Confidentiality and Collaboration: Information Sharing in Interagency Efforts.

Confidentiality issues in cooperative relationships between schools and agencies providing services to children and families with special needs are examined. Introductory sections consider the need to share information and the nature of confidentiality restrictions. A section on overall information sharing considers: when to address the confidentiality issue; whom to involve; clarifying reasons to share information; identifying and addressing legal and non-legal issues; and interagency agreements and memoranda of understanding. The next section looks at "informed consent" as the basis of information sharing, examining: whether there should be a common release form; content of release forms; presenting the release form and obtaining consent; who can grant consent; handling situations where consent is difficult to obtain; and the use of structural or staffing arrangements to remove the need for consent. The following sections look at the use of data at an aggregate level and special considerations when using automated systems for information sharing. Guidelines for protecting confidentiality cover staff training, limiting exchange, extra safeguards for particularly sensitive information, and the re-release of information. Briefly noted is the state legislature's role. Appendices provide sample forms, a checklist, federal statutes and regulations, and a list of seven resources. (DB)