Virginia Code 2.2-446: Confidentiality of record of Children’s Ombudsman; disclosure; limitations; release of certain information
A. All statements, documentation, and other evidence received or maintained by the Office or its agents in connection with complaints made to or investigations undertaken pursuant to the Ombudsman‘s powers enumerated in § 2.2-442 shall be confidential and not subject to the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (§ 2.2-3700 et seq.) and are not discoverable in legal proceedings. If the Ombudsman identifies action or inaction by the state through its agencies or services that failed to protect children, the Ombudsman shall provide any findings and recommendations to the agency affected by those findings and to the General Assembly upon request, and may provide those findings and recommendations to the complainant, to the extent consistent with state or federal law. The Ombudsman shall not disclose any information that impairs the rights of the child or the child’s parents or guardians.
Terms Used In Virginia Code 2.2-446
- Abused or neglected child: means the same as that term is defined in § Virginia Code 2.2-438
- Child: means an individual under the age of 18. See Virginia Code 2.2-438
- Complainant: means an individual who makes a complaint pursuant to § Virginia Code 2.2-438
- Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
- Department: means the Department of Social Services. See Virginia Code 2.2-438
- 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.
- Freedom of Information Act: A federal law that mandates that all the records created and kept by federal agencies in the executive branch of government must be open for public inspection and copying. The only exceptions are those records that fall into one of nine exempted categories listed in the statute. Source: OCC
- Law-enforcement agency: means any crime victim and witness assistance program whose funding is provided in whole or in part by grants administered by the Department of Criminal Justice Services pursuant to § Virginia Code 2.2-438
- Local department: means the local department of social services of any county or city in the Commonwealth. See Virginia Code 2.2-438
- Office: means the Office of the Children's Ombudsman established under § Virginia Code 2.2-438
- Ombudsman: means the individual appointed to head the Office of the Children's Ombudsman under § Virginia Code 2.2-438
- State: when applied to a part of the United States, includes any of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the United States Virgin Islands. See Virginia Code 1-245
B. Unless otherwise part of the public record, the Office shall not release any of the following confidential information to the general public:
1. Records relating to a mental health evaluation or treatment of a parent or child;
2. Records relating to the evaluation or treatment of a substance abuse-related disorder of a parent or child;
3. Records relating to a medical diagnosis or treatment of a parent or child;
4. Records relating to domestic violence-related services and sexual assault services provided to a parent or child; or
5. Records relating to educational services provided to a parent or child.
C. Notwithstanding subsection B, if the Ombudsman determines that disclosure of confidential information is necessary to identify, prevent, or respond to the abuse or neglect of a child, the Ombudsman may disclose such information to the Department or local department, a court, a law-enforcement agency, or a prosecuting attorney investigating a report of known or suspected abuse or neglect of a child. The Ombudsman shall not release the address, telephone number, or other information regarding the whereabouts of a victim or suspected victim of domestic violence unless ordered to by a court.
D. Except as provided in subsection C, the Ombudsman shall not disclose information relating to an ongoing law-enforcement investigation or an ongoing child protective services investigation. The Ombudsman may release the results of its investigation to a complainant, or an individual not meeting the definition of complainant, if the Ombudsman receives notification of and determines that releasing the results of its investigation is not related to and will not interfere with an ongoing law-enforcement investigation or ongoing child protective services investigation.
E. The Ombudsman shall not disclose the identity of an individual making a complaint alleging that a child is an abused or neglected child unless that individual’s written permission is obtained first or a court has ordered the Ombudsman to release such information.
F. The Ombudsman may release an individual’s identity who makes an intentionally false report alleging that a child is an abused or neglected child, subject to other laws relating to such disclosure.