providers
We may use third-party vendors to provide services such as:
- Website hosting;
- Information technology;
- Telecommunications;
- Email;
- SMS/text messaging;
- Data storage;
- Cybersecurity;
- Payment processing;
- Software applications; and
- Other operational support.
These providers may have access to information only to the extent necessary to perform services for Breakthrough House and are expected to protect information appropriately.
Service Coordination
When permitted by the individual, an applicable authorization, contract, or law, Breakthrough House may share information with organizations involved in coordinating or providing services.
This may include healthcare or behavioral health providers, government agencies, managed care organizations, community organizations, housing providers, guardians, authorized representatives, contractors, or other parties involved in an individual’s services.
Where a release of information or other authorization is required, Breakthrough House will obtain appropriate authorization before disclosure unless disclosure is otherwise permitted or required by law.
Legal and Safety Requirements
Information may be disclosed when Breakthrough House reasonably believes disclosure is necessary to:
- Comply with applicable law;
- Respond to a valid subpoena, court order, or governmental request;
- Meet mandatory reporting requirements;
- Protect the health or safety of an individual or others;
- Investigate suspected fraud or unlawful activity; or
- Protect the rights, property, systems, or security of Breakthrough House.
Mobile opt-in information and SMS consent are not shared with third parties or affiliates for their own marketing or promotional purposes.
6. Protection of Sensitive Information
Breakthrough House recognizes that some information entrusted to the organization is particularly sensitive.
We maintain administrative, technical, and physical safeguards reasonably designed to protect personal information against unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, loss, or misuse.
Depending upon the information and system involved, safeguards may include:
- Access controls;
- Password protections;
- Multi-factor authentication;
- Role-based system permissions;
- Secure electronic systems;
- Device security;
- Staff confidentiality requirements;
- Workforce training;
- Data backup and recovery procedures;
- Vendor security requirements; and
- Incident response procedures.
No electronic system or method of transmission can be guaranteed to be completely secure. Individuals should use reasonable caution when transmitting sensitive information electronically.
7. Health and Service Information
Breakthrough House provides a variety of community-based and supportive services. Certain information maintained by Breakthrough House or its contracted service partners may be subject to additional federal or state confidentiality requirements.
Where applicable, protected health information and other legally protected information will be handled in accordance with the privacy and confidentiality requirements that apply to the specific program, service, record, or provider.
This website Privacy Policy does not replace any Notice of Privacy Practices, Release of Information, consent form, confidentiality agreement, or other privacy notice that may apply to a particular Breakthrough House program or service.
8. Cookies and Website Technologies
Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to support website functionality, security, user preferences, and performance.
If a visitor leaves a comment on our website, the visitor may have the option to save their name, email address, and website information in cookies for convenience.
Temporary cookies may also be used to determine whether a visitor’s browser accepts cookies.
Users who log into portions of the website may receive cookies used to maintain login information and display preferences.
Visitors may configure their browser to refuse or delete cookies. Some website functions may not operate correctly if cookies are disabled.
9. Website Comments
When visitors leave comments on the website, Breakthrough House may collect the information displayed in the comments form along with the visitor’s IP address and browser user-agent information for spam detection and website security.
An anonymized string generated from an email address may be provided to the Gravatar service to determine whether the visitor uses that service.
After approval of a comment, a profile image associated with the Gravatar account may be publicly visible with the comment.
10. Media
Individuals who upload images to the Breakthrough House website should avoid uploading images containing embedded location information, including EXIF GPS data.
Website visitors may be able to download images and extract embedded information from those images.
11. Embedded Content and Third-Party Websites
The Breakthrough House website may contain embedded content or links to other websites, including videos, images, articles, forms, maps, social media content, or other resources.
Third-party websites operate independently from Breakthrough House and may collect information, use cookies, or employ other tracking technologies according to their own privacy practices.
Breakthrough House is not responsible for the privacy practices, security, or content of websites operated by third parties.
