Texas Health and Safety Code 784.003 – Confidentiality
(a) Except as otherwise provided by this section:
(1) a communication made by an emergency service provider to an emergency response team member while the provider receives critical incident stress management services or crisis response services is confidential and may not be disclosed in a civil, criminal, or administrative proceeding; and
(2) a record kept by an emergency response team member relating to the provision of critical incident stress management services or crisis response services to an emergency service provider by the team is confidential and is not subject to subpoena, discovery, or introduction into evidence in a civil, criminal, or administrative proceeding.
(b) A court in a civil or criminal case or the decision-making entity in an administrative proceeding may allow disclosure of a communication or record described by Subsection (a) if the court or entity finds that the benefit of allowing disclosure of the communication or record is more important than protecting the privacy of the individual.
Terms Used In Texas Health and Safety Code 784.003
- Discovery: Lawyers' examination, before trial, of facts and documents in possession of the opponents to help the lawyers prepare for trial.
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
(c) A communication or record described by Subsection (a) is not confidential if:
(1) the emergency response team member reasonably needs to make an appropriate referral of the emergency service provider to or consult about the provider with another member of the team or an appropriate professional associated with the team;
(2) the communication conveys information that the emergency service provider is or appears to be an imminent threat to the provider or anyone else;
(3) the communication conveys information relating to a past, present, or future criminal act that does not directly relate to the critical incident or crisis;
(4) the emergency service provider or the legal representative of the provider expressly agrees that the communication or record is not confidential; or
(5) the emergency service provider is deceased.
(d) A communication or record described by Subsection (a) is not confidential to the extent that it conveys information concerning the services and care provided to or withheld by the emergency service provider to an individual injured in the critical incident or during the crisis.