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The general privacy rule is that any information that identifies personal information about a DHHS client is confidential under state and federal laws, and there are only a few limited exceptions to this rule. Employees should always take care to protect confidential client information from disclosure to the public and to other employees of DHHS or the State who have no need to use that information in their work. Please check with your supervisor if you receive a request for disclosure of confidential information from a person who is not usually authorized to have that information or who does not have the written authorization of the client to receive information. This may include a request from the press, a client's relative, a legislator, a law enforcement officer, an attorney, or from a court.