Failure to Timely Report Alleged Abuse Incident
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to implement its policies and procedures for timely reporting of a reasonable suspicion of a crime, as required by section 1150B of the Act. Two residents with cognitive impairments, one with Alzheimer's disease and severe impairment and another with unspecified dementia and moderate impairment, were involved in an incident where one resident was observed grabbing the other's foot. During care, the resident accused a staff member of attempted rape, prompting immediate cessation of care. Both residents were assessed and found to have no injuries. Law enforcement responded but could not obtain statements due to the residents' inability to recall the event. The incident occurred at 11:00 AM and was discovered at 12:30 PM, but was not reported to the State Agency until 5:02 PM, exceeding the required two-hour reporting window. The Nursing Home Administrator confirmed that abuse allegations must be reported immediately, but this protocol was not followed in this case.