For Provider Mandatory Report
Complete an Incident Report
(Mandated CRU Report)
RCS provides licensing, certification, and regulatory oversight to long-term care facilities including:
- Adult Family Home Providers
- Assisted Living Providers
- Nursing Home Professionals
- Certified Community Residential Services and Support (Supported Living)
- Enhanced Services Facilities
- Intermediate Care Facilities for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities
Owners, caregivers, social workers, nurses, physicians and other employees of RCS licensed and/or certified facilities or agencies are mandated reporters and must report if they have reasonable cause to believe abandonment, abuse, financial exploitation, or neglect has occurred to a vulnerable adult. If you are not reporting on behalf of a licensed long-term care facility or certified supported living agency), please select the public online reporting pageinstead.
This website is only for reporting incidents that do not require an emergency response. An emergency is any situation in which a vulnerable adult facesan immediate risk of abuse or neglect that could result in death or serious harm.
Call 9-1-1 if avulnerable adult is in an emergency situation.
To complete an Online Incident Report, you will needthe license number and city in which the facility is located, or the certification number and cityin which the agency's business office is located.
If you have insufficient data to complete the information required in the Online Incident Report or experience difficulties completing the report, call the DSHS Complaint Resolution Unit toll-free Hotline 1-800-562-6078 to make a report.
Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Incident Reporting
Abuse
An action (that is not an accident) that injures, intimidates, punishes, or unreasonably confines a vulnerable adult. Abuse can be physical, mental, sexual, or coercive.
Possible signs of abuse:
- Unexplained injuries, bruises
- Fear, withdrawal or agitation
Abandonment
A person with a responsibility for a vulnerable adult leaves him or her without a way to obtain basic life necessities.
Possible signs of abandonment:
- A vulnerable adult is left alone in the home
- A vulnerable adult calls for aid or help
Neglect
A person with a responsibility for a vulnerable adult fails to provide necessary goods or services, fails to prevent physical or mental harm or putsthe vulnerable adult in danger.
Possible signs of neglect:
- Sudden decline in physical health, such as weight loss or skin ulcers
- Untreated injuries or illness
Financial Exploitation
The illegal or improper use of the property, income, resources, or trust funds of the vulnerable adult.
Possible signs of financial exploitation:
- Disappearance of property/possessions
- Sudden change in a will or a transfer of assets
If you are a mandated reporter and have reasonable cause to believe abandonment, abuse, financial exploitation or neglect has occurred to a vulnerable adult you must immediately report to the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS).
If the vulnerable adult lives in a facility or receives supported