Court Rules New York State Facility Must Open Records to Advocates

The state must turn over records of developmentally disabled residents at a state facility in Wassaic, N.Y., who an advocacy group says have "languished" for years without being placed in community homes, a state appellate court has ruled.
In a unanimous decision, a four-judge panel ruled that Disability Advocates Inc. of Albany is entitled to review clinical and medical documents if attorneys "have probable cause to suspect abuse or neglect" — even without seeking the consent of family members who are not legal representatives, a point of contention between the parties.