Please tell me about mental health records?

what exactly are mental health records and who is allowed to see them? My freind told me that if you have one you can have your kids taken away in later life and stuff...

so anotheer friend (my boyfriend in fact) tried to kill himself over christmas and had to go to an institute for a few weeks...would he have a mental health record? and would his kids be able to be taken away and stuff?
oh my friend also said that they can turn you down for jobs if you have a mental health record, is that true?

please help I'm so scared for him! ty.

we live in vermont usa

Due to HIPPA laws only medical personal can view a mental health report unless they are able to get a court order

depends on where you live-where i live there are privavcy lawas and they can't be accessed without a court order unless you give permission

Mental health records are treated like your records from your regular doctor. No one is allowed to see those records without your consent. A person can't be turned down for a job because of their medical history...that's called discrimination.

Your friend will have a record from whatever facility he was at. The doctor can't discuss what the patient has told him to anyone. The only time that would be changed is if your friend would threaten to commit a crime during one of his sessions. Then the doctor has a duty to inform the police.

As far as your boyfriend keeping his kids...that would depend on the circumstances. Good luck.

Not that I have the answer to your exact questions, but I can tell you my experience.

For a number of years I had been seen by a psychiatrist, for medication to treat my depression and other symptoms.

On the job I was injured, suffering a head injury.
In order to receive Worker's Compensation from the State, I was required to sign a document allowing Workers' Comp access to all my medical and psychiatric files past-present-and projected outcomes by Dr.s for my future.
....I lost the case...they dragged up something from years before, and another thing from decades before.........said I had a "pre-existing condition" Funny thing, they never declared that I had not suffered an injury on the job, they just said they were not going to pay for it........So, I applied for Social Security Disability.........wouldn't you know, I was not given a new hearing, Social Security found the earlier ruling by Worker's Comp and based their decision on that. I lost twice.

When courts get involved, It's hard to say who has access to what.

I will say this -- I can't get life insurance.