Failure to Provide Behavioral Health Care
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to provide necessary behavioral health care and services to a resident, identified as Resident #59, who was blind and experiencing chronic pain, anxiety, and depression. Despite having intact cognition, the resident expressed feelings of loneliness and boredom, stating that interaction with others alleviated his pain. Interviews with staff, including CNAs and a social worker, confirmed that the resident was often isolated in his room, did not participate in activities, and had not received behavioral care support in the past quarter. The social worker acknowledged that a request for an outside behavioral care consult was made but not acted upon. The facility's policies on social services and behavioral health services emphasize the importance of providing or obtaining necessary services to maintain residents' mental and psychosocial well-being. However, the facility did not adhere to these policies, as evidenced by the lack of behavioral health support and failure to make an outside referral for the resident. The Director of Nursing confirmed that the resident did not receive the needed behavioral support, which was crucial given the resident's expressed loneliness and boredom.