Licensed health care providers are legislatively mandated reporters of suspected abuse, neglect or exploitation of certain groups of people. Legislation in June Special Session Public Act 15-5, Section 480 includes new requirements regarding mandatory reporting of impairment for certain health professionals effective October 1, 2015.
Please click the following links for information regarding each of these groups:
Residents of Long-Term Care Facilities
Pursuant to Section 17a-101 of the Connecticut General Statutes, certain health professionals regulated by the Department of Public Health are mandated to report suspected child abuse or neglect to the Department of Children and Families' (DCF) Child Abuse and Neglect Careline or a law enforcement agency.
Reports must be made within twelve hours of the moment the practitioner suspects the abuse/neglect has occurred. Suspected child maltreatment of any kind, regardless of the identity of the alleged perpetrator must be reported. The Careline can answer questions regarding these laws.
It is important that health care practitioners become familiar with Connecticut’s reporting laws as failure to meet reporting responsibilities may subject the practitioner to criminal prosecution and possible action against the practitioner's license or certificate.
Please select this link for information regarding how the Connecticut Department of Children and Families responds to reports of abuse and neglect in families that are not at high risk and whose children are safe.
Pursuant to Section 46a-11b of the Connecticut General Statutes, any physician licensed under the provisions of chapter 370, any resident physician or intern in any hospital in this state, any registered nurse, any person paid for caring for persons in any facility and any licensed practical nurse, medical examiner, dental hygienist, dentist, occupational therapist, optometrist, chiropractor, psychologist, podiatrist, social worker, school teacher, school principal, school guidance counselor, school paraprofessional, mental health professional, physician assistant, licensed or certified substance abuse counselor, licensed marital and family therapist, speech pathologist, clergyman, police officer, pharmacist, physical therapist or sexual assault counselor or battered women's counselor as defined in section 52-146k who has reasonable cause to suspect or believe that any person with intellectual disability has been abused or neglected shall, within five calendar days, report such information or cause a report to be made in any reasonable manner to the director of the Office of Protection and Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities or to persons the director designates to receive such reports. Such report shall be followed up by a written report within five additional calendar days. Any person required to report who fails to make such report shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars.
Residents of Long-Term Care Facilities
Pursuant to Sec. 17a-412 of the Connecticut General Statutes, any physician or surgeon licensed under the provisions of chapter 370, any resident physician or intern in any hospital in this state, any registered nurse, licensed practical nurse, medical examiner, dentist, optometrist, chiropractor, podiatrist, social worker, clergyman, police officer, pharmacist, physical therapist, long-term care facility administrator, nurse's aide or orderly in a long-term care facility, any person paid for caring for a patient in a long-term care facility, any staff person employed by a long-term care facility and any person who is a sexual assault counselor or a battered women's counselor as defined in section 52-146k who has reasonable cause to suspect or believe that a resident in a long-term care facility has been abused, neglected, exploited or abandoned, or is in a condition that is the result of such abuse, neglect, exploitation or abandonment, shall within five calendar days report such information or cause a report to be made in any reasonable manner to the Commissioner of Social Services pursuant to chapter 319. Any person required to report under the provision who fails to make such report within the prescribed time period shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars.
Pursuant to Section 17a-412 of the Connecticut General Statues, any physician or surgeon licensed under the provisions of chapter 370, any resident physician or intern in any hospital in this state, any registered nurse, any nursing home administrator, nurse's aide or orderly in a nursing home facility, any person paid for caring for a patient in a nursing home facility, any staff person employed by a nursing home facility, any patients' advocate and any licensed practical nurse, medical examiner, dentist, optometrist, chiropractor, podiatrist, social worker, clergyman, police officer, pharmacist, psychologist, physical therapist, or EMS provider, who has reasonable cause to suspect or believe that any elderly person has been abused, neglected, exploited or abandoned, or is in a condition which is the result of such abuse, neglect, exploitation or abandonment, or who is in need of protective services, shall within 72 hours report such information or cause a report to be made in any reasonable manner to the Commissioner of Social Services or to the person or persons designated by the commissioner to receive such reports. Any person required to report who fails to make such report shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars.
More information about protective services for the elderly can be found here.
Effective October 1, 2015, any health care professional or hospital shall file a petition if that hospital or health care professional has any information that appears to show that a health care professional is, or may be, unable to practice his or her profession with reasonable skill or safety. More information on this mandate can be found here. For practitioners or hospitals wishing to fulfill this mandate by filing a petition with the Connecticut Department of Public Health, a printable form with instructions is available here.