Regional Abuse and Neglect Reporting Protocol

State of Connecticut DDS
Regional Abuse and Neglect Reporting Protocol
 
Every DDS and Qualified Provider employee or volunteer is mandated by Connecticut General Statute 46a-11b to report suspected abuse or neglect of any individual with an intellectual disability.

If there is reasonable cause to believe that abuse or neglect has occurred, a mandated reporter MUST immediately (1) intervene to stop the abuse/neglect and protect the victim and (2) report it to the appropriate authorized reporting agency.
 
Ensure that the report is made directly to someone, since voicemails do not fulfill the responsibility of a mandated reporter.

Authorized Reporting Agencies

DDS - Department of Developmental Services

Ingestion and Food Consistency

Per Connecticut General Statute 46a-11b all verbal reports of abuse and neglect must be followed up with a written report.

• DDS Employees and Employees of private agencies funded by the department should complete a255 Form as their written report
• Non DDS employees, or employees of a funded DDS agency, should use the PA-6 form as their written report.
• If reporting abuse and neglect for a victim under 17, the DCF 136 form should be completed in addition to the 255 or PA-6. 

All written reports, after making a verbal report of abuse and neglect, should be sent to AID:
dds.aid@ct.gov

If the allegation of abuse and neglect is also an injury or incident, the written report (255) must be sent to

AID (dds.aid@ct.gov) and the regional email:

North (DDS-NR.IncidentReports@ct.gov)
South (DDS-SR.IncidentReports@ct.gov)
West (DDS-WR.IncidentReports@ct.gov)

If the DCF 136 form needs to be completed, it should be done within 12 hours of the verbal report and sent to the DCF area office noted on the form.

Mandated reports of suspected abuse and/or neglect of individuals with intellectual disability who are age 18-59 must be filed with the Department of Developmental Services (DDS) Abuse Investigation Division (AID) located at 460 Capitol Avenue in Hartford, CT (1-844-878-8923).

The Office of Protection and Advocacy (OPA) has been succeeded and replaced by Disability Rights of Connecticut (DRCT). Reports of suspected abuse and/or neglect if filed with DRCT do not satisfy the requirements of Connecticut’s mandated reporting statute Conn. Gen. Stat. §46a-11b. DRCT may be contacted at (860) 297-4300 or 1-800-842-7303.

Abuse and Neglect Definitions

(per DDS Manual I.F.PR.000 Attachment A Abuse and Neglect Investigations Definitions and Examples)

Abuse: The wilful infliction of physical pain or injury or the willful deprivation by a caregiver of services which are necessary to the person's health or safety. 

Wilful: Intentional acts or omissions or the reckless disregard for the safety and consequences of one’s acts or omissions.

Financial Exploitation: 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 funding or services from the department.

Neglect: The failure by a caregiver, including Department of Developmental Services staff, DDS qualified providers staff, and CCH licensees in cases of programmatic neglect, through action or inaction, to provide an individual with the services necessary to maintain such individual’s physical health, mental health and safety.

Neglect also means a situation where an individual either is living alone & is not able to obtain the services that are necessary to maintain physical or mental health or is not receiving such necessary services from a caregiver.

Psychological Abuse: An act that is likely to humiliate, intimidate, degrade or demean an individual, inflict emotional harm or invoke fear in such individual, or otherwise negatively impact the mental health of such individual.

Sexual Abuse: Any sexual contact between an individual, regardless of such individual’s ability to consent, and an employee, legal representative, family member or volunteer; or the encouragement of an individual to engage in sexual activity by an employee, legal representative, family member or volunteer.

Verbal Abuse: The use of offensive or intimidating language that provokes or causes the distress of an individual with intellectual disability or a person who receives services from the Department of Social Services’ Division of Autism Spectrum Disorder Services.

* Please note that the definitions for the purposes of the DDS Abuse & Neglect Registry are slightly different. Contact your Liaison if you need that information.