Reps. Russo, Brownlee Introduce Bill to Protect Privacy of Mental Health Providers and Social Workers

COLUMBUS - State Reps. Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington) and Karen Brownlee (D-Symmes Twp) today introduced House Bill (HB) 837, a bill which would alter public records law such that the personal information of licensed social workers and other mental health professionals can be removed from the public domain.

"Mental health professionals and social workers are at the frontline of our community's well-being, and when we protect them, we also protect the vulnerable families they serve," said Rep. Russo. "They often handle our most volatile, heart-wrenching, and sensitive situations, yet we ask them to do this heroic work while treating their own safety as optional. These professionals face a significantly higher risk of harassment, stalking, and physical violence compared to almost any other field. Shielding their personal information from being exposed through a 5-minute internet search isn't a luxury, it can sometimes be a matter of life and death. They have our back; it is time we have theirs."

Throughout their careers, mental health professionals face a higher risk of victimization through stalking and physical violence compared to many other occupations. As well as increasing the likelihood of violence, the impact of stalking can substantially affect the victim's physical, emotional, and financial well-being, leading to anger, reduced confidence in their work ability, and anxiety, alongside practical consequences such as changing routines, losing income, and changing jobs. Stalking can also lead to negative impacts on the victim's partners, friends, and family, leading to increased isolation.

"As a social worker myself, I have experienced safety risks stemming from my work. Licensed mental health workers have very little support in protecting their personal safety, and the least we can do is put forward commonsense policies such as HB 837 to help them keep their personal information private," said Rep. Brownlee.

The residential and familial information of a designated public service worker is expressly exempt from the definition of a public record, and this designation allows these workers to request that their address be removed from information that is publicly available on the internet. While this definition was expanded during the 134th GA to include some mental health providers, HB 837 simply closes the gap to better identify a wider range of mental health providers and social workers.

HB 837 awaits assignment to a committee in the coming weeks.