Requesting Copies of Records

As a consumer of Mental Health Services, you are entitled to receive copies of Saginaw County Community Mental Health Authority (SCCMHA) created documents in your Medical Record by law (laws).  Documents from other agencies or organizations cannot be released to you.  You will need to go to that agency and request any copies.

Also by law, SCCMHA can charge a reasonable fee for gathering and making these copies (laws). 

However, in order to serve you better, realizing that many of the consumers of SCCMHA services have fixed or limited incomes, the agency will provide, upon your request a copy of documents in your file without charge. Additional copies of documents already provided may require a fee, payable in advance, if directed by the Records Supervisor and as applicable to current standards and practices.  

Documents released directly on your behalf to other individuals, organizations or entities such as Department of Human Services, attorneys, physicians, Social Security, etc. may be billed, if applicable, a research and copy fee.

If you are currently an active SCCMHA consumer, please request your copies of documents from your current Case Holder.  If the amount of documents is excessive, or the documents are not available to the Case Holder, then  you will be refer to Records for assistance.  You will be requested to sign a Release Form to show your requested this information.  Record copies may take up to thiry (30) days to process, though the time is typically much less. 

If you are not a current consumer of Saginaw County Community Mental Health Authority, the agency requires a Release of Information form signed by you.  SCCMHA will only release the information as designated on this form.  Please indicate on the form who will be retrieving the documents or the address for where the documents need to be sent.  The Records staff or customer service can assist you in filling out the form.

Copies of documents requested through Records cannot usually be provided on the same day.  SCCMHA attempts to provide copies in a timely manner but no longer than thirty (30) days.

If you have any questions about this process, please contact the Records Unit at (989) 797-3428 or the Customer Service Unit at (989) 797-3452 or 1-800-258-8678.