Individuals should review the privacy policies of third-party websites before providing personal information.
12. Data Retention
Breakthrough House retains personal information for the period reasonably necessary to:
- Provide services;
- Maintain required organizational records;
- Meet contractual obligations;
- Comply with grant and funding requirements;
- Satisfy legal and regulatory requirements;
- Support billing and financial recordkeeping;
- Resolve disputes;
- Protect organizational rights; and
- Meet applicable record-retention requirements.
Retention periods may vary depending upon the type of information and the program or service involved.
Website comments and associated metadata may be retained indefinitely to allow the website to recognize and approve follow-up comments.
13. Individual Privacy Requests
Individuals may contact Breakthrough House with questions regarding personal information maintained through our website.
Depending upon the nature of the information and applicable law, individuals may request access to, correction of, or deletion of certain personal information.
Breakthrough House may be required to retain information for administrative, legal, contractual, regulatory, financial, service-related, or security purposes and therefore may not be able to fulfill every deletion request.
Requests involving client, service, health, financial, or other protected records may be subject to separate procedures and applicable laws.
14. Children’s Privacy
Breakthrough House does not knowingly use its public website to solicit personal information directly from children in violation of applicable law.
When information concerning a minor is required for an authorized program or service, Breakthrough House will handle the information in accordance with applicable consent, authorization, confidentiality, and privacy requirements.
15. Data Security Incidents
Breakthrough House maintains procedures for responding to suspected unauthorized access, disclosure, loss, or misuse of personal information.
When required by applicable law, Breakthrough House will provide appropriate notification to affected individuals, governmental agencies, business partners, or other required parties following a reportable data security incident.
16. Changes to This Privacy Policy
Breakthrough House may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in:
- Programs and services;
- Technology;
- Communication methods;
- Legal or regulatory requirements;
- Vendor relationships; or
- Organizational practices.
The effective date and/or last updated date at the beginning of this policy will be revised when material changes are made.
Individuals are encouraged to review this Privacy Policy periodically.
17. Contact Breakthrough House
Questions about this Privacy Policy, SMS communications, personal information, or privacy practices may be directed to:
Breakthrough House, Inc.
Topeka, Kansas
Website: https://breakthroughhouse.org
Individuals seeking assistance with SMS communications may reply HELP to a Breakthrough House text message.
Individuals wishing to discontinue applicable SMS communications may reply STOP at any time.
SMS CONSENT NOTICE FOR BREAKTHROUGH HOUSE WEB FORMS
When a Breakthrough House website form requests a mobile telephone number and offers SMS communication, the following consent language should appear next to an optional checkbox that is unchecked by default:
SMS Consent:
I consent to receive conversational and informational SMS/text messages from Breakthrough House, Inc., including communications regarding services, appointments, scheduling, resources, program updates, and other communications related to my relationship with Breakthrough House. Messaging frequency may vary. Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt out or HELP for assistance. Consent is not a condition of receiving services. See our Privacy Policy and SMS Terms for additional information.
The SMS consent checkbox must not be pre-selected.
STANDARD BREAKTHROUGH HOUSE SMS DISCLOSURE
Where appropriate, outgoing SMS communications should include or be consistent with the following disclosure:
Breakthrough House: Messaging frequency may vary. Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt out or HELP for assistance.
SMS OPT-IN CONFIRMATION
When confirmation of SMS enrollment is appropriate:
Breakthrough House: You have consented to receive text messages from Breakthrough House. Messaging frequency may vary. Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt out or HELP for assistance.
SMS HELP RESPONSE
When a recipient texts HELP:
Breakthrough House: For assistance with Breakthrough House communications or services, please visit breakthroughhouse.org or contact Breakthrough House directly. Reply STOP to opt out of SMS messages. Message and data rates may apply.
SMS OPT-OUT CONFIRMATION
When a recipient texts STOP:
Breakthrough House: You have been unsubscribed from Breakthrough House SMS messages. You will receive no further applicable text messages unless you opt in again.