In a message dated 6/13/2007 9:49:12 P.M. Central Daylight Time, riseling@insightbb.com writes: So if I understand all this correctly, access to these records, even if they died over 100 years ago, are not allowed? I have a distant relative that died in the Anna hospital (and is buried there) and I was, at some point, going to try and access those files. ====== No, it is not impossible. It depends on your approach as to why you want the records. If you say you want them for genealogy, you probably won't get them. If you can get a form to get the records released and then get a doctor to sign this form you may be able to secure the records. Then again records that are over 100 years old may be released without a doctor's signature. I am not sure about those. You would need to contact the facility and ask for their procedures. One example I know of in the St. Louis area deals with a family history of depression and children being adopted by an aunt and uncle. The biological mother was institutionalized by the biological father but the children didn't know what was wrong with her. The older children seemed to know more but didn't tell the younger ones until later after the mother died. She had been in and out of the hospital several times. Now the youngest daughter has children with medical problems and she does too. She is getting her doctor to sign a form to get her mother's medical records released. I don't know the status of the request. These records date to the 1940s-1950s. Gloria ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.