The department must maintain a partner notification program and protect confidentiality when contacting partners.
1. The department shall maintain a partner notification program for persons known to have tested positive for a reportable sexually transmitted disease or infection. 2. In administering the program, the department shall provide for all of the following: a. A person who voluntarily participates in the program shall receive post-test counseling during which time the person shall be encouraged to refer for counseling and testing any person with whom the person has had sexual relations or has shared drug injecting equipment. b. The physician or other health care provider attending the person may provide to the department any relevant information provided by the person regarding any person with whom the tested person has had sexual relations or has shared drug injecting equipment. 3. The department may delegate its partner notification duties under this section to local health authorities or a physician or other health care provider, as provided by rules adopted by the department. 4. In making contact with sexual or drug equipment-sharing partners, the department or its designee shall not disclose the identity of the person who provided the names of the persons to be contacted and shall protect the confidentiality of the persons contacted. 5. a. This section shall not be interpreted as creating a duty to warn third parties of the danger of exposure to a sexually transmitted disease or infection through contact with a person who tests positive for a sexually transmitted disease. b. This section shall not be interpreted to require the department to provide partner notification services to all persons who have tested positive for a sexually transmitted disease or infection. 2000 Acts, ch 1066, §29; 2011 Acts, ch 63, §21