Last updated October 15, 2026
1. Who this covers
This policy explains how Forstter handles information on our website, the Organization Portal, the admin console and the Sitter App. It covers website visitors, people who use the Platform (partner staff, Forstter staff, drivers and sitters, guardians and KDADS oversight) and the people we transport or sit with.
Health information about the people we serve is protected health information (PHI) under HIPAA. We use and share it only as HIPAA and our Business Associate Agreements allow.
2. What we collect
- People we serve: name, date of birth or age, language, safety and accessibility needs, care information, guardian details, and the record of each referral, transport and sit (times, locations, custody, belongings, checks, signatures and incidents).
- Platform users: name, work email and phone, organization, role, sign-in and two-step details, and a record of what you open and change.
- Drivers and sitters: application details, license or photo ID, certificates, background check results, training, shifts, hours and pay, and your location while you're on shift.
- Website visitors: the email you enter to sign up, and basic technical data such as your browser and IP address needed to run the site.
3. How we use it
- To take referrals, assign crews, carry out transports and sitting, and hand people off safely.
- To check that crews are qualified and vehicles are safe before they're dispatched.
- To bill KDADS, pay our crews and meet our contract's reporting and notice requirements.
- To keep the Platform secure, investigate incidents and complaints, and improve the service.
We don't sell personal information and don't use it for advertising.
4. Location in the Sitter App
The Sitter App shares a crew member's location with dispatch only while they're on shift, so dispatch can see where crews are and referring organizations get an accurate ETA. It stops when the shift ends.
6. How we protect it
- Health details are encrypted in storage and in transit.
- Every account uses two-step sign-in; sessions lock when idle.
- Access is limited by role and organization, and every view and change of a record is in an audit log.
- Everyone with access is trained in HIPAA.
7. How long we keep it
We keep records for as long as our contracts and the law require (the audit log is kept for seven years), then delete or de-identify them. Care needs are removed from the Sitter App when a job ends.
9. Your choices and rights
Platform users can see and update their profile in the Platform and ask their organization admin or us to correct it. People we serve can ask about, or ask to correct, their information under HIPAA through the organization that referred them or by contacting us. Drivers and sitters can see their own hours, credentials and training in the app.
To make a request, email privacy@forstter.org. We'll confirm who you are before sharing anything.
10. Children
We transport and sit with youth when they're referred by an authorized organization or court. Their information is PHI and handled as described above. Our website and apps aren't intended for children to use themselves.
11. If something goes wrong
If health information is used or disclosed in a way that isn't allowed, we investigate it, tell the affected organizations and people, and make the notifications HIPAA and our agreements require.
12. Changes to this policy
We'll post updates here and change the date at the top. If a change is significant, we'll tell Platform users before it takes effect.
13. Contact
Privacy questions or concerns: privacy@forstter.org.