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WZTV FOX 17 - Top Stories
The tragedy in Connecticut is igniting debate on issues ranging from gun control to mental health.
In particular, it's shining attention on the medical privacy law known as HIPAA some parents say is hurting their ability to help their children deal with emotional problems.
One mother dealing with just that issue agreed to share her thoughts with Fox 17 as long as we kept her identity private.
She says her adult aged son has been dealing with emotional and behavior issues since he was in the in middle school.
Over the years she's played a role in helping him until earlier this year when a hospital cut her access to her son's medical information.
"They cut the communication right there and said we can't talk to you anymore about this because of HIPPA," said the mother. "I felt the one person that could be there for him and has always been therer for him is now out of the picture."
She says the change came because her son was angry with her and requested his medical information be kept private.
HIPAA law allows any mental health patient 16 and older to request this.
The mother believes restricting that information can be problematic for parents and she believes there needs to be an exception in HIPAA allowing parents access to information when their child is in the middle of a mental illness crisis.
"Once they get over that crisis they are just as capable and you would need to back off and pull back it would not be an overall HIPPA thing and for the rest of your life I'm gonna do this for you. It would be to be used as needed."
Charlotte Bryson with the advocacy group Tennessee Voices for Children says it's not uncommon for a parent to be shut out because of conflict with a child they're trying to help deal with mental illness.
"I think it happens quite a bit. I think it's common. I think parents struggle with it all the time because they are the one's responsible often the young adult is living in the home or close to them and they feel responsible but the also feel helpless," said Bryson.
In particular, it's shining attention on the medical privacy law known as HIPAA some parents say is hurting their ability to help their children deal with emotional problems.
One mother dealing with just that issue agreed to share her thoughts with Fox 17 as long as we kept her identity private.
She says her adult aged son has been dealing with emotional and behavior issues since he was in the in middle school.
Over the years she's played a role in helping him until earlier this year when a hospital cut her access to her son's medical information.
"They cut the communication right there and said we can't talk to you anymore about this because of HIPPA," said the mother. "I felt the one person that could be there for him and has always been therer for him is now out of the picture."
She says the change came because her son was angry with her and requested his medical information be kept private.
HIPAA law allows any mental health patient 16 and older to request this.
The mother believes restricting that information can be problematic for parents and she believes there needs to be an exception in HIPAA allowing parents access to information when their child is in the middle of a mental illness crisis.
"Once they get over that crisis they are just as capable and you would need to back off and pull back it would not be an overall HIPPA thing and for the rest of your life I'm gonna do this for you. It would be to be used as needed."
Charlotte Bryson with the advocacy group Tennessee Voices for Children says it's not uncommon for a parent to be shut out because of conflict with a child they're trying to help deal with mental illness.
"I think it happens quite a bit. I think it's common. I think parents struggle with it all the time because they are the one's responsible often the young adult is living in the home or close to them and they feel responsible but the also feel helpless," said Bryson.
Wednesday, December 19 2012, 11:05 AM CST
Tennessee News
Man pleads guilty to Memphis officer's murder
May 21, 2013 22:22 GMT
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) -- A former death row inmate is set to be released from prison after he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder of a Memphis police officer.
Shelby County District Attorney Amy Weirich said Tuesday that she has accepted Timothy McKinney's guilty plea.
McKinney was convicted of first-degree murder for the fatal shooting of Officer Don Williams. The officer was killed outside a comedy club in December 1997.
McKinney appealed and won a new trial, which ended with a deadlocked jury. A third trial earlier this year also ended in a hung jury.
The Commercial Appeal reports that McKinney was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Since he's already served more than 15 years -- including 11 on death row -- McKinney will be released this week.
Williams' family opposed the settlement.
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