N.Y. Comp. Codes R. & Regs. tit. 18 § 357.3

Current through Register Vol. 46, No. 45, November 2, 2024

Section 357.3 - Basis for disclosure of information

(a) Safeguards in disclosing information. Information shall be released to another agency or person only when the public welfare official providing such data is assured that:

(1) the confidential character of the information will be maintained;

(2) the information will be used for the purposes for which it is made available, such purposes to be reasonably related to the purposes of the public welfare program and the function of the inquiring agency; and

(3) the information will not be used for commercial or political purposes.

(b) Disclosure of medical information.

(1) Upon the transfer of a foster child to the care of another authorized agency, the former agency must provide to the receiving agency the child's comprehensive health history, both physical and mental, to the extent it is available.

(2) To the extent they are available, the comprehensive health history of the child and of his or her biological parents and the health care needs of the child must be provided by an authorized agency to foster parents at the time of the child's placement in foster care. In all cases, information identifying the biological parents must be removed from the comprehensive medical history.

(3) To the extent it is available, the comprehensive health history, both physical and mental, of a child legally freed for adoption and of his or her biological parents must be provided by an authorized agency to the child's prospective adoptive parent(s). Prospective adoptive parent means an individual who meets criteria as defined in section 421.16 of this Title and who has indicated an interest in adopting a particular child, and for whom the authorized agency has begun the placement agreement process in accordance with section 421.18 of this Title. In the case of finalized adoptions, such information must be provided upon request to the child's adoptive parents. In all cases, information identifying the biological parents must be removed from the comprehensive health history.

(4) To the extent it is available, the comprehensive health history, including both physical and mental, of the child in foster care and of his or her biological parents must be provided by an authorized agency at no cost to such child when discharged to his or her own care. Such information must include the names and addresses of the child's health care providers.

(5) To the extent it is available, the comprehensive health history of a child in foster care must be provided to the child's parents or guardian when the child is discharged to their care, except that confidential HIV-related information must not be disclosed without a written release from the child if the child has the capacity to consent as defined in section 360-8.1(a)(8) of this Title and in article 27-F of the Public Health Law. The conditions for the written release authorizing such disclosure are described in section 360- 8.1(a)(8) of this Title and in article 27-F of the Public Health Law. The term confidential HIV-related information is defined in section 360-8.1(a)(5) of this Title and in article 27-F of the Public Health Law.

(6) To the extent it is available, the comprehensive health history, both physical and mental, of any adopted former foster child and of his or her biological parents must be provided by an authorized agency to the adopted former foster child upon request. In all cases, information identifying the biological parents must be removed from the comprehensive health history.

(7) For the purposes of this subdivision, the comprehensive health history must include, but is not limited to, conditions or diseases believed to be hereditary, where known; drugs or medication taken during pregnancy by the child's biological mother, where known; immunizations received by the child while in foster care and prior to placement in care, where known; medications dispensed to the child while in care and prior to placement in care, where known; allergies the child is known to have exhibited while in care and prior to placement in care, where known; diagnostic tests, including developmental or psychological tests and evaluations given to the child while in care and prior to placement in care, where known, and their results, laboratory tests for HIV, where known, and their results; and any follow-up treatment provided to the child prior to placement in care, where known, or provided to the child while in care, or still needed by the child.

(c) Disclosure to applicant, recipient, or person acting in his behalf.

(1) The case record shall be available for examination at any reasonable time by the applicant or recipient or his authorized representative upon reasonable notice to the local district. The only exceptions to access are:

(i) those materials to which access is governed by separate statutes, such as child welfare, foster care, adoption or child abuse or neglect or any records maintained for the purposes of the Child Care Review Service;

(ii) those materials being maintained separate from public assistance files for purposes of criminal prosecution and referral to the district attorney' s office; and

(iii) the county attorney or welfare attorney's files.

(2) Information may be released to a person, a public official, or another social agency from whom the applicant or recipient has requested a particular service when it may properly be assumed that the client has requested the inquirer to act in his behalf and when such information is related to the particular service requested.

(d) Disclosure to relatives and other legally responsible persons.

(1) To the extent available and upon request, an authorized agency must provide a relative or other legally responsible person with whom a child is placed, or to whom a child is discharged or released, by the family court pursuant to section 1017 or 1054 of the Family Court Act, but who is not a foster parent for the child, with the same background information regarding the child as is provided to a foster parent with whom a child is placed. Such information, as available, must include the child's medical history and any other information which is provided to a foster parent as necessary for the child's health, safety and welfare pursuant to this section, section 443.2 of this Title, and any other applicable regulations of the Office of Children and Family Services. However, if the child's medical history includes confidential HIV-related information, such information must not be provided to the relative or other legally responsible person without a written release from:

(i) the child, if the child has capacity to consent as defined in section 360- 8.1(a)(8) of this Title and in article 27-F of the Public Health Law; or

(ii) a person authorized to consent to health care for the child, if the child lacks capacity to consent.

(2) A social services district is required, under section 132 of the Social Services Law, to investigate the ability and willingness of relatives, and the liability of legally responsible relatives, to contribute to the support of an applicant for or recipient of public assistance or care. In regard to these investigations, such a relative is a person considered entitled, under section 136 of the Social Services Law, to necessary and appropriate information regarding the applicant or recipient. Information concerning the applicant' s or recipient's needs and basic circumstances may be disclosed to such a relative to the extent necessary to discuss contributions of support from that relative. However, confidential HIV-related information may not be disclosed to such a relative without a written release from:

(i) the applicant or recipient, if the applicant or recipient has capacity to consent as defined in section 360-8.1(a)(8) of this Title and in article 27- F of the Public Health Law; or

(ii) from a person authorized to consent to health care for the applicant or recipient, if the applicant or recipient lacks capacity to consent.

(3) The social services district or other authorized agency must, in writing, inform the relative or other legally responsible person receiving information under this subdivision, of the confidential nature of the information and of any restrictions against redisclosure of such information. In the case of confidential HIV-related information, the warning statement against redisclosure set forth in section 360-8.1(h) of this Title and in article 27-F of the Public Health Law must be provided to the person receiving confidential HIV-related information.

(4) The term confidential HIV-related information is defined in section 360- 8.1(a)(5) of this Title and in article 27-F of the Public Health Law. The conditions for the written release authorizing disclosure of such information are set forth in section 360-8.1(g) of this Title and in article 27-F of the Public Health Law.

(e) Disclosure to Federal, State or local official.

(1) Information may be disclosed to any properly constituted authority. This includes a legislative body or committee upon proper legislative order, an administrative board charged with investigating or appraising the operation of public welfare, law enforcement officers, grand juries, probation and parole officers, government auditors, and members of public welfare boards, as well as the administrative staff of public welfare agencies.

(2) Information may be released to a selective service board when such information is necessary in order that the board may arrive at a valid and consistent decision regarding dependency.

(3) A social services official must disclose to a Federal, State or local law enforcement officer, upon request of the officer, the current address of any recipient of family assistance, or safety net assistance if the duties of the officer include the location or apprehension of the recipient and the officer furnishes the social services official with the name of the recipient and notifies the agency that such recipient is fleeing to avoid prosecution, custody or confinement after conviction, under the laws of the place from which the recipient is fleeing for a crime or an attempt to commit a crime which is a felony under the laws of the place from which the recipient is fleeing, or which, in the case of the state of New Jersey, is a high misdemeanor under the laws of that state, or is violating a condition of probation or parole imposed under a Federal or State law or has information that is necessary for the officer to conduct his or her official duties. In a request for disclosure pursuant to this paragraph, such law enforcement officer must endeavor to include identifying information to help ensure that the social services official discloses only the address of the person sought and not the address of a person with the same or similar name.

(4) Nothing in this Part precludes a social services official from reporting to an appropriate agency or official, including law enforcement agencies or officials, known or suspected instances of physical or mental injury, sexual abuse or exploitation, sexual contact with a minor or negligent treatment or maltreatment of a child of which the social services official becomes aware of in the administration of public assistance and care.

(5) Nothing in this Part precludes a social services official from communicating with the Federal Immigration and Naturalization Service regarding the immigration status of any individual.

(f) Disclosure upon subpoena by court.

(1) When a public assistance record is subpoenaed by court, the public welfare agency shall immediately consult its legal counsel before producing any record or revealing any information or giving any testimony.

(2) When the subpoena is for a purpose directly related to the administration of public assistance or protection of the child, the agency before complying with the subpoena shall endeavor to get in touch with the client whose record is involved or his attorney and secure permission to reveal the contents of the record which relate to the administration of public assistance.

(3) In the event that the subpoena is for a purpose not directly related to the administration of public assistance or the protection of a child, the agency shall plead, in support of its request to withhold information, that the Social Security Act, the Social Services Law and the regulations of the State Department of Social Services prohibit disclosure of confidential information contained in records and files, including names of clients. The agency will be governed by the final order of the court after this plea is made.

(g) Disclosure to bona fide news disseminating firm. The written assurance required by section 136 of the Social Services Law that the names and addresses of applicants and recipients of assistance shall not be published, shall be obtained by the public welfare official before allowing examination of records of disbursements by that bona fide news disseminating firm.

(h) Disclosure of confidential HIV-related information.

(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of any law or regulation, confidential HIV-related information concerning persons claiming disability benefits under the provisions of titles II and XVI of the Social Security Act may be disclosed to persons employed by or acting on behalf of the department's office of disability determinations engaged in the conduct of processing such claims on the basis of a general medical release in the form approved by the Social Security Administration of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. The employees and agents of the office of disability determinations, including providers of clinical laboratory services, consultative medical examinations or claimant-related medical information, to the extent they have acted in accordance with department procedures and instructions, will be held harmless and indemnified by the department for any liability for the disclosure or redisclosure of any HIV- related information when such information is solicited by or provided to the office of disability determination.

(2) All medical information, including confidential HIV-related information, solicited by or provided to the office of disability determinations for the purpose of determining a person's disability will be treated as confidential and this information must not be disclosed except as prescribed by the regulations of the Secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

(3) The term confidential HIV-related information is defined in section 360-8.1 of this Title.

(i) Disclosure of domestic violence related information.

(1) Information with respect to victims of domestic violence collected as a result of procedures for domestic violence screening, assessment, referrals and waivers pursuant to Part 351 of this Title shall not be released to any outside party or parties or other government agencies unless the information is required to be disclosed by law, or unless authorized in writing by the public assistance applicant or recipient.

(2) Employees of the office, social services district or any agency providing domestic violence liaison services, consistent with applicable statute and regulation, may have access to client identifiable information maintained by a domestic violence liaison or by the welfare management system only when the employees' specific job responsibilities cannot be accomplished without access to client identifiable information.

(3) Each social service district and agency providing domestic violence liaison services, with access to the welfare management system, must develop and implement policies and practices to ensure the maintenance of confidential individual information.

(j) Disclosure of education information. To the extent available, an authorized agency must provide a copy of a foster child's education record at no cost to the child when such foster child is discharged to his or her own care. For the purposes of this subdivision, the education record of a foster child includes the names and addresses of the child's educational providers; the child's grade level performance; assurances that the child's placement in foster care took into account proximity to the school in which the child was enrolled at the time of placement; and any other relevant education information concerning the child.

N.Y. Comp. Codes R. & Regs. Tit. 18 § 357.3