2023 Indiana Code › Title 16. Health › Article 39. Health Records › Chapter 2. Release of Mental Health Records to Patient and Authorized Persons › 16-39-2-6. Disclosure Without Patient's Consent; Interpretation of Records; Immunities

Sec. 6. (a) Without the consent of the patient, the patient's mental health record may only be disclosed as follows:
(1) To individuals who meet the following conditions:
(A) Are employed by:
(i) the provider at the same facility or agency;
(ii) a managed care provider (as defined in IC 12-7-2-127); or
(iii) a health care provider or mental health care provider, if the mental health records are needed to provide health care or mental health services to the patient.
(B) Are involved in the planning, provision, and monitoring of services.
(2) To the extent necessary to obtain payment for services rendered or other benefits to which the patient may be entitled, as provided in IC 16-39-5-3.
(3) To the patient's court appointed counsel and to the Indiana protection and advocacy services commission.
(4) For research conducted in accordance with IC 16-39-5-3 and the rules of the division of mental health and addiction, the rules of the division of disability and rehabilitative services, the rules of the provider, or the rules of the Indiana archives and records administration and the oversight committee on public records.
(5) To the division of mental health and addiction for the purpose of data collection, research, and monitoring managed care providers (as defined in IC 12-7-2-127) who are operating under a contract with the division of mental health and addiction.
(6) To the extent necessary to make reports or give testimony required by the statutes pertaining to admissions, transfers, discharges, and guardianship proceedings.
(7) To a law enforcement agency if any of the following conditions are met:
(A) A patient escapes from a facility to which the patient is committed under IC 12-26.
(B) The superintendent of the facility determines that failure to provide the information may result in bodily harm to the patient or another individual.
(C) A patient commits or threatens to commit a crime on facility premises or against facility personnel.
(D) A patient is in the custody of a law enforcement officer or agency for any reason and:
(i) the information to be released is limited to medications currently prescribed for the patient or to the patient's history of adverse medication reactions; and
(ii) the provider determines that the release of the medication information will assist in protecting the health, safety, or welfare of the patient.
Mental health records released under this clause must be maintained in confidence by the law enforcement agency receiving them.
(8) To a coroner or medical examiner, in the performance of the individual's duties.
(9) To a school in which the patient is enrolled if the superintendent of the facility determines that the information will assist the school in meeting educational needs of the patient.
(10) To the extent necessary to satisfy reporting requirements under the following statutes:
(A) IC 12-10-3-10.
(B) IC 12-24-17-5.
(C) IC 16-41-2-3.
(D) IC 16-50-1-8.
(E) IC 31-25-3-2.
(F) IC 31-33-5-4.
(G) IC 34-30-16-2.
(H) IC 35-46-1-13.
(11) To the extent necessary to satisfy release of information requirements under the following statutes:
(A) IC 12-24-11-2.
(B) IC 12-24-12-3, IC 12-24-12-4, and IC 12-24-12-6.
(C) IC 12-26-11.
(12) To another health care provider in a health care emergency.
(13) For legitimate business purposes as described in IC 16-39-5-3.
(14) Under a court order under IC 16-39-3.
(15) With respect to records from a mental health or developmental disability facility, to the United States Secret Service if the following conditions are met:
(A) The request does not apply to alcohol or drug abuse records described in 42 U.S.C. 290dd-2 unless authorized by a court order under 42 U.S.C. 290dd-2(b)(2)(c).
(B) The request relates to the United States Secret Service's protective responsibility and investigative authority under 18 U.S.C. 3056, 18 U.S.C. 871, or 18 U.S.C. 879.
(C) The request specifies an individual patient.
(D) The director or superintendent of the facility determines that disclosure of the mental health record may be necessary to protect a person under the protection of the United States Secret Service from serious bodily injury or death.
(E) The United States Secret Service agrees to only use the mental health record information for investigative purposes and not disclose the information publicly.
(F) The mental health record information disclosed to the United States Secret Service includes only:
(i) the patient's name, age, and address;
(ii) the date of the patient's admission to or discharge from the facility; and
(iii) any information that indicates whether or not the patient has a history of violence or presents a danger to the person under protection.
(16) To the statewide waiver ombudsman established under IC 12-11-13, in the performance of the ombudsman's duties.
(b) If a licensed mental health professional, a licensed paramedic, a representative of a mobile integrated healthcare program (as described in IC 16-31-12), or a representative of a mental health community paramedicine program in the course of rendering a treatment intervention, determines that a patient may be a harm to himself or herself or others, the licensed mental health professional, the licensed paramedic, the representative of the mobile integrated healthcare program (as described in IC 16-31-12), or the representative of the mental health community paramedicine program may request a patient's individualized mental health safety plan from a psychiatric crisis center, psychiatric inpatient unit, or psychiatric residential treatment provider. Each psychiatric crisis center, psychiatric inpatient unit, and psychiatric residential treatment provider shall, upon request and without the consent of the patient, share a patient's individualized mental health safety plan that is in the standard format established by the division of mental health and addiction under IC 12-21-5-6 with the following individuals who demonstrate proof of licensure and commit to protecting the information in compliance with state and federal privacy laws:
(1) A licensed mental health professional.
(2) A licensed paramedic.
(3) A representative of a mobile integrated healthcare program (as described in IC 16-31-12).
(4) A representative of a mental health community paramedicine program.
An individualized mental health safety plan disclosed under this subsection may be used only to support a patient's welfare and safety and is considered otherwise confidential information under applicable state and federal laws.
(c) After information is disclosed under subsection (a)(15) and if the patient is evaluated to be dangerous, the records shall be interpreted in consultation with a licensed mental health professional on the staff of the United States Secret Service.
(d) A person who discloses information under subsection (a)(7), (a)(15), or (b) in good faith is immune from civil and criminal liability.
[Pre-1993 Recodification Citation: 16-4-8-3.1(f).]
As added by P.L.2-1993, SEC.22. Amended by P.L.23-1993, SEC.77; P.L.40-1994, SEC.68; P.L.6-1995, SEC.37; P.L.149-1996, SEC.1; P.L.1-1997, SEC.95; P.L.4-1997, SEC.6; P.L.111-1997, SEC.8; P.L.253-1997(ss), SEC.20; P.L.1-1998, SEC.120; P.L.1-1999, SEC.46; P.L.272-1999, SEC.53; P.L.215-2001, SEC.85; P.L.141-2006, SEC.91; P.L.145-2006, SEC.141; P.L.1-2007, SEC.136; P.L.134-2013, SEC.1; P.L.233-2015, SEC.28; P.L.225-2019, SEC.3; P.L.45-2020, SEC.8; P.L.156-2020, SEC.69; P.L.65-2021, SEC.1; P.L.126-2021, SEC.3; P.L.137-2021, SEC.27.