CHAPTER 166
(HB 1059)
Child protection records may be shared with certain agencies.
ENTITLED, An Act to
provide for the sharing of certain child protection records.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA:
Section
1.
That chapter
26-8A
be amended by adding thereto a NEW SECTION to read as
follows:
Notwithstanding the provisions of
§
26-8A-13, or any other statute to the contrary, in any case
that a child is under the jurisdiction of the court pursuant to chapter 26-8B or 26-8C, upon a
request for information, the Department of Social Services shall, with due regard to any federal
laws or regulations, including the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act of 1996,
as amended to January 1, 2007, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, as amended to
January 1, 2007, and the federal rules governing the confidentiality of alcohol and drug abuse
patient records pursuant to 42 C.F.R. Part 2, as amended to January 1, 2007, in the following
instances:
(1) Conduct a child abuse and neglect central registry check and provide the results to the
court, court services, or the state's attorney to determine the appropriateness of returning
a child to the parents or placing the child with another caretaker at any time during the
pendency of the proceedings;
(2) For a child committed to the Department of Corrections, conduct a child abuse and
neglect central registry check and provide the results to the Department of Corrections
for purposes of determining the appropriateness of returning a child to the parents or
placing the child with another caretaker; and
(3) For a child committed to the Department of Corrections, release copies of, or the
equivalent to, the child's: request for services history summary, initial family
assessments, court reports, and family service agreements to the Department of
Corrections for treatment planning purposes.
Upon receipt of an order of the court, the Department of Social Services shall make its child
protection services file related to the child or the child's parents and siblings available to the court,
court services, or the state's attorney with the exception of information protected by the Health
Information Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, as amended to January 1, 2007, the Family
Educational Rights and Privacy Act, as amended to January 1, 2007, and the federal rules
governing the confidentiality of alcohol and drug abuse patient records pursuant to 42 C.F.R. Part
2, as amended to January 1, 2007. Under no circumstances may the court order the release of
information pertaining to pending abuse or neglect investigations.
The information released under this section is discoverable to the parties under the provisions
of chapter 26-7A, but is otherwise confidential. However, the court, court services, or the
Department of Corrections may release the information in their possession or any portion necessary
to institutions and agencies that have legal responsibility or authorization to care for, treat, or
supervise a child. The attorneys for the child and respondents may review the records with the
child and the respondents but may not copy or release copies of the records. A pro se litigant is
entitled to review the records but may not copy or release copies of the records.
The Department of Social Services shall impose reasonable fees for reproduction of its records
released under this section. The Department of Social Services shall promulgate rules pursuant to
chapter 1-26 for any fee imposed for records reproduction.
Section
2.
That chapter
26-8A
be amended by adding thereto a NEW SECTION to read as
follows:
For central registry screenings allowed under the provisions of section 1 of this Act, the
Department of Social Services may not complete the requested screening until the court, court
services, the Department of Corrections, or the state's attorney provides to the department a consent
signed by the person being considered as a possible caretaker for the child.
Section
3.
That chapter
26-11A
be amended by adding thereto a NEW SECTION to read as
follows:
File material concerning a child under the jurisdiction of the Department of Corrections shall
be provided, upon request, to the Department of Social Services for the purposes of developing
family service agreements and dispositional recommendations and to the court for use at the
disposition.
Signed February 1, 2007