Disclosure of Confidential Child Abuse and Neglect Records - Virgin Islands

Confidentiality of Records

Citation: Ann. Code Tit. 5, § 2540

All records concerning reports of child abuse, sexual abuse, or neglect made to the government of the Virgin Islands, and all records generated as a result of such reports, shall be confidential except as specifically provided by this subchapter.

Persons or Entities Allowed Access to Records

Citation: Ann. Code Tit. 5, § 2540

No person, official, or agency shall have access to such records unless for the express purpose of acting pursuant to this subchapter. Persons permitted access include the following:

• The Department of Social Welfare and its legal representative
• The U.S. Virgin Islands Police Department when investigating a report
• A physician who has before them a child they reasonably suspect may have been abused or neglected
• A person legally authorized to place a child in emergency temporary custody when they reasonably suspect that a child may have been abused or neglected
• Any agency with legal responsibility or authorization to care for, treat, or supervise a child who is the subject of a record
• Any person legally authorized as responsible for the child's welfare
• Any person who is the subject of a report and their legal representative, or if such person is a child, the child's guardian ad litem, parent, guardian, or other person responsible for the child's welfare
• A court when it is necessary for the determination of an issue before it
• Any person appointed to a case as a court-appointed special advocate

When Public Disclosure of Records is Allowed

This issue is not addressed in the statutes reviewed.

Use of Records for Employment Screening

This issue is not addressed in the statutes reviewed.