(320 ILCS 20/8) (from Ch. 23, par. 6608)

(Text of Section before amendment by P.A. 103-329)

Sec. 8. Access to records.

All records concerning reports of abuse,
abandonment, neglect, financial exploitation, or self-neglect and all records generated as a result of
such reports shall be confidential and shall not be disclosed except as
specifically authorized by this Act or other applicable law. In accord with established law and Department protocols, procedures, and policies, access to such
records, but not access to the identity of the person or persons making a
report of alleged abuse, abandonment, neglect,
financial exploitation, or self-neglect as contained in
such records, shall be provided, upon request, to the following persons and for the following
persons:

(1) Department staff, provider agency staff, other aging network staff, and regional

administrative agency staff, including staff of the Chicago Department on Aging while that agency is designated as a regional administrative agency, in the furtherance of their responsibilities under this Act;

(1.5) A representative of the public guardian acting in the course of investigating the

appropriateness of guardianship for the eligible adult or while pursuing a petition for guardianship of the eligible adult pursuant to the Probate Act of 1975;

(2) A law enforcement agency or State's Attorney's office investigating known or

suspected  abuse, abandonment, neglect, financial exploitation, or self-neglect.  Where a provider agency has reason to believe that the death of an eligible adult may be the result of abuse, abandonment, or neglect, including any reports made after death, the agency shall immediately provide the appropriate law enforcement agency with all records pertaining to the eligible adult;

(2.5) A law enforcement agency, fire department agency, or fire protection district

having proper jurisdiction pursuant to a written agreement between a provider agency and the law enforcement agency, fire department agency, or fire protection district under which the provider agency may furnish to the law enforcement agency, fire department agency, or fire protection district a list of all eligible adults who may be at imminent risk of abuse, abandonment, neglect, financial exploitation, or self-neglect;

(3) A physician who has before him or her or who is involved in the treatment of an

eligible adult whom he or she reasonably suspects may be abused, abandoned, neglected, financially exploited, or self-neglected or who has been referred to the Adult Protective Services Program;

(4) An eligible adult reported to be abused, abandoned, neglected, financially

exploited, or self-neglected, or such adult's authorized guardian or agent, unless such guardian or agent is the abuser or the alleged abuser;

(4.5) An executor or administrator of the estate of an eligible adult who is deceased;

(5) In cases regarding abuse, abandonment, neglect, or financial exploitation, a court

or a guardian ad litem, upon its or his or her finding that access to such records may be necessary for the determination of an issue before the court. However, such access shall be limited to an in camera inspection of the records, unless the court determines that disclosure of the information contained therein is necessary for the resolution of an issue then pending before it;

(5.5) In cases regarding self-neglect, a guardian ad litem;

(6) A grand jury, upon its determination that access to such records is necessary in the

conduct of its official business;

(7) Any person authorized by the Director, in writing, for audit or bona fide research

purposes;

(8) A coroner or medical examiner who has reason to believe that an eligible adult has

died as the result of abuse, abandonment, neglect,  financial exploitation, or self-neglect.  The provider agency shall immediately provide the coroner or medical examiner with all records pertaining to the eligible adult;

(8.5) A coroner or medical examiner having proper jurisdiction, pursuant to a written

agreement between a provider agency and the coroner or medical examiner, under which the provider agency may furnish to the office of the coroner or medical examiner a list of all eligible adults who may be at imminent risk of death as a result of abuse, abandonment, neglect, financial exploitation, or self-neglect;

(9) Department of Financial and Professional Regulation staff and members of the

Illinois Medical Disciplinary Board or the Social Work Examining and Disciplinary Board in the course of investigating alleged violations of the Clinical Social Work and Social Work Practice Act by provider agency staff or other licensing bodies at the discretion of the Director of the Department on Aging;

(9-a) Department of Healthcare and Family Services staff and provider agency staff when

that Department is funding services to the eligible adult, including access to the identity of the eligible adult;

(9-b) Department of Human Services staff and provider agency staff when that Department

is funding services to the eligible adult or is providing reimbursement for services provided by the abuser or alleged abuser, including access to the identity of the eligible adult;

(10) Hearing officers in the course of conducting an administrative hearing under this

Act; parties to such hearing shall be entitled to discovery as established by rule;

(11) A caregiver who challenges placement on the Registry shall be given the statement

of allegations in the abuse report and the substantiation decision in the final investigative report; and

(12) The Illinois Guardianship and Advocacy Commission and the agency designated by the

Governor under Section 1 of the Protection and Advocacy for Persons with Developmental Disabilities Act shall have access, through the Department, to records, including the findings, pertaining to a completed or closed investigation of a report of suspected abuse, abandonment, neglect, financial exploitation, or self-neglect of an eligible adult.

(Source: P.A. 102-244, eff. 1-1-22.)

(Text of Section after amendment by P.A. 103-329)