Failure to Report Abuse Allegation to Law Enforcement
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that an abuse allegation involving a resident with severe cognitive impairment was reported to law enforcement as required by facility policy. The resident, who was receiving hospice care and had significant cognitive and communication deficits, was the subject of an internal abuse investigation initiated after an allegation was reported. Upon review of the facility’s investigation records, there was no evidence of a police report or incident number related to the allegation. Interviews with the Administrator and DON confirmed that reporting abuse allegations to law enforcement was part of the facility’s established process. However, the police officer identified by the Administrator as having received the report stated that no such report was made on the specified day, nor was there any record of a report for the entire month in question. The facility’s policy explicitly required immediate notification of law enforcement officials in cases of suspected abuse, neglect, exploitation, or misappropriation.