District of Columbia Code Division III. Decedents' Estates and Fiduciary Relations. § 21-562. Medical and psychiatric care and treatment; records.

A person detained as an emergency involuntary patient by or committed to the care of the Department, a provider, or a hospital for mental illness shall, during the detention or commitment, be entitled to medical and psychiatric care and treatment. The administrator or director of the Department, a provider, or a hospital shall keep records detailing all medical and psychiatric care and treatment received by a person admitted for treatment as a voluntary, non-protesting, emergency or committed patient under this chapter and the records shall be made available, consistent with the provisions of the District of Columbia Mental Health Information Act of 1978, effective March 3, 1979 (D.C. Law 2-136; D.C. Official Code § 7-1201.01 et seq.), to the person's attorney, personal physician, or other treatment provider. The records shall be preserved by the administrator or director of the Department, hospital, facility, or mental health provider until the person has been released from treatment, or longer, as required by District of Columbia or federal laws and regulations.