How to Check Therapy Case Records Onboard a Navy Base

Is there a need to check your case record from therapy sessions on a Navy Base?

As a society, we are encouraged to know what our online reputation is, what our credit score is, what our child’s progress in school is, and what our strengths and weaknesses are at work. We have watches tracking and monitoring our health and our movements. We are encouraged to check our privacy settings on our phone, in our TVs, in our Alexas and Google Home devices.

Why not track one’s therapy progress? It seems logical to view your therapist’s progress notes on your sessions.

Still, though, is there a NEED to? You are there for therapy. You are involved in the conversation and know the issues being addressed in your sessions. In fact, in many cases you bring up the topics being unpacked and analyzed.

While it may not seem urgent to view these notes, there may come a day that your therapy can affect your family, your spouse, your children, or your service and its important to know what has been recorded in therapy progress notes — just as important as the reason we check our credit score. What we don’t know, can hurt us.

HIPAA does not apply to Fleet and Family Services Center Records.

Two years ago I began asking to see my case record. When I finally was given access to it, there were multiple errors. The errors in my case records have harmed my character and reputation within the Navy Enterprise. My records were accessed and reported on by my therapist, her superior and her Fleet and Family Service Center Director to Leadership in Washington DC.

“Leadership” had knowledge of what was put in writing about me from my case record for a full 15 months before I was made aware of what was being written about me without my knowledge.

Regardless of what you think is in there, leveraging your right to view your record is as important as knowing what is going on in your bank account. Mistakes in either can have devastating consequences.

I do wish to offer a disclaimer that there also may be personal reasons you don’t wish to view your case record, and that is okay too. If you do —

1. Notify your local FFSC Center, in writing.

2. You have the right to either view your case record in person or via an FOIA request.

3. Your FFSC has 24 hours to reply to a request to see records.

4. At this juncture, they may only offer you the FOIA option. If you prefer in person—

5. Put it in writing and the FFSC should assist you in setting this up.

***This information is based on my experience. I do not speak for the DoD in any capacity. This story is not meant to advise, merely to inform if you need to know how to access your case records. Images were taken from the “Family Advocacy Program and Clinical Counseling Desk Guide.” ***

Your experience may be different from mine, but a check in on information being stored about you in a military database might just be a good idea.

Future topics to include— do we have a right to opt out of military collection of data and how it is used? Such as FFSC Records…

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