If you or your child were placed in a facility, you have the right to access your personal records. These include medical, mental health, foster care, education, and court files. Below are the most common categories, what they contain, and how to request them.
Medical & Mental Health Records
Who holds them: treatment centers, hospitals, counselors, psychiatrists, therapists, nurses.
What’s included:
Admission paperwork and consent forms
Treatment plans, therapy/progress notes, medication logs
Incident reports, restraint/seclusion logs, daily behavior sheets
Discharge summaries and aftercare plans
Billing statements, ledgers, insurance claims
How to request:
Send a HIPAA request to the facility’s Medical Records Department or Privacy Officer (Templates can be found in our document library)
Include: full name, DOB, dates of service, preferred delivery format, proof of ID
Ask for a fee estimate first
Providers must generally respond within 30 days
Juvenile Court / Probation Records
Who holds them: county juvenile probation departments, county courts.
What’s included:
Court petitions and orders
Probation intake reports
Detention center records
Contracts between county probation and facilities
How to request:
Write to the county clerk or juvenile probation records office
Juvenile records are often sealed, but the youth (now adult) or their parent/guardian may request copies of their own file
Ask for case docket sheets and any placement or probation orders
Education Records (FERPA)
Who holds them: school districts, charter schools, facility schools.
What’s included:
Attendance, grades, transcripts
Special education records (evaluations, IEPs/504s)
Discipline and behavior notes
Emails between district and facility staff
How to request:
Send a FERPA request to the district/charter registrar or special education office
Parents of minors and adult students can request directly
Schools must respond within 45 days
Education Record Request Template:
Foster Care or Texas Department of Family Services Case Records Request Template:
Personal Medical Records Request Template:
Personal Juvenile Court Case Records Request Template
Pharmacy Prescription History Request Template
Personal Therapy / Mental Health Record Request Template:
How to Use These Templates
Click Preview to see if it fits your need.
Click Download to edit your own copy.
Replace all placeholders (red lettering)
Email or mail your request; keep a copy.
