A Pennsylvania court's view of HIPAA, FERPA, and student records
The Pennsylvania Superior Court considered, and rejected, the notion that two federal privacy statutes create privileges against disclosing student records during the course of litigation discovery. But a state law, however, might bar production of such records.
The case involved a former student’s discovery demands in a case against a private special school. Student alleged he suffered sexual abuse and sought records relating to other similar possible past claims against the school. The school opposed producing any such records citing various statutory confidentiality protections against disclosing records involving other students.
The court found that the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, known as “HIPAA,” and the Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act, known as “FERPA,” set forth the parameters by which protected student records can be disclosed and that, generally, disclosure pursuant to court order is an exception to the non-disclosure rule. In this respect, the state court decision comports with the statutes.
More interesting is how the court viewed the argument about a privilege against litigation disclosure based on state law. The Pennsylvania Mental Health Procedures Act, known as the “MHPA,” is seen as creating a privilege, with the only exception being legal proceedings permitted under the MHPA. The court did not decide the ultimate issue but instead sent the case back to the trial court to consider with the school was a “facility” under the MHPA and whether the MHPA actually applied.
The case is a good reminder that many times state laws can offer more protections (or obstacles depending on your position) than federal laws.
