Mandated Reporters are persons who, as a result of their profession, are more likely to be aware of abuse or neglect of persons with disabilities. Mandated Reporters are required by law to report cases of suspected abuse to the Disabled Persons Protection Commission (DPPC) when they have a suspicion that a person with a disability is suffering from a reportable condition of abuse or neglect. Other persons who are not mandated to report may choose to file reports of suspected abuse.
Who are Mandated to Report?
• person employed by a state agency within the Executive Office of Health and Human Services including but not limited to employees of the o Department of Developmental Services o Department of Mental Health o Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission
• person employed by a private agency providing services to persons with disabilities
• physician
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• Victims may be afraid of getting the caregiver/abuser in trouble.
• Victims may be unable to explain what happened because of the nature of their disability.
What Makes Reporting Difficult for Caregivers?
Taking the step to actually file a report can be difficult for many reasons:
• Caregivers may be shocked, angered or embarrassed by what they hear or see.
• Caregivers may be hearing information that is very contrary to their own personal standards.
• Caregivers may be unclear of their responsibility to report or what constitutes abuse or neglect.
• Caregivers may be fearful that they will be brought into a legal matter where their reputation and character may be questioned.
• Caregivers may not want to become involved.
• Caregivers may be fearful of retaliation from the caregiver/alleged abuser or their agency.
• The Caregiver/alleged abuser may be a friend and co-worker.
• Caregivers may be afraid that reporting will make the situation worse.
• Caregivers may be fearful of alienating the caregiver/abuser and having needed services refused.
• Caregivers may be reluctant to break the "Code of Silence" among
Cooper, C., Selwood, A., & Livingston, G. (2008). The prevalence of elder abuse and neglect: a systematic review. Age and ageing, 37(2), 151-160. Department of Heath (2000) No Secrets: Guidance On Developing and Implementation of Multi-Agency Policies and Procedures to Protect Vulnerable Adults from Abuse.
SC offered to mail pamphlets for caregiver support groups but Bill said he don’t have the time to go. He prefers to call SC if he really needs someone to talk with so says ok. Pa reported that the workers at the residence just took their statements of what happened. The SC asked Pa about his services. Pa stated that he is satisfied with his services and feels that it meets his current needs.
Gelles states, “These professionals also feared lawsuits for false reports, although all state reporting statutes protect mandated reporters from lawsuits if their report is made in good faith” (Gelles, 1996). In addition to the potential misreading of situations, doctors also do not want to take the time that is associated with reporting issues of neglect. Some doctors feel that reporting potential abuse would cause an uncomfortable relationship between them and their
“You can’t put a child like my son, who is very vulnerable, with people with behaviors, because he has absolutely no capacity to protect himself.” The New York State statutory, in accordance with the Department of Mental Hygiene, is responsible for supporting people with disabilities and to fulfill those responsibilities the state contracts nonprofit organizations to provide the necessary services, said the president and CEO of the New York State Rehabilitation Association, Michael Seereiter. The Office of Persons with Developmental Disabilities has an understanding that the agencies who employ direct support professionals are also responsible for hiring, training and supervising the support staff.
“It is an affirmative duty to report all actual or suspected cases of child abuse, abandonment, or neglect.” (Florida Dept. of Education, 2015, Section 1006.061) Reference: Florida Dept. of Education. (2015). “Child Abuse Look for the Signs.” Florida Depaartment of Education. Retrieved from: http://www.fldoe.org/core/fileparse.php/7725/urlt/0072440-mandatoryabusereport08.pdf Florida Dept. of Education. (2015).
If you suspect abuse you must record what has lead to this suspicion, find out any information you can in order to help determine if this is the truth, you must inform other carers, your manager, the individuals care manager and the relevant authorities to ensure that this suspicion to be investigated as soon as possible. For example, an individual I care for with learning disabilities and epilepsy made a phone call to the organisation I work in around 10pm and informed me that she was going out, as it is her right to chose when and where she goes I could not tell her she could not do so, instead I asked where she was going, she informed me she was going to a party at a friends house, I then tried to obtain information about where her friends
It is estimated that for every single report of elder abuse there are 14 incidents that are not reported, according to figures provided by JFS. Something that can be frustrating for family members is the privacy of these investigations. Once JFS receives a complaint and investigates, then all of the information is confidential, Owens said. Seniors have a right to privacy, as long as they are cognizant of person, place and time, he added.
