SECTION 84. Massachusetts rehabilitation commission; information or records confidential

All records relating to clients and applicants of the commission and all personal and medical information or records given or made available to the commission, including but not limited to, names and addresses of clients and applicants, shall be confidential and for the exclusive use of the commission in the discharge of its duties. Such records or information shall not be open to the public notwithstanding the provisions of section ten of chapter sixty-six or any other general or special law. The provisions of chapter sixty-six A shall be applicable to all such records or information except that notwithstanding said chapter sixty-six A, upon request, relevant information or records concerning a client or applicant shall be made available to that client or applicant or with his written authority, to his attorney, and in the case of medical or psychological records or information, the knowledge of which may be harmful to the client or applicant, the commission shall prescribe by regulation that such records or information shall be released to the client or applicant or the parent, guardian or other authorized representative of the client or applicant or that such records or information shall be released to the client or applicant by a duly licensed physician or psychologist. Notwithstanding any other general or special law to the contrary, the commission may publish information in statistical form without disclosing the identity of the clients or applicants involved.

For the purpose of this section, the term ''client'' shall mean a handicapped person who is receiving or who is eligible to receive or who is a person who has received any one or more of the services authorized under the provisions of sections seventy-four to eighty-three, inclusive, and the term ''applicant'' shall mean a person who has applied for or has attempted to apply for any services from the commission.