Connecticut Administrative Code › Title 19 - Public Health and Safety › 570 - Rules of Practice › Part I - General Provisions › Section 19-570-5 - Confidential client records

Current through July 10, 2024
Individual client records are maintained by the
				  superintendents of the respective regional centers and training schools. These
				  records are confidential and will only be released to the individual client or
				  his/her representative in accordance with the following:
(a) The record of a client who is less than
				18 years of age will be released upon the written authorization of his/her
				parent or guardian. The portion of the record maintained by the Special School
				District will be released according to the special regulations governing
				Special School District records.
(b) The record of a client who is 18 years of
				age or more and has a legally appointed guardian or conservator, will be
				released upon the written authorization of that guardian or
				conservator.
(c) The record of a
				client who is 18 years of age or more, who has not been adjudicated incompetent
				and who executes a release of information form, shall be released to his
				attorney.
(d) The record of a
				client who is 18 years of age or more, who has not been adjudicated
				incompetent, who has no guardian, and who in the opinion of a Qualified Mental
				Retardation Professional is incapable of giving informed consent, will be
				released on the written authorization of his/her parent(s). In cases where the
				parent(s) is unavailable or refuses to give consent, the record may be released
				on the written authorization of a guardian, to be obtained by petition to the
				appropriate Probate Court by the person requesting the release of the
				record.
(e) The record of a client
				who is 18 years of age or more, who has not been adjudicated incompetent, has
				no parents or guardian, and who in the opinion of a Qualified Mental
				Retardation Professional is incapable of giving informed consent will be
				released on the written authorization of a guardian, or be obtained by petition
				to the appropriate Probate Court by the person requesting the release of the
				record.
(f) When release of a
				client's record is required to obtain services from another government agency,
				only those portions of the record which contain essential information will be
				released and a record will be kept of all such releases.
(g) Individual client records containing
				references to third parties will have those references censored before release
				in accordance with the provisions of Section
				4-193(g)
				of the General Statutes, unless the release is to the client's attorney in
				which case the uncensored record will be released in accordance with P.A.
				80-311.
(h) Pursuant to the
				provisions of Section
				4-194
				of the General Statutes portions of individual client records containing
				personal data that would, in the opinion of an interdisciplinary team, which
				includes a physician, be medically detrimental to the client if known by him,
				will not be released unless the release is to the client's attorney in which
				case the entire record will be released in accordance with P.A. 80-311. When a
				record containing medically detrimental information is released to a client's
				attorney, a statement to that effect will be attached explaining why the
				information is considered detrimental.
(i) The superintendent of each facility will
				cause a record to be kept of all access to any confidential records and will
				assure that all staff who have access to such records are trained in the proper
				use of such information and in its protection.