Norwich State Hospital records

New Exemption: Public Act 11-242, section 37 amends subsection (b) (10) of Conn. Gen. Stat. sec. 1-210 and adds to the exemptions of the Freedom of Information Act any records created as a result of a doctor-patient or a therapist-patient relationship. This closure applies to all records listed below as Restricted.

Patients: Files continue to be made available to patients themselves upon reliable proof of identification which may be a current copy of a Connecticut driver's license with a photograph or current credit card with the patient's name on it.

Families: Section 52-146c of the Connecticut General Statutes allows "next of kin" the right to view records of a deceased patient who was also a relative.

Relatives of deceased patients should contact Assistant State Archivist Allen Ramsey by email at allen.ramsey@ct.gov or send a letter with the following information:

- Full name of the patient.

- Approximate years patient was treated at the hospital.

- Name, e-mail, and telephone of the requestor.

The State Archives will search for the folder and will report the results of the search to the requestor. If a file is found and the requestor wants to view or receive copies of the file, the following information must first be presented to the State Archivist:

- Proof of identity through a copy of a current Connecticut driver's license with a photograph or a copy of a current credit card with the requestor's name on it.

- Proof that the patient is deceased through a copy of a death certificate or obituary.

- Proof that the requestor is a "next of kin" to the deceased patient through a copy of a birth certificate, obituary with the name of the requestor mentioned as a survivor, or a signed and dated notarized statement of relationship to the patient.

Other Parties: According to the new exemption, medical records are closed to other parties.

Record Series Listed Below: Records listed below labeled as non-restricted or unrestricted are open to all researchers who have read the rules of use and signed the registration forms. Since these records are stored off site, they may not be available on the same day.

See the Rules and Procedures for Researchers Using Archival Records and Secured Collections policy.