The Mental Health, Alcohol & Drug Addiction Recovery Board of Putnam County maintains records in a manner so that they are readily available for inspection and copying as required by Ohio’s Public Record’s Act (ORC 149.43).

The Ohio Revised Code 149.43 defines records as including the following: Any document – paper, electronic (including, but not limited to, e-mail), or other format – that is created or received by, or comes under the jurisdiction of a public office that documents the organization, functions, policies, decisions, procedures, operations, or other activities of the office. All records of the Mental Health and Recovery Services Board are public unless they are specifically exempt from disclosure under the Ohio Revised Code.

Policy | Records Request

Although no specific language is require to make a request, the requester must at least identify the records requested with a sufficient clarity to allow the Mental Health, Alcohol & Drug Addiction Recovery Board of Putnam County to identify, retrieve, and review the records. If it is not clear what records are being sought, the requester will be contacted for clarification, and may be assisted in revising the request by being informed of the manner in which the records are kept by the Board.

The requester does not have to put records request in writing, and does not have to provide his or her identity or the intended use of the requested public records.

Public records shall be available for inspection during regular business hours, with the exception of holidays. Public records shall be made available for inspection promptly. Copies of public records shall be made available within a reasonable period of time. “Prompt” and “reasonable” take into account the volume of records requested; the proximity of the location where the records are stored; and the necessity for any legal review of the records requested.

Each request should be evaluated for an estimated length of time required to gather the records. Routine requests for records should be satisfied immediately if feasible to do so. Routine requests include, but are not limited to, meeting minutes, budgets, salary information, forms and applications, personnel rosters, etc. If the request is not able to be filled immediately, Board staff shall let the requester know when he or she can pick up the requested materials.

All requests for public records shall either be satisfied or be acknowledged in writing by the Mental Health, Alcohol & Drug Addiction Recovery Board of Putnam County within three (3) business days following the office’s receipt of the request. If a request is deemed significantly beyond “routine”, such as seeking a voluminous number of copies, requiring an extensive research of archived materials or requiring a legal opinion; the acknowledgement must include the following:

• An estimated number of business days it will take to satisfy the request.
• An estimated cost if copies are requested.
• Any items within the request that may be exempt from disclosure.

Denials:

Any denial of public records requested must include an explanation, including legal authority. If portions of a record are public and portions are exempt, the exempt portions are to be revised and the rest released. If there are revisions, each revisions must be accompanied by a supporting explanation, including legal authority.

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