Failure to Report Alleged Misappropriation to State Agency
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to report an allegation of misappropriation involving a resident to the State Agency (SA) as required by policy. The incident involved a resident with mild cognitive impairment, congestive heart failure, and type 2 diabetes, who had a guardian. The resident's current guardian reported concerns about potential financial exploitation by a previous guardian, who was also a facility staff member. Documentation showed that the facility was aware of the allegation, as evidenced by progress notes and care plan updates restricting the previous guardian's access to the resident. The facility's policy required immediate reporting of such allegations to the SA and other authorities, but no facility-reported incident was found for this case. Interviews with the resident's current guardian, facility staff, and the Nursing Home Administrator confirmed that the facility was informed of the allegation and that the previous guardian was accused of stealing money from the resident. The guardian had also reported the matter to police and Adult Protective Services (APS), and there was an active investigation. Despite this, the facility did not report the allegation to the SA within the required timeframe, resulting in a deficiency for failing to follow mandated reporting procedures for suspected misappropriation.