​​​​​​​​​​​​Public Records Act

Legal Services

The Department of Health Care Services' (DHCS) Legal Services provides guidance on the Public Records Act (PRA) pursuant to Government Code section 6250 et seq.

You may look at, and get copies of, most records held by DHCS.  You have this right because of a state law named the Public Records Act.  You do not have the right to look at confidential records (such as those with private information about other people, trade secrets, advice from our lawyers, records in connection with pending litigation, etc.).  DHCS may need to review requested records to determine if an exemption applies before a record may be inspected or copied.

To learn more, please review the following guidelines:

• GUIDELINES FOR ACCESS TO PUBLIC RECORDS (PDF)
• ORIENTACION PARA EL ACCESO A DOCUMENTOS PUBLICOS (PDF)
  Usted puede ver y obtener copias de la mayoría de los documentos públicos que se encuentran en el Departamento de Servicios de Salud de California. Usted tiene ese derecho gracias a una ley estatal llamada Ley de Documentos Públicos. Usted no tiene derecho a ver expedientes confidenciales (como aquellos que contienen información privada de otras personas, secretos profesionales, consejos de nuestros abogados, etc.)

To ensure accuracy in responding to a request for public records, DHCS encourages all requests to be submitted in writing, including by facsimile or by electronic mail. Requests can also be made orally, by telephone or in person at a public counter in one of our offices. You do not need to disclose who you are, or why you want the records.

Please direct all written requests to:​