Texas HHS Emails
It is a clone of this request.
| Tracking # |
A10122023.0450017 |
| Submitted | Oct. 12, 2023 |
| Est. Completion | None |
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Communications
From: Ben Goehring
To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to the Texas Public Information Act, I hereby request the following records:
A spreadsheet, text file, or other machine readable document(s) containing all emails sent or received from a hhs.texas.gov email address from January 1, 2020 to January 1, 2021. In particular, I am requesting the data contain the following columns:
- email address of the sender
- email address of the receiver (including ccs)
- Date and time email was sent
- Full legal name of the sender
- Full legal name of the receiver (if they are a TX HHS employee)
If the dataset that crosswalks email addresses and names is a different file, I am happy to link it with the main dataset myself.
Please note that I am not requesting any information about the subject or body of the emails.
The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.
In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.
Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 10 business days, as the statute requires.
Sincerely,
Ben Goehring
From: Texas Health and Human Services
Good afternoon, Ben.
We have received your request and will process it. I will email you as soon as I have an update.
For your records, the reference number for this request is: A10122023.0450017.
Thank you,
Jennifer Ruffcorn
HHS Office of Communications
Press Officer
Press Hotline: 512-424-6951
[cid:image002.gif@01D9FD1E.8F4C9FB0]
[cid:image003.png@01D9FD1E.8F4C9FB0]<http://www.facebook.com/TexasHHSC/> [cid:image004.png@01D9FD1E.8F4C9FB0] <http://twitter.com/TexasHHSC> [cid:image005.png@01D9FD1E.8F4C9FB0] <http://www.instagram.com/texashhsc/> [cid:image006.png@01D9FD1E.8F4C9FB0] <http://www.youtube.com/user/TexasHHSC> [cid:image007.png@01D9FD1E.8F4C9FB0] <https://www.facebook.com/txhhscenespanol/> (en español)
From: Texas Health and Human Services
Good morning, Ben.
We are seeking clarification on your request. HHSC employs over 37,000 individuals, each of whom has an email address ending in @hhs.texas.gov. Each email address will receive several to hundreds of emails a day.
Our system is not capable of generating a report of the type you are requesting. In order to search HHSC emails, our system requires search criteria. That search criteria would include: employee names, specific search terms, outside domain names, and the names of individuals outside the agency. In addition, large portions of the requested information are confidential by law. If you do not exclude these types of information, every communication would need to be reviewed individually to determine whether the information you requested is confidential and cannot be released.
HHSC is asking you to:
1. Exclude emails between the Office of the Chief Counsel, attorneys employed in other departments, and outside legal counsel representing HHSC to other HHSC employees. Most of these communications, including the information you have requested, are privileged attorney-client communications.
2. Exclude mail boxes and employees providing direct customer service to recipients of benefits like Medicaid, Medicare, CHIP, SNAP, WIC and TANF. The identities of these clients are confidential by law.
3. Exclude emails sent to from recipients of the benefit programs HHSC administers. The identities of these HHSC clients are confidential.
4. Exclude emails sent to or from the employees of the State Hospitals providing mental health services. These emails would need to be reviewed to determine which are confidential under section 611 of the Health and Safety Code, which makes communications between a mental health provider and client confidential.
5. Exclude emails sent to and from Child Care Regulation to reporting parties. The identities of reporters for many alleged violations of law and regulations are confidential.
6. Exclude emails sent to employee family members, as defined under section 552.117 of the Government Code. The identities of family members of HHSC employees who made an election under section 552.024 is confidential.
7. Exclude emails to and from licensees from your request. The email addresses of licensees are confidential under section 552.11765 of the Government Code.
Please note HHSC cannot provide any private email addresses. This information is confidential under section 552.137 of the Government Code. In addition, HHSC cannot provide the full legal name of correspondents outside the agency. HHSC would only possess a name associated with the email addresses.
Please note that this request for clarification extends the 10-business day deadline by 10 more business days, starting the day after we receive your clarification response. Your open records request will be considered withdrawn if we do not receive a clarification response from you within 61 days from the date of this email.
Please let me know how you'd like to proceed.
Thank you,
Jennifer Ruffcorn
HHS Office of Communications
Press Officer
Press Hotline: 512-424-6951
[cid:image002.gif@01DA07EC.9AF75E30]
[cid:image003.png@01DA07EC.9AF75E30]<http://www.facebook.com/TexasHHSC/> [cid:image004.png@01DA07EC.9AF75E30] <http://twitter.com/TexasHHSC> [cid:image005.png@01DA07EC.9AF75E30] <http://www.instagram.com/texashhsc/> [cid:image006.png@01DA07EC.9AF75E30] <http://www.youtube.com/user/TexasHHSC> [cid:image007.png@01DA07EC.9AF75E30] <https://www.facebook.com/txhhscenespanol/> (en español)