abuse: When the service user lives with the carer, it may increase the chances for abuse to occur as this situation may cause stress and resentment if the carer feels he/she cannot cope. Not properly trained staff who do not receive any supervision or support at work, as well as stressed staff who are going through personal problems, or who do not like working in the care sector, may increase the risk of an individual being abused. In addition, patients who are not mobile, are confused, suffer from dementia or are aggressive or challenging, may also present an increase for the risk of an individual being abused, since the carer
At Adult Protective Services majority of our work involves investigation of abuse, neglect, and exploitation. At Adult Protective Services our job is to protect the vulnerable elderly population, as well as the population that have disabilities. “Only APS is statutorily authorized and responsible for investigating elder and vulnerable adult abuse and taking steps to protect the victims, and it is generally only APS that helps the most frail and incapacitated older persons”(Quin, 2012, p.68). When abuse is suspected, a case worker will reach out to all parties involved, such as the alleged victim, alleged perpetrator, and all collaterals. Unlike many other professions, case worker are not required to have any written consent to speak with
I completed the mandated reporter training for the state of Virginia. Being a mandated reporter means knowing what needs to be reported and how to identify signs or key phrases to look out for. The online training goes over different types of child abuse and neglect and provides information to become aware of signs pertaining to abuse or neglect. A mandated reporter would be required to report to Child Protective Services (CPS) and potentially the police, any suspicions that child abuse may have occurred or may be occurring. “All 50 states have statutes making it mandatory for professionals to report suspected or known child abuse” (Hepworth, 2013).
Emotional neglect – “failure to provide adequate nurturing and affection to a child or the refusal or delay in ensuring that the child received the needed treatment for behavioural problems. It may also involve exposure to extreme domestic violence”. This could be seen as emotional neglect and he feels abandonment from his mother. He seems to feel that she no longer worries about him and is now more focused on her new husband. I also feel that they have failed to protect Alex from certain dangers which is shown in his fighting with one of his fellow peers at school.
According to the Ability Center, The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) makes it unlawful to discriminate in employment against a qualified individual with a disability. The ADA also, outlaw’s discrimination against individuals with disabilities in State and local government services, public accommodations, transportation and telecommunications (Blanck 5). This document explains the part of the ADA that prohibits job discrimination. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission along with State and local civil rights enforcement agencies, work to enforce this part on the law (Blanck). The law unquestionably improved the lives of people with disabilities in many ways, especially by enhancing their access to businesses and public places.
Some of these children may not be old enough to have a voice or they just are too shy. By having those in society aware of the signs and symptoms of child abuse we are hoping to break down the cycle. Some parents may not even believe that what they are doing to their child is a sign of child abuse but it could be something that has been passed down from their parents. What parents have to remember is that there are many ways of parenting around the world, this does not mean that anything goes, as long as it’s “cultural”, parents must adapt to what is acceptable in the dominant culture around them (Pennsylvania Family Support Alliance website, 2016, para.
Stella young is a disabled woman who gives a Ted talk on why she is not your inspiration. In this talk she mentions how disabled people as a whole are seen as making huge achievements and being an inspiration to others when they are just living their normal lives. Stella goes on to explain how when she was younger her community wanted to nominate her for an achievement award even though she had done nothing out of the ordinary, but just because she is in a wheelchair. It’s common to idolize images of men and women who are “beating the odds” and are doing things “despite” their disability, when in reality they are “using their body to the best of their ability” (Young, 2014) I agree with Stella’s argument here.
Elder abuse can be referred to as a single or repeated act or lack of appropriate action, occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust, which causes harm or distress to an older person. Elderly people often get abuse by people who should be their protector and carer, in most circumstances many elderly adults are abused in their own homes, in relatives’ homes, and even in facilities responsible for their care. If you suspect that an elderly person is at risk from a neglectful or overwhelmed caregiver, or being preyed upon financially, it’s important to speak up. Learning about the warning signs of elder abuse, what the risk factors are, and how you can prevent and report the problem it’s very vital in protecting the elderly from abuse, some of these abuse are; • Not caring for someone property (neglect) • Pressuring