TMRPA Recorded Training and Customizable TMRPA Compliant Resource

The Texas Medical Records Privacy Act (TMRPA) applies to CASA programs and their employees and requires all organizations to formally train their staff that handle protected health information in the first 90 days of their employment. Texas CASA provides TMRPA training annually for CASA local program staff, as well as providing a recorded TMRPA training on the program portal to support programs in complying with this training requirement. 

The Texas Medical Records Privacy Act (TMRPA) protects personal health information (PHI) by guaranteeing that patients know how their PHI will be used and shared and prohibits organizations and providers from using or disclosing PHI without their consent. All patients have the right to revoke permission to release and review their protected health information at any time. Texas CASA has created a customizable Release of Protected Health Information that is compliant with the TMRPA and is available for CASA program’s use. The Release of Protected Health Information is available in both English and Spanish and it is recommended that it be provided to families in their language of origin to support a full understanding of the document. 

What you should know about the Texas Medical Records Privacy Act (TMPRA):

• It applies to CASA programs
• It applies to anyone who “comes into possession” of protected health information
• It requires employee training on protected health information within 90- days of hire
• It provides greater patient privacy protections than HIPPA (and incorporates HIPAA)
• It requires a “separate authorization for each disclosure” – separate consent for each condition.
• It requires a TMPRA-Compliant Release.

When a CASA volunteer needs a parent or caregiver’s permission to access their protected health information from DFPS, Community Based Care, service providers or others who may have protected health information relevant to the child’s best interest this new resource provides both access to the requested health information as well as providing transparency to parents involved in the child welfare system and their attorneys. It is recommended that CASA volunteers provide a copy of the Permission to Release Health Information to the person granting the permission and explain to them that this permission is revokable at any time.

CASA program staff can find the TMRPA Recorded Training and customizable TMRPA compliant resource in both English and Spanish HERE.