Privacy

Privacy of medical records is crucial for people with mental illnesses. Mere leaking of the fact that an individual is in treatment can lead to lost jobs and mortgage foreclosed. Fear of disclosure discourages many from seeking mental health care. Individuals should also have the right to review their own records and submit corrections if warranted. The Bazelon Center has taken a lead role in federal medical records privacy issues, advocating strongly for the privacy rights of people with mental illnesses.

Privacy of genetic information is an area of increasing concern, with advances in biogenetics. In May 2008, after being subject to more than a decade of congressional debate, the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (P.L. 110-233) prohibits health insurers and employers from discriminating on the basis of genetic information, was signed into law. See a summary of the Act.