Effective Date: September 17, 2026

Welcome to Suicidology.org, operated by the American Association of Suicidology (“AAS,” “we,” “us,” or “our”). We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information responsibly. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect your information when you visit our website or use our services.

This Privacy Policy applies to all users of our website, including visitors, registered users, training participants, and purchasers of our materials and services.

1. Information We Collect

Personal Information You Provide

We collect information that you voluntarily provide to us, including:

Account Information

• Name, email address, phone number
• Professional title, organization, and credentials
• Billing and shipping addresses
• Payment information

Training and Educational Information

• Training program enrollment and completion records
• Professional development history
• Assessment and evaluation responses

Communication Information

• Messages sent through contact forms
• Email correspondence
• Newsletter subscriptions

Donation Information

• Donor name and contact information
• Donation amount and frequency
• Payment method details
• Recognition preferences

Information Collected Automatically

We automatically collect certain information when you visit our website:

Technical Information:

• IP address and general location information
• Browser type and version
• Operating system and device information
• Screen resolution and device capabilities

Usage Information

• Pages visited and time spent on each page
• Click patterns and navigation paths
• Download history and resource access
• Search queries within our site
• Referral sources (how you found our site)

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use various tracking technologies, including:

• Essential Cookies: Required for website functionality
• Analytics Cookies: Help us understand website usage and performance
• Preference Cookies: Remember your settings and choices

Information from Third Parties

We may receive information from:

• Payment processors (transaction confirmations)
• Professional licensing boards (for credential verification)
• Partner organizations (for joint training programs)
• Social media platforms (if you interact with our content)

2. How We Use Your Information

We use your information for the following purposes:

Service Provision

• Processing registrations and purchases
• Providing access to training materials and resources
• Managing user accounts and preferences
• Delivering continuing education credits and certificates
• Processing donations and issuing tax receipts

Communication

• Responding to inquiries and support requests
• Sending transactional emails (order confirmations, account updates)
• Delivering newsletters and educational content (with consent)
• Notifying you of relevant training opportunities
• Providing customer support and technical assistance

Website Improvement

• Analyzing website usage and performance
• Identifying technical issues and security threats
• Improving user experience and accessibility
• Developing new features and services

Legal and Administrative

• Complying with legal obligations and regulations
• Maintaining records for audit and compliance purposes
• Protecting against fraud and unauthorized access
• Enforcing our Terms of Service

Research and Development

• Analyzing training effectiveness and outcomes
• Conducting anonymized research on suicide prevention
• Improving educational content and methodologies
• Contributing to the broader field of suicidology

3. Information Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties without your consent or except as provided for in this section. We may share your information in the following circumstances:

Service Providers

• Payment processing
• Email marketing and communications
• Website hosting and technical support
• Analytics and performance monitoring
• Customer relationship management

Professional Partners

• Training partners for joint programs

Legal Requirements

• Comply with legal processes, court orders, or government requests
• Comply with National Continuing Education Approval Programs
• Protect the rights, property, or safety of AAS, our users, or the public
• Investigate and prevent fraud or security issues
• Enforce our Terms of Service

Business Transfers

• In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred to the acquiring organization, subject to equivalent privacy protections.

Aggregated and Anonymized Data

• We may share aggregated, anonymized data for research purposes, industry reports, or public health initiatives. This data cannot be used to identify individuals.

4. Data Security

We implement comprehensive security measures to protect your information:

Technical Safeguards

• SSL/TLS encryption for data transmission
• Secure servers and databases with access controls
• Regular security updates and vulnerability assessments
• Multi-factor authentication for administrative access

Administrative Safeguards

• Employee training on privacy and security practices
• Limited access to personal information on a need-to-know basis
• Incident response procedures for security breaches

Physical Safeguards

• Secure facilities with controlled access
• Locked storage for physical documents
• Proper disposal of sensitive materials

While we use industry-standard security measures, no method of transmission or storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security of your information.

5. Children’s Privacy

Our website is not intended for children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we become aware that we have collected information from a child under 13, we will promptly delete it.

For users between 13-18, we recommend parental involvement in any decision to provide personal information to our website.

6. Third-Party Websites

Our website may contain links to third-party websites. This Privacy Policy does not apply to those sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party websites you visit.

7. Updates to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy at any time by posting a new version at this link.

8. Contact Information

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us at info@suicidology.org