Failure to Timely Report Resident Abuse Allegation
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to follow its policy and procedure for reporting allegations of abuse when a resident with schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type, disclosed to a psychologist that they had been beaten and raped. The psychologist documented the disclosure in a progress note but did not report the allegation to her supervisor, program management, or standards and compliance, nor did she complete the required incident report or SOC 341 form. The psychologist believed that abuse occurring in a different facility did not require reporting, despite facility policy stating that all allegations, regardless of when or where they occurred, must be reported if not previously documented. Interviews with facility staff, including the Standards and Compliance officer, Psychologist Director, Unit Supervisor, and Program Director, confirmed that no incident report was filed, and the required notifications to the state survey agency and other authorities were not made. The facility's policies clearly require immediate reporting and documentation of all abuse allegations, including those reported to have occurred prior to admission or in other facilities, but these procedures were not followed in this case.