§ 20-10-228 - Information received by Department of Health and Human Services confidential. - Arkansas Statutes

20-10-228. Information received by Department of Health and Human Services confidential.

(a) Except in a proceeding involving the question of licensing or revocation of a license or as permitted in 20-10-210(b), information received by the Department of Health and Human Services, through inspection or otherwise, authorized under 20-10-213 -- 20-10-228, shall not be disclosed publicly in such a manner as to identify long-term care facility residents, their families, or persons filing complaints.

(b) (1) However, in the case of a specific written request by the deputy director of the appropriate division as determined by the Director of the Department of Health and Human Services for information concerning a certain long-term care facility, information obtained during recent inspections of the facility may be supplied in writing to the deputy director.

(2) This exception applies only to facilities providing care for recipients of public welfare and is not to be construed as permitting the exchange of such information on all homes in the state but is specifically limited to those for which the appropriate division as determined by the director has specific complaints.

(3) These complaints shall be forwarded to the department along with the request for information from the deputy director.

(4) Information received by the deputy director in the manner prescribed in this subsection shall not be disclosed.