(a) The department shall adopt regulations to assure patient rights and to safeguard the confidential nature of records and information about the recipients of services provided under this chapter. The regulations must require that entities identified in AS 47.30.540(b) develop and include in any plan submitted for approval adequate provisions for safeguarding confidential information. The regulations must provide for disclosure of confidential information to parents or guardians, to mental health professionals providing services to a recipient, and to other appropriate service agencies when it is in the defined best interests of the patient.
(b) Notwithstanding (a) of this section, the department is authorized to review, obtain, and copy confidential and other records and information about the clients of services requested or furnished under AS 47.30.520 - 47.30.620 to evaluate compliance with those statutes. The department may obtain the records and information regarding clients from the client or directly from an entity designated by the department under AS 47.30.520 - 47.30.620 that furnished those services. Records obtained by the department under this subsection are medical records, shall be handled confidentially, and are exempt from public inspection and copying under AS 40.25.110 - 40.25.120.