(1) All oral and written records, information, letters, and reports received, made, or maintained by the department relative to any applicant for or recipient of services under the brain and spinal cord injury program are privileged, confidential, and exempt from s. 119.07(1). Any person who discloses or releases such records, information, or communications in violation of this section commits a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083. Such records may not be released, except that:

(a) Records may be released to the applicant or recipient, or his or her representative, upon receipt of a written waiver from the applicant or recipient. Medical, psychological, or other information that the department believes may be harmful to an applicant or recipient may not be released directly to him or her, but must be provided through a licensed health care professional designated by the applicant or recipient.

(b) Records that do not identify applicants or recipients may be released for the purpose of research, when the research is approved by the department.

(c) Records used in administering the brain and spinal cord injury program may be released as required to administer the program or as required by an agency or political subdivision of the state in the performance of its duties. Any agency or political subdivision to which records are released under this paragraph may not disclose the records to third parties.

(d) Records may be released upon the order of an administrative law judge, a hearing officer, a judge of compensation claims, an agency head exercising quasi-judicial authority, or a judge of a court of competent jurisdiction following a finding in an in camera proceeding that the records are relevant to the inquiry before the court and should be released. The in camera proceeding and all records relating thereto are confidential and exempt from s. 119.07(1).

(e) Whenever an applicant for or recipient of services under the brain and spinal cord injury program has declared any intention to harm other persons or property, such declaration may be disclosed.

(f) The department may release personal information about an applicant for or recipient of services under the brain and spinal cord injury program in order to protect him or her or others when the applicant or recipient poses a threat to his or her own safety or to the safety of others and shall, upon official request, release such information to law enforcement agencies investigating the commission of a crime.

(2) Records that come into the possession of the department relative to any applicant for or receipt of services under the brain and spinal cord injury program and that are confidential by other provisions of law are confidential and exempt from s. 119.07(1), and may not be released by the department, except as provided in this section.

History.—s. 20, ch. 2000-367.