Code of Maine Rules
14 - DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
191 - MENTAL HEALTH AND MENTAL RETARDATION - GENERAL
Chapter 2 - RULES REGARDING THE DISCLOSURE OF MENTAL HEALTH/RETARDATION INFORMATION BY THE DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH AND MENTAL RETARDATION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES, DIVISION OF CHILD AND FAMILY SERVICES
Section 191-2-I - STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

The Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation (DMH & MR hereafter) and the Department of Human Services, Division of Child and Family Services (DHS hereafter) recognize that confidentiality and its correlative right to privacy is a fundamental principle in the provision of mental health and mental retardation services and support that principle by protecting the disclosure of information relating to the care, treatment and habilitation of clients of DMH & MR. However, the departments further recognize that the protection of children from neglect and abuse is a sufficiently important justification which requires the abrogation of confidentiality under certain circumstances. These rules set out the parameters under which information may be disclosed pursuant to Title 34-B, chapter I, subchapter II, [(section 1207(1)(B-1)(confidentiality) (effective September 19, 1985)] to facilitate appropriate intervention and treatment in such cases.