PURPOSE
The purpose for exchange of information is to provide those who
work with an individual the data they need to make effective recommendations
or decisions. You may need to speak with past providers in order
to have a complete picture of a person's specific needs. It is therefore,
important that you anticipate the kind of information that will
be needed to do your job. In the event that the person does not
wish to grant permission, you can explain why the
information is needed and what you hope to do with
that information.
Brokers must outline the purpose for release of
information to their employers and be governed by that purpose.
For example, you may be given permission to exchange information
about your employer's health care, medicines and therapies with
his or her primary care physician. In the course of visiting with
the office staff, you discuss your employer's job, income and interactions
with his or her co-workers. It is unprofessional and illegal for
you to give information to an unauthorized individual
or group, and it is your responsibility to attempt to
ensure that information will not be used inappropriately by an approved
receiver. For example, one of the adults that you support wants to apply for a job. In order
to provide as much work experience documentation as possible, you
want to release records from the group home day program your employer
was active with for the last three years. However, those notes include
discussions of behavioral outbursts, medication interventions, and
discussions of diagnosis and prognosis. This is information that
the person should know is included before consenting to release
it. As his or her Support Broker, you should think about how this
information could influence potential job prospects.
MAINTENANCE
Support Brokers will be provided with specific requirements and regulations which will direct what records must be kept and protected. There are state and federal laws that govern record keeping. All agencies that provide services to individuals with developmental disabilities must closely monitor these regulations and prove that they are in compliance. However, it is possible that you may not work for an agency. In this case, take care to review the following guidelines:
Employers' records should not be easily accessible to anyone
who
is not involved in their care or service delivery.
Any release of records, verbal or written, should be
documented
in the employer's file.
Documentation should be done in a timely
manner to ensure
that they are accurate and should not be changed
after the
fact.
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