Allows direct descendants of a patient who has been deceased for a period of fifty years or longer to access such patient's clinical records

This bill allows the direct descendants of patients who have been deceased for at least fifty years to request access to those patients' clinical records. To qualify, individuals must provide proof of their direct descent from the former patient, and facilities are required to follow specific rules for verifying this relationship and releasing the requested documents. The law clarifies that facilities do not need to keep records indefinitely, but if they are available, they must be provided to eligible family members within a reasonable time. This change expands the group of people authorized to view historical mental health records beyond current patients and their immediate living relatives.