Privacy of medical records is crucial for people with mental illness. Chris Koyanagi, Policy Director at the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, presented testimony before the National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics on a hearing regarding the privacy of mental health information. Here, she shared the Bazelon Center’s belief that patients should have access to and control over their medical and mental health records. A Subcommittee on Privacy, Confidentiality and Security plans to issue a report in the fall of 2010 on how the privacy of mental health information should be handled in electronic systems. Click here to view Ms. Koyanagi's testimony.
The individual's consent to the sharing of health information for collaboration among agencies is essential. Click here for a summary of key principles for such sharing, an overview of federal privacy rules and a sample consent form.
The National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics advises the Department of Health and Human Services on health information, including statistics, privacy and national health information policy.
Privacy of genetic information is an area of increasing concern. In 2008, the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act became law, prohibiting health insurers and employers from discriminating on the basis of genetic information. See a summary of the Act. Interim final regulations for its implementation to protect consumers were issued on October 2, 2009.
Student privacy in schools is another area of concern. Read a letter from Bazelon to the Department of Education regarding the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).