If a health care provider determines that the disclosure of medical information concerning the diagnosis and treatment of a mental health condition of a minor is reasonably necessary for the purpose of coordinating the treatment and care of the minor, that information may be disclosed to a county social worker, probation officer, or any other person who is legally authorized to have custody or care of the minor.
The Department of Justice shall immediately notify an agency that submits a report by a mandated reporter of any information relevant to the known or suspected instance of child abuse or severe neglect reported by the agency. The agency shall make that information available to the reporting health care practitioner, child custodian, appointed guardian ad litem, appointed counsel, or the appropriate licensing agency.
All information and records obtained in the course of providing mental health services, developmental services, services for the developmentally disabled, community mental health services, and services in state, federal, and county mental hospitals and institutions and psychiatric hospitals, to either voluntary or involuntary recipients of services shall be confidential.
Notwithstanding the general confidentiality protections of Welf. & Inst. Code 5328, information and records shall be disclosed to persons who are trained and qualified to serve on multidisciplinary personnel teams for the prevention, identification, and treatment of child abuse and neglect cases. The information and records sought to be disclosed shall be relevant to the prevention, identification, management, or treatment of an abused child and his or her parents.
A health care provider may disclose medical information to a county social worker, a probation officer, or any other person who is legally authorized to have custody or care of a minor for the purpose of coordinating health care services and medical treatment provided to the minor.
Medical information disclosed to a county social worker, probation officer, or anyone who is legally authorized to have custody or care of a minor shall not be further disclosed by the recipient unless the disclosure is for the purpose of coordinating health care services and medical treatment of the minor and the disclosure is authorized by law. Medical information thus disclosed may not be admitted into evidence in any criminal or delinquency proceeding against the minor. But identical evidence obtained through other lawful means (i.e.
The treatment plan of a minor for drug and alcohol abuse shall include the involvement of the minor's parent or guardian, if appropriate, as determined by the professional person or treatment facility treating the minor.
When a parent or legal guardian has sought the medical care and counseling for a drug- or alcohol-related problem of a minor child, the physician shall disclose medical information concerning the care to the minor's parent or legal guardian upon his or her request, even if the minor child does not consent to disclosure, without liability for the disclosure.
A representative of a minor can be denied access to the minor's patient records where: 1) the patient records pertain to health care of a type for which the minor is lawfully authorized to consent to; or 2) the health care provider determines that granting access may have a detrimental effect on her professional relationship with the minor, the minor’s physical safety or the minor's psychological well-being.
Notwithstanding the general confidentiality protections of Welf. & Inst. Code 5328, personal health information shall be disclosed in communications between qualified professional persons in the provision of services or appropriate referrals, or in the course of conservatorship proceedings. The consent of the patient or his or her guardian or conservator shall be obtained before information or records may be disclosed from a facility providing treatment to a facility which does not have the medical or psychological responsibility for the patient's care.
