Section 388-01-060 - How may an individual request a public record?(1) An individual may request a public record verbally or in writing from the DSHS public records officer using the following contact information: DSHS public records officer
Office of information governance
P.O. Box 45135
Olympia WA 98504-5135
Telephone: (360) 902-8484
Fax: (360) 902-7855
Email: DSHSPublicDisclosure@dshs.wa.gov.
DSHS prefers that all public record requests be in writing on the "request for DSHS records" form, DSHS 17-041. Individuals may locate this form on the DSHS website at https://www.dshs.wa.gov/office-of-the-secretary/forms or request it from the DSHS public records officer.
(2) If an individual does not use the DSHS form, the written public record request should include the following information:(a) The requester's name, organization, mailing address, telephone number, fax number, and email address;(b) The date of the request;(c) A detailed description of the identifiable public record being requested;(d) The email or mailing address where DSHS should send copies of the records, or if the requester wants to inspect the record at DSHS; and(e) The requester's signature.(3) An individual may fill out a record request at a DSHS office or send it by regular mail, email, or fax to the public records officer.(4) Requests by third parties for confidential client records must be accompanied by a valid authorization as set forth in WAC 388-01-150.(5) DSHS may ask an individual requesting a public record for personal identification when the law makes a record disclosable to a specific person.(6) DSHS may deny a "bot" request, which is one of multiple requests from a requester within a 24 hour period, if responding to multiple requests would cause excessive interference with other essential DSHS functions.Wash. Admin. Code § 388-01-060
Amended by WSR 18-05-021, Filed 2/9/2018, effective 3/12/2018Amended by WSR 19-02-018, Filed 12/21/2018, effective 1/21/2019Amended by WSR 23-19-028, Filed 9/12/2023, effective 10/13/2023Statutory Authority: RCW 42.17.250 and 34.05.220. 99-15-065, § 388-01-060, filed 7/19/99, effective 8/19/99.