Failure to Timely Report Alleged Misappropriation of Resident Property
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure timely reporting of alleged violations of misappropriation or exploitation for 13 out of 16 residents sampled. Interviews and record reviews revealed that staff became aware of irregularities in the resident trust account but did not report their suspicions due to concerns about retaliation and personal opinions regarding the seriousness of the situation. The business office manager noticed issues with the trust account but did not report them, citing fear of being fired and a belief that such incidents were unlikely to occur. Only three residents were included in the 5-day report to the state agency, despite more residents being affected. Facility policy required the identification, investigation, and reporting of all possible incidents of theft, exploitation, or misappropriation of resident property within federally required timeframes. However, the policy was not followed, as not all allegations were reported to the appropriate authorities, including the state agency, police, Adult Protective Services, and the Ombudsman. Staff interviews confirmed that reporting procedures were known but not consistently implemented, resulting in a failure to report suspected misappropriation for the majority of affected residents.