Freedom of Information Act

What Are Public Records

Public records are recorded information documenting a transaction or activity by or with any public agency, or employee of state government or its political subdivisions. Regardless of physical form or characteristics, the recorded information is a public record if it is produced, collected, received, or retained in pursuance of law or in connection with the transaction of public business.

The medium on which such information is recorded may be, but is not limited to, paper, film, magnetic, optical, or solid state devices which can store electronic signals. The general types of records may be, but are not limited to, books, papers, letters, documents, printouts, photographs, films, tapes, microfiche, microfilm, Photostats, sound recordings, maps, drawings, and any representations held in computer memory.

Who to Contact at Northern Virginia Mental Health Institute to Process Your FOIA Request

In order to process a FOIA request at NVMHI, you may contact the Institute’s FOIA Officer at (703) 207-7158 between the hours of 0800 to 1600 M-F. You may make a verbal request or your request may be in writing. In order to process your request in a timely manner it is recommended that you place your request in writing. Upon receiving the request, the Institute is allowed five business days to process your request. If for some reason the Institute is unable to process your request within five business days, you will receive a letter from the Institute’s FOIA Officer or an Institute representative stating the reason for the delay.

Fees Associated with Processing FOIA Requests

Depending on the type of FOIA request, and the type of labor that may be involve to process a request, fees for processing FOIA requests will vary. The Institute’s FOIA Officer will inform the requestor of the cost of processing a FOIA request prior to processing.

Northern Virginia Mental Health Institute