Failure to Implement Abuse Prevention Policies and Investigate Exploitation Allegation
Penalty
Summary
Facility staff failed to implement the abuse prevention policy for six contract employees by not conducting or documenting required criminal background checks prior to their work in the facility. The contract workers, including construction workers and electricians, were hired without evidence of background checks as stipulated by facility policy. When questioned, the regional administrator acknowledged accepting foreign background checks without verifying if they met regulatory requirements, and could not confirm compliance with state or federal standards. Additionally, the facility did not follow its policy to report and investigate an allegation of resident exploitation involving one resident. The resident’s daughter raised concerns about possible financial exploitation by a friend, which was communicated to the social worker and the Ombudsman. Although Adult Protective Services (APS) was contacted and later closed the case, there was no evidence that the allegation was reported to the state agency or that an internal investigation was conducted as required by facility policy. Interviews with facility leadership confirmed that allegations of exploitation should be reported immediately to the administrator or DON, and then to the state agency and APS, followed by an internal investigation. However, the administrator was unable to provide documentation of a report to the state agency or evidence of an investigation into the exploitation allegation prior to the survey exit.