Regional Abuse and Neglect Reporting Protocol
| AID (victim age 18-59*) Abuse Investigation Division (formerly known as the Office of Protection and Advocacy, OPA or P&A 1-844-878-8923 |
| DSS (victim over age 59) Department of Social Services Centralized Intake 1-888-385-4225 & DDS A&N Liaison |
DCF (victim under age 18) Department of Children and Families Care Line 1-800-842-2288 & DDS A&N Liaison |
DDS - Department of Developmental Services
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North Region:
Assistant: |
South Region: Assistant: |
West Region: |
| Southbury Training School (STS): Kenerick Brown, A&N Liaison STS Human Rights Office Southbury, CT 06488 (Contact information noted above under West Region) |
If abuse or neglect of an individual with an intellectual disability which occurred in a medical facility is suspected, or the alleged perpetrator is a service provider licensed by the State Department of Public Health (DPH), the appropriate authorized agency(s) should be notified. The allegation should also be reported to DPH. The DPH number for reporting such allegations is (860) 509-7552. The AID or DDS will notify the Department of Public Health (DPH) to investigate.
For additional information or questions, please contact the Regional DDS Abuse & Neglect Liaison.
Abuse and Neglect DDS Regulation Definitions:
Abuse:
The willful infliction by a caregiver of physical pain or injury, or the willful deprivation of services necessary to the physical safety of an individual.
Psychological Abuse:
Acts that inflict emotional harm, invoke fear and/or humiliate, intimidate, degrade, demean or otherwise negatively impact the mental health or safety of an individual.
Verbal Abuse:
The use of offensive and/or intimidating language that can provoke or upset an individual.
Neglect:
The failure by a caregiver, through action or inaction, to provide an individual with the services necessary to maintain his or her physical and mental health and safety, including incidents of inappropriate or unwanted individual to individual sexual contact. Neglect is also a situation in which an individual lives alone and is not able to provide for him/herself the services which are necessary to maintain his physical, mental health or safety.
Financial Exploitation:
The theft or misappropriation of property and/or monetary resources which are intended to be used for or by an individual.
Sexual Abuse:
Any sexual contact or encouragement of sexual activity between a caregiver - family member, paid staff or a volunteer and an individual, regardless of consent.
DDS Abuse and Neglect Registry
The Connecticut General Statutes §§ 17a-247a-247h require that DDS establish and maintain a registry of former employees who have been terminated or separated from employment with DDS or an entity or person funded or licensed by DDS as a result of substantiated abuse or neglect.
When an employee is terminated or separated from employment with DDS or an entity or person funded or licensed by DDS, for substantiated abuse or neglect, the employer must notify DDS. After verification of necessary information contained in the investigation report, DDS will notify the terminated employee, and schedule an administrative hearing, the outcome of which will determine if the employee’s name should be placed on the DDS Abuse and Neglect Registry.
For purposes of placement on the Registry, the following definitions apply:
“Neglect” means the failure by an employee, through action or inaction, to provide an individual who receives services or funding from the department with the services necessary to maintain such individual's physical and mental health and safety.
“Psychological abuse” means an act intended to (A) humiliate, intimidate, degrade or demean an individual who receives services or funding from the department, (B) inflict emotional harm or invoke fear in such individual, or (C) otherwise negatively impact the mental health of such individual.
“Sexual abuse” means (A) any sexual contact between an individual who receives services or funding from the department, regardless of such individual's ability to consent, and an employee, or (B) the encouragement by an employee of an individual who receives services or funding from the department to engage in sexual activity.
“Verbal abuse” means the use of offensive or intimidating language that is intended to provoke or cause the distress of an individual who receives services or funding from the department.
“Abuse by way of financial exploitation” means the theft, misappropriation or unauthorized or improper use of property, money or other resource that is intended to be used by or for an individual who receives services or funding from the department.
If placed on the Registry, the employee is prohibited from volunteering with or being employed by DDS or any agency, organization or individual that is licensed or funded by DDS for a minimum of five years for a finding of abuse and two years for a finding of neglect beginning when the employee’s name is placed on the Registry. After that time, the employee may submit a written request to the Commissioner of DDS to have his or her name removed from the Registry for good cause shown.
No employer licensed or funded by DDS may hire a person whose name appears on the registry or retain an employee after receiving notice that his or her name so appears.