On November 23rd , 2016 the 15 partner organizations that work within the ‘Veiligheidshuis’ (Safety House) signed a cooperation covenant where they make agreements about the protection of personal data. The organizations involved are specialists in the field of health care, justice, education and local government.
The following partners are involved: Public Entity Bonaire; Expertise Centre for Education Care; Forma Foundation; Scholengemeenschap Bonaire (SGB); Youth care and Family Supervision CN; Centre of Youth and Family; the Public Prosecution Office; the Dutch Caribbean Police Force; the Dutch Caribbean Probation Service; the Krusada Foundation; the Foundation for Addiction and Psychiatry Dutch Caribbean; Jong Bonaire; the Guardianship council; JICN; unit of Social Affairs and Labor.
They have agreed on the exchange of personal information in a legally responsible manner when it comes to case handling within the ‘Veiligheidshuis’. The ‘Veiligheidshuis’ was established on Bonaire in March 2015. The name often evokes confusion: people tend to think that the ‘Veiligheidshuis’ is a physical building where people can get shelter. That is not the case. The ‘Veiligheidshuis’ is a network cooperation between punishment and care partners, education institutions and the Public Entity Bonaire. The Safety House represents a chain-transcending approach to complex issues in order to combat serious nuisance and crime as well as to combat social dropout.
The ‘Veiligheidshuis’ strives to offer even the most complicated cases and problems a perspective through an integrated process and system approach. For each case a joint plan of action is created. In this way actions of the organizations are coordinated. It also provides more insight regarding the needs of individuals and families with complex problems.
It is necessary to exchange personal data amongst partners in the ‘Veiligheidshuis’ for coordination purposes. It is clear that this has to be done in a careful manner. A privacy agreement that was adopted in 2012 fell short of this requisite. The Commission Supervision Data Protection BES advised how this agreement could be improved to meet all the requirements of the law. After extensive review by the Commission and the Ministry of Security and Justice, the covenant is signed and enforced. The signing is a step forward for the ‘Veiligheidshuis’.