HB5266eng 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB5266 Engrossed LRB097 18524 KTG 63755 b

AN ACT concerning aging.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Elder Abuse and Neglect Act is amended by changing Section 8 as follows:

(320 ILCS 20/8) (from Ch. 23, par. 6608)

Sec. 8. Access to records. All records concerning reports of elder abuse, neglect, financial exploitation, or self-neglect and all records generated as a result of such reports shall be confidential and shall not be disclosed except as specifically authorized by this Act or other applicable law. In accord with established law and Department protocols, procedures, and policies, access to such records, but not access to the identity of the person or persons making a report of alleged abuse, neglect, financial exploitation, or self-neglect as contained in such records, shall be provided, upon request, to the following persons and for the following persons:

(1) Department staff, provider agency staff, other aging network staff, and regional administrative agency staff, including staff of the Chicago Department on Aging while that agency is designated as a regional administrative agency, in the furtherance of their responsibilities under this Act;

(2) A law enforcement agency investigating known or suspected elder abuse, neglect, financial exploitation, or self-neglect. Where a provider agency has reason to believe that the death of an eligible adult may be the result of abuse or neglect, the agency shall immediately provide the appropriate law enforcement agency with all records pertaining to the eligible adult;

(2.5) A law enforcement agency, fire department agency, or fire protection district having proper jurisdiction pursuant to a written agreement between a provider agency and the law enforcement agency, fire department agency, or fire protection district under which the provider agency may furnish to the law enforcement agency, fire department agency, or fire protection district a list of all eligible adults who may be at imminent risk of elder abuse, neglect, financial exploitation, or self-neglect;

(3) A physician who has before him or her or who is involved in the treatment of an eligible adult whom he or she reasonably suspects may be abused, neglected, financially exploited, or self-neglected or who has been referred to the Elder Abuse and Neglect Program;

(4) An eligible adult reported to be abused, neglected, financially exploited, or self-neglected, or such adult's authorized guardian or agent, unless such guardian or agent is the abuser or the alleged abuser;

(4.5) An executor or administrator of the estate of an eligible adult who is deceased;

(5) In cases regarding elder abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation, a court or a guardian ad litem, upon its or his or her finding that access to such records may be necessary for the determination of an issue before the court. However, such access shall be limited to an in camera inspection of the records, unless the court determines that disclosure of the information contained therein is necessary for the resolution of an issue then pending before it;

(5.5) In cases regarding self-neglect, a guardian ad litem;

(6) A grand jury, upon its determination that access to such records is necessary in the conduct of its official business;

(7) Any person authorized by the Director, in writing, for audit or bona fide research purposes;

(8) A coroner or medical examiner who has reason to believe that an eligible adult has died as the result of abuse, neglect, financial exploitation, or self-neglect. The provider agency shall immediately provide the coroner or medical examiner with all records pertaining to the eligible adult;

(8.5) A coroner or medical examiner having proper jurisdiction, pursuant to a written agreement between a provider agency and the coroner or medical examiner, under which the provider agency may furnish to the office of the coroner or medical examiner a list of all eligible adults who may be at imminent risk of death as a result of abuse, neglect, financial exploitation, or self-neglect; and

(9) Department of Professional Regulation staff and members of the Social Work Examining and Disciplinary Board in the course of investigating alleged violations of the Clinical Social Work and Social Work Practice Act by provider agency staff.

(Source: P.A. 96-526, eff. 1-1-10.)