51.22(5) (5) The board to which a patient is committed shall provide the least restrictive treatment alternative appropriate to the patient's needs, and movement through all appropriate and necessary treatment components to assure continuity of care.

51.22 Annotation The standard for determining whether the state has adequately protected a patient's rights is whether professional judgment was in fact exercised. Youngberg v. Romeo, 457 U.S. 307 (1982).

51.30(1)(a) (a) "Registration records" include all the records of the department, county departments under s. 51.42 or 51.437, treatment facilities, and other persons providing services to the department, county departments or facilities which identify individuals who are receiving or who at any time have received services for mental illness, developmental disabilities, alcoholism or drug dependence.

51.30(1)(b) (b) "Treatment records" include the registration and all other records concerning individuals who are receiving or who at any time have received services for mental illness, developmental disabilities, alcoholism, or drug dependence which are maintained by the department, by county departments under s. 51.42 or 51.437 and their staffs, and by treatment facilities. Such records do not include notes or records maintained for personal use by an individual providing treatment services for the department, a county department under s. 51.42 or 51.437, or a treatment facility if such notes or records are not available to others.

51.30(2) (2) Informed consent. An informed consent for disclosure of information from court or treatment records to an individual, agency, or organization must be in writing and must contain the following: the name of the individual, agency, or organization to which the disclosure is to be made; the name of the subject individual whose treatment record is being disclosed; the purpose or need for the disclosure; the specific type of information to be disclosed; the time period during which the consent is effective; the date on which the consent is signed; and the signature of the individual or person legally authorized to give consent for the individual.

51.30(3)(a)(a) Except as provided in pars. (b) and (c), the files and records of the court proceedings under this chapter shall be closed but shall be accessible to any individual who is the subject of a petition filed under this chapter.

51.30(3)(b) (b) An individual's attorney or guardian ad litem shall have access to the files and records of the court proceedings under this chapter without the individual's consent and without modification of the records in order to prepare for involuntary commitment or recommitment proceedings, reexaminations, appeals, or other actions relating to detention, admission or commitment under this chapter or ch. 971 or 975.

51.30(3)(c) (c) The files and records of court proceedings under this chapter may be released to other persons with the informed written consent of the individual, pursuant to lawful order of the court which maintains the records or under s. 51.20 (13) (cv) 4. or (16) (gm).

51.30(3)(d) (d) The department of corrections shall have access to the files and records of court proceedings under this chapter concerning an individual required to register under s. 301.45. The department of corrections may disclose information that it obtains under this paragraph as provided under s. 301.46.

51.30(4)(a)(a) Confidentiality of records. Except as otherwise provided in this chapter and ss. 118.125 (4), 610.70 (3) and (5), 905.03 and 905.04, all treatment records shall remain confidential and are privileged to the subject individual. Such records may be released only to the persons designated in this chapter or ss. 118.125 (4), 610.70 (3) and (5), 905.03 and 905.04, or to other designated persons with the informed written consent of the subject individual as provided in this section. This restriction applies to elected officials and to members of boards appointed under s. 51.42 (4) (a) or 51.437 (7) (a).

51.30(4)(b) (b) Access without informed written consent. Notwithstanding par. (a), treatment records of an individual may be released without informed written consent in the following circumstances, except as restricted under par. (c):

51.30(4)(b)1. 1. To an individual, organization or agency designated by the department or as required by law for the purposes of management audits, financial audits, or program monitoring and evaluation. Information obtained under this paragraph shall remain confidential and shall not be used in any way that discloses the names or other identifying information about the individual whose records are being released. The department shall promulgate rules to assure the confidentiality of such information.

51.30(4)(b)2. 2. To the department, the director of a county department under s. 51.42 or 51.437, or a qualified staff member designated by the director as is necessary for, and only to be used for, billing or collection purposes. Such information shall remain confidential. The department and county departments shall develop procedures to assure the confidentiality of such information.

51.30(4)(b)3. 3. For purposes of research as permitted in s. 51.61 (1) (j) and (4) if the research project has been approved by the department and the researcher has provided assurances that the information will be used only for the purposes for which it was provided to the researcher, the information will not be released to a person not connected with the study under consideration, and the final product of the research will not reveal information that may serve to identify the individual whose treatment records are being released under this subsection without the informed written consent of the individual. Such information shall remain confidential. In approving research projects under this subsection, the department shall impose any additional safeguards needed to prevent unwarranted disclosure of information.

51.30(4)(b)4. 4. Pursuant to lawful order of a court of record.

51.30(4)(b)5. 5. To qualified staff members of the department, to the director of the county department under s. 51.42 or 51.437 which is responsible for serving a subject individual or to qualified staff members designated by the director as is necessary to determine progress and adequacy of treatment, to determine whether the person should be transferred to a less restrictive or more appropriate treatment modality or facility or for the purposes of s. 51.14. Such information shall remain confidential. The department and county departments under s. 51.42 or 51.437 shall develop procedures to assure the confidentiality of such information.

51.30(4)(b)6. 6. Within the treatment facility where the subject individual is receiving treatment confidential information may be disclosed to individuals employed, individuals serving in bona fide training programs or individuals participating in supervised volunteer programs, at the facility when and to the extent that performance of their duties requires that they have access to such information.

51.30(4)(b)7. 7. Within the department to the extent necessary to coordinate treatment for mental illness, developmental disabilities, alcoholism or drug abuse of individuals who have been committed to or who are under the supervision of the department. The department shall promulgate rules to assure the confidentiality of such information.

51.30(4)(b)8. 8. To a licensed physician who has determined that the life or health of the individual is in danger and that treatment without the information contained in the treatment records could be injurious to the patient's health. Such disclosure shall be limited to that part of the records necessary to meet the medical emergency.

51.30(4)(b)8m. 8m. To appropriate examiners and facilities in accordance with s. 971.17 (2) (e), (4) (c) and (7) (c), 980.03 (4) or 980.08 (3). The recipient of any information from the records shall keep the information confidential except as necessary to comply with s. 971.17 or ch. 980.

51.30(4)(b)9. 9. To a facility which is to receive an individual who is involuntarily committed under this chapter, ch. 48, 971 or 975 upon transfer of the individual from one treatment facility to another. Release of records under this subdivision shall be limited to such treatment records as are required by law, a record or summary of all somatic treatments, and a discharge summary. The discharge summary may include a statement of the patient's problem, the treatment goals, the type of treatment which has been provided, and recommendation for future treatment, but it may not include the patient's complete treatment record. The department shall promulgate rules to implement this subdivision.

51.30(4)(b)10. 10. To a correctional facility or to a probation, extended supervision and parole agent who is responsible for the supervision of an individual who is receiving inpatient or outpatient evaluation or treatment under this chapter in a program that is operated by, or is under contract with, the department or a county department under s. 51.42 or 51.437, or in a treatment facility, as a condition of the probation, extended supervision and parole supervision plan, or whenever such an individual is transferred from a state or local correctional facility to such a treatment program and is then transferred back to the correctional facility. Every probationer, parolee or person on extended supervision who receives evaluation or treatment under this chapter shall be notified of the provisions of this subdivision by the individual's probation, extended supervision and parole agent. Release of records under this subdivision is limited to:

51.30(4)(b)10.b. b. The discharge summary, including a record or summary of all somatic treatments, at the termination of any treatment which is provided as part of the probation, extended supervision and parole supervision plan.