1. A court shall seal all court records relating to the admission and treatment of any person who was admitted, voluntarily or as the result of a noncriminal proceeding, to a public or private hospital, a mental health facility or a program of community-based or outpatient services in this State for the purpose of obtaining mental health treatment.

2. Except as otherwise provided in subsections 4, 5 and 6, a person or governmental entity that wishes to inspect records that are sealed pursuant to this section must file a petition with the court that sealed the records. Upon the filing of a petition, the court shall fix a time for a hearing on the matter. The petitioner must provide notice of the hearing and a copy of the petition to the person who is the subject of the records. If the person who is the subject of the records wishes to oppose the petition, the person must appear before the court at the hearing. If the person appears before the court at the hearing, the court must provide the person an opportunity to be heard on the matter.

3. After the hearing described in subsection 2, the court may order the inspection of records that are sealed pursuant to this section if:

(a) A law enforcement agency must obtain or maintain information concerning persons who have been admitted to a public or private hospital, a mental health facility or a program of community-based or outpatient services in this State pursuant to state or federal law;

(b) A prosecuting attorney or an attorney who is representing the person who is the subject of the records in a criminal action requests to inspect the records; or

(c) The person who is the subject of the records petitions the court to permit the inspection of the records by a person named in the petition.

4. A governmental entity is entitled to inspect court records that are sealed pursuant to this section without following the procedure described in subsection 2 if:

(a) The governmental entity has made a conditional offer of employment to the person who is the subject of the records;

(b) The position of employment conditionally offered to the person concerns public safety, including, without limitation, employment as a firefighter or peace officer;

(c) The governmental entity is required by law, rule, regulation or policy to obtain the mental health records of each individual conditionally offered the position of employment; and

(d) An authorized representative of the governmental entity presents to the court a written authorization signed by the person who is the subject of the records and notarized by a notary public or judicial officer in which the person who is the subject of the records consents to the inspection of the records.

5. Upon the request of a public or private hospital or a mental health facility to which a person has been admitted in this State, the court shall:

(a) Authorize the release of a copy of any order which was entered by the court pursuant to paragraph (b) of subsection 1 of NRS 433A.310 if:

(1) The request is in writing and includes the name and date of birth of the person who is the subject of the requested order; and

(2) The hospital or facility certifies that:

(I) The person who is the subject of the requested order is, at the time of the request, admitted to the hospital or facility and is being treated for an alleged mental illness; and

(II) The requested order is necessary to improve the care which is being provided to the person who is the subject of the order.

(b) Place the request in the record under seal.

6. Upon its own order, any court of this State may inspect court records that are sealed pursuant to this section without following the procedure described in subsection 2 if the records are necessary and relevant for the disposition of a matter pending before the court. The court may allow a party in the matter to inspect the records without following the procedure described in subsection 2 if the court deems such inspection necessary and appropriate.

7. Following the sealing of records pursuant to this section, the admission of the person who is the subject of the records to the public or private hospital, mental health facility or program of community-based or outpatient services, is deemed never to have occurred, and the person may answer accordingly any question related to its occurrence, except in connection with:

(a) An application for a permit to carry a concealed firearm pursuant to the provisions of NRS 202.3653 to 202.369, inclusive;

(b) A transfer of a firearm; or

(c) An application for a position of employment described in subsection 4.

8. A court may disclose information contained in a record sealed pursuant to this section to a provider of health care to assist with treatment provided to the consumer.

9. As used in this section:

(a) “Firefighter” means a person who is a salaried employee of a fire-fighting agency and whose principal duties are to control, extinguish, prevent and suppress fires. As used in this paragraph, “fire-fighting agency” means a public fire department, fire protection district or other agency of this State or a political subdivision of this State, the primary functions of which are to control, extinguish, prevent and suppress fires.

(b) “Peace officer” has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 289.010.

(c) “Provider of health care” has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 629.031.

(d) “Seal” means placing records in a separate file or other repository not accessible to the general public.

(Added to NRS by 2007, 1521; A 2013, 3498; 2017, 1647; 2019, 365)