OAR 413-010-0055: Mandatory Disclosure if in the Child’s Best Interest

(1) Unless client information is exempt from disclosure under another provision of law, and if disclosure is in the child's best interest, the Department will disclose client information records to the following persons: (a) Employees of the Department of Human Services to the extent necessary to perform their official duties, determine the child's or family's eligibility for services, or provide services to the child or family; (b) The Division of Child Support of the Department of Justice, when information is needed in order to locate children or absent parents, and to establish support for children in substitute care; and (c) Treatment providers, resource parents, adoptive parents, school officials or other persons providing services to the child or family to the extent that such disclosure is necessary to provide services to the child or family. Such services include, but are not limited to, those provided by resource parents, child care centers, private child caring agencies, treatment centers, Indian social service or child welfare agencies, physicians and other health care providers, mental health professionals, volunteers, student interns, and child protection teams. (2) Sensitive Review Committee. (a) The Director of the Oregon Department of Human Services (Director) may choose to convene, either on the Director's own motion or upon a request of the President of the Senate or the Speaker of the House, a sensitive review committee for the purpose of reviewing the actions of the Department, in order to improve the quality of and strengthen child welfare practice in future cases. If the Director convenes a committee at the request of the President or the Speaker, then the Director must submit the final written report containing the findings, conclusions, and recommendations of the committee to the President and the Speaker no more than 180 days after receiving the request from the President or the Speaker. (b) Unless client information is exempt from disclosure under ORS Chapter 192 or another provision of law, and if disclosure is in the child's best interest, the Director or the Director's designee must direct disclosure of relevant client information to persons appointed to a sensitive review committee convened by the Director. (A) Any record disclosed to the committee members must be kept confidential by the members of the committee and must be used only for the purpose for which the record was disclosed. (B) Any records disclosed to the committee members must be returned to the Department upon completion of the review. (3) Notwithstanding the subsections above the Department may not disclose a record of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression unless: (a) The Department determines, in written findings, that failure to disclose the record is reasonably likely to jeopardize the child’s safety or well-being; (b) The Department determines, in written findings, that disclosure of the record is necessary to provide services to the child or the child’s family; or (c) The child consents to the disclosure.