Failure to Timely Report Alleged Theft of Resident Property
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to immediately report an allegation of stolen money to the State Agency (SA) and law enforcement, as required by policy and regulation. A cognitively intact resident with a history of multiple fractures and depression reported that $80 was taken from her purse overnight while she was asleep. The resident discovered the theft the following morning and filed a grievance with the facility. The grievance form indicated that the resident herself made a police report, but facility staff did not assist her in this process. Interviews revealed that the social worker informed the resident she would need to file her own police report and did not offer assistance. The incident was not reported to the SA within the required 24-hour timeframe, nor was it reported to law enforcement by the facility. Staff interviews indicated a misunderstanding of reporting requirements, with some staff believing that confirmation of the theft or proof that the resident had the money was necessary before reporting to the SA. The director of nursing acknowledged that taking a resident's money could be considered financial abuse and should have been reported. The facility's policy required reporting any suspicion of misappropriation of resident property to the SA within 24 hours, regardless of whether the incident resulted in serious bodily injury. Despite this, the facility did not follow its own policy or state law, resulting in a failure to report the suspected theft in a timely manner.