HB 4886

Abstract

Creates the Access to Basic Mental Health Information Act. Provides definitions for "mental health facility", "physician", and "recipient". Provides that specified individuals are entitled, upon request, to obtain certain information regarding a recipient in a mental health facility if the individual declares that he or she is involved in the recipient's care or paying for the recipient's care and the individual meets specified requirements. Provides that an individual requesting information must submit to the mental health facility specified information. Provides that a mental health facility is required to receive information relevant to the recipient's mental health treatment. Provides that if the recipient requests the mental health record from the mental health facility, any information that was tendered to the mental health facility under a promise of confidentiality may be withheld from the recipient if disclosure of the information would be reasonably likely to reveal the source of the mental health information. Provides that whenever access or modification is requested, the request, the grounds for its acceptance or denial, and any action taken thereon shall be noted in the recipient's record. Provides that a mental health facility and its employees or agents are not liable for any action under the Act unless the release was made deliberately or the release constituted gross negligence. Provides that nothing in the Act constitutes an infringement on an individual's right to obtain mental health records of the recipient if the individual has another right to the mental health records by law, regulation, or consent of the recipient. Provides that the Act shall be liberally construed to allow receipt of mental health information to individuals entitled to a recipient's information. Provides that the Act supersedes the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code and any other law that would be viewed to limit the access of an individual to a recipient's mental health records to the extent necessary to give the Act full implementation.