1. (A) Communications between clients and intellectual disability professionals, including general physicians, psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses, social workers, members of interdisciplinary teams, or other staff members employed in a client-therapist capacity or an employee under supervision of them are considered confidential. Certificates, applications, records, and reports made for the purpose of this chapter that directly or indirectly identify a client, as well as privileged communications, must be kept confidential and must not be disclosed by a person unless:

   1. (1) the identified client or his representative consents;
   2. (2) a court directs disclosure upon its determination that disclosure is necessary for the conduct of proceedings before it and that failure to make the disclosure is contrary to the public interest;
   3. (3) disclosure is required for research conducted or authorized by the department;
   4. (4) disclosure is necessary to cooperate with law enforcement, health, welfare, and other state agencies, schools, and county entities;
   5. (5) disclosure is necessary to carry out this chapter.

2. (B) Nothing in this section precludes disclosure:

   1. (1) upon proper inquiry, of information as to a client's current medical condition, to appropriate next of kin;
   2. (2) if the information is used in an educational or informational capacity if the identity of the client is concealed;
   3. (3) of information to the Governor's ombudsman office or the South Carolina Protection and Advocacy System for the Handicapped, Inc., as consistent with state law.

HISTORY: 1992 Act No. 366, Section 1; 2011 Act No. 47, Section 6, eff June 7, 2011.

Editor's Note

2011 Act No. 47, Section 13, provides as follows:

"SECTION 13. In Sections 1 through 6 of this act, the terms 'intellectual disability' and 'person with intellectual disability' have replaced and have the same meanings as the former terms 'mental retardation' and 'mentally retarded'."

Effect of Amendment

The 2011 amendment substituted "intellectual disability" for "mental retardation" in subsection (A).