Privacy Policy

Last updated: December 2025

Who we are

This site is operated by the Bipolar & Depression Outcomes Research Institute, a 501(c)(3) non profit organization based in the United States.

Our main website is: https://www.bdori.org

This policy explains how we handle information for:

  • Visitors to bdori.org
  • People who submit study applications or contact forms
  • Participants and prospective participants in BDORI supported studies and programs

Your choice about anonymity

We know many people living with bipolar disorder and depression want strong privacy.

You are welcome to:

  • Use a dedicated or alias email that does not include your legal name, for example a “Hide My Email” style address from Apple or another provider.
  • Use a non identifying name in free text fields.

To reduce confusion, we recommend using a first name you recognize so that emails about the study still make sense to you, even if it is not your legal name.

If you want the strongest separation from your everyday identity, you can:

  • Create an email account used only for BDORI and mental health related communication.
  • Avoid sharing details that directly identify you (such as full address, employer name, or names of family members) in free text answers unless you want us to know them for care and safety reasons.

What personal data we collect

The information we collect depends on how you interact with us.

Study applications and contact forms

When you submit a study application or contact form, we collect:

  • The information you enter into the form
  • Your IP address
  • Browser information and basic technical data (for example, device type and operating system)

We use this to:

  • Prevent fraud and abuse
  • Protect the integrity of our studies
  • Maintain the security and reliability of our systems
  • Respond to your questions and manage applications

Some application forms also ask about:

  • Diagnosis and diagnostic history
  • Treatment history, including hospitalizations and healthcare use
  • Current support, challenges, goals, and reasons for applying

These answers are used to:

  • Determine study eligibility and prioritize funding when seats are limited
  • Understand the types of participants we are reaching
  • Plan future studies and improvements to the progra

We do not sell your personal information.

Comments

If you leave comments on the site, we collect:

  • The data shown in the comment form
  • Your IP address
  • Browser user agent string

We use this information to help with spam detection and security. An anonymized string created from your email address may be sent to the Gravatar service to see if you have a profile there. Gravatar has its own privacy policy at Automattic.
If your comment is approved, your profile picture from Gravatar (if you have one) may be visible with your comment.

Accounts and study portals

If you create an account in one of our study or program portals (for example, an app or course site), we may collect:

  • Account details such as name, email, and password (stored in hashed form)
  • Survey and check in responses
  • Interaction and usage data related to the program or study

These details are used to:

  • Deliver the program or study you signed up for
  • Track outcomes and engagement
  • Support research analysis in de identified or aggregated form

Where possible, research datasets are de identified so that researchers do not see your name, email, or direct identifiers.

Media

If you upload images to the website, you should avoid uploading images with embedded location data (EXIF GPS). Visitors can download and extract location data from images that contain it.

Cookies and similar technology

Our websites may use cookies and similar technologies to:

  • Keep you logged in to your account
  • Remember preferences such as screen display options
  • Help protect against malicious activity

Examples:

  • When you log in, we set cookies that store your login status and screen preferences. Login cookies usually last up to two days, screen options cookies up to one year.
  • If you select “Remember Me” at login, your login may persist longer.
  • If you edit or publish content and have access, an additional cookie may store the ID of the post you edited.

You can configure your browser to block or delete cookies. Some features of the site may not work correctly without them.

Analytics

We may use basic analytics tools to understand how many people visit our site, which pages are most useful, and whether outreach efforts are working.

Our focus is on aggregated statistics, not tracking individual visitors across the internet. If we use third party analytics, they will have their own privacy policies and settings. Where possible we configure tools to minimize use of personally identifiable information.

How we use and share information

We use your information to:

  • Review and manage study applications
  • Communicate with you about studies, programs, and support
  • Deliver and improve BDORI programs and research
  • Protect the safety and integrity of our systems and participants
  • Comply with legal or regulatory obligations where they apply

We may share information with:

  • Service providers who help us operate our website, email systems, or study platforms (for example hosting providers, email delivery services, form tools)
  • Academic and research partners, but typically only in de identified or aggregated form that does not include your name, email, or other direct identifiers
  • Authorities or others when required by law or when necessary to protect someone’s vital interests, safety, or security

We do not sell your personal data to marketers.

How long we keep your data

Retention depends on context.

  • Study application and participation records are retained as long as reasonably needed to run the study, evaluate outcomes, and satisfy research, audit, or legal requirements.
  • Comments, if enabled, and their metadata may be kept so we can recognize and approve follow up comments automatically.
  • Account information on study portals is retained while the account is active. If you stop using a program, we may retain de identified research data while removing or separating direct identifiers.

We periodically review what we store and aim to keep data only as long as it continues to serve a clear research, program, legal, or security purpose.

Your rights and choices

Depending on where you live, you may have rights over your personal data, including:

  • Access – you can ask what personal data we hold about you
  • Correction – you can ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information
  • Deletion – you can ask us to delete personal data, subject to some limits
  • Restriction or objection – in some cases, you can ask us to limit or stop certain uses
  • Data export – where feasible, you can request a copy of data you have provided

We will honor these rights as required by applicable law and as consistent with our research and legal obligations.

If you have an account, you can often see, edit, or delete some information directly by logging in.

To make a privacy request, contact us using the details at the end of this policy. For your protection, we may need to verify your identity before acting on a request.

Where your data is stored and processed

Our primary operations and servers are located in the United States. If you are outside the United States, your information may be transferred there or to other locations where our service providers operate.

We use technical and organizational measures to protect information, but no system can be guaranteed perfectly secure.

Third party content and links

Our site may include embedded content or links from other websites, for example videos, images, or articles. Those sites may collect data about you, use cookies, or track your interaction with their content. Their use of your information is governed by their own privacy policies, not this one.

Children

Our work is intended for adults and older adolescents who can give consent or assent as appropriate in their jurisdiction. If you believe we have collected personal data from a child without proper consent, please contact us and we will address it.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time to reflect changes in our work, technology, or legal requirements. When we do, we will revise the “Last updated” date at the top. Material changes may be highlighted on this page or in related study materials.

How to contact us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests related to privacy or your data, please contact:

Bipolar & Depression Outcomes Research Institute (BDORI)

2997 Broadmoor Valley Rd #5
Colorado Springs CO 80906 US

Or you can use our contact form and mention “privacy” in your message.