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27 minor or negligent treatment or maltreatment of a child of which the social services official becomes aware of in the administration of public assistance and care. 5. Nothing in this Part precludes a social services official from communicating with the Federal Immigration and Naturalization Service regarding the immigration status of any individual. (f) Disclosure upon subpoena by court. 1. When a public assistance record is subpoenaed by court, the public welfare agency shall immediately consult its legal counsel before producing any record or revealing any information or giving any testimony. 2. When the subpoena is for a purpose directly related to the administration of public assistance or protection of the child, the agency before complying with the subpoena shall endeavor to get in touch with the client whose record is involved or his attorney and secure permission to reveal the contents of the record which relate to the administration of public assistance. 3. In the event that the subpoena is for a purpose not directly related to the administration of public assistance or the protection of a child, the agency shall plead, in support of its request to withhold information, that the Social Security Act, the Social Services Law and the regulations of the State Department of Social Services prohibit disclosure of confidential information contained in records and files, including names of clients. The agency will be governed by the final order of the court after this plea is made. (g) Disclosure to bona fide news disseminating firm. The written assurance required by section 136 of the Social Services Law that the names and addresses of applicants and recipients of assistance shall not be published, shall be obtained by the public welfare official before allowing examination of records of disbursements by that bona fide news disseminating firm. (h) Disclosure of confidential HIV-related information. 1. Notwithstanding any other provision of any law or regulation, confidential HIV-related information concerning persons claiming disability benefits under the provisions of titles II and XVI of the Social Security Act may be disclosed to persons employed by or acting on behalf of the department’s Office of Disability Determinations engaged in the conduct of processing such claims on the basis of a general medical release in the form approved by the Social Security Administration of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. The employees and agents of the office of disability determinations, including providers of clinical laboratory services, consultative medical examinations or claimant-related medical information, to the extent they have acted in accordance with office procedures and instructions, will be held harmless and indemnified by the office for any liability for the disclosure or redisclosure of any HIV related information when such information is solicited by or provided to the office of disability determination. 2. All medical information, including confidential HIV-related information, solicited by or provided to the office of disability determinations for the purpose of determining a person’s disability will be treated as confidential and this information must not be disclosed except as prescribed by the regulations of the Secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. 3. The term confidential HIV-related information is defined in 18 NYCRR section 360-8.1.