Code of Virginia - Title 16.1 Courts Not Of Record - Section 16.1-337 Inpatient treatment of minors; general applicability

§ 16.1-337. Inpatient treatment of minors; general applicability

A. A minor may be admitted to a mental health facility for inpatient treatment only pursuant to § 16.1-338, 16.1-339, or 16.1-340 or in accordance with an order of involuntary commitment entered pursuant to §§ 16.1-341 through 16.1-345. The provisions of Article 12 (§ 16.1-299 et seq.) of Chapter 11 of this title relating to the confidentiality of files, papers, and records shall apply to proceedings under §§ 16.1-339 through 16.1-345.

B. Any health care provider, as defined in § 32.1-127.1:03, or other provider rendering services to a minor who is the subject of proceedings under this article, upon request, shall disclose to a magistrate, the juvenile intake officer, the court, the minor's attorney as required in § 16.1-343, the minor's guardian ad litem, the evaluator as required under §§ 16.1-338, 16.1-339, and 16.1-342, the community services board or behavioral health authority performing the evaluation, preadmission screening, or monitoring duties under this article, or a law-enforcement officer any and all information that is necessary and appropriate to enable each of them to perform his duties under this article. These health care providers and other service providers shall disclose to one another health records and information where necessary to provide care and treatment to the person and to monitor that care and treatment. Health records disclosed to a law-enforcement officer shall be limited to information necessary to protect the officer, the minor, or the public from physical injury or to address the health care needs of the minor. Information disclosed to a law-enforcement officer shall not be used for any other purpose, disclosed to others, or retained.

Any health care provider disclosing records pursuant to this section shall be immune from civil liability for any harm resulting from the disclosure, including any liability under the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (42 U.S.C. § 1320d et seq.), as amended, unless the person or provider disclosing such records intended the harm or acted in bad faith.

C. Any order entered where a minor is the subject of proceedings under this article shall provide for the disclosure of health records pursuant to subsection B. This subsection shall not preclude any other disclosures as required or permitted by law.

(1990, c. 975; 1992, c. 539; 2008, cc. 782, 850, 870.)

Sections:  Previous  16.1-331  16.1-332  16.1-333  16.1-334  16.1-334.1  16.1-335  16.1-336  16.1-337  16.1-338  16.1-339  16.1-340  16.1-341  16.1-342  16.1-343  16.1-344  Next

Last modified: April 16, 2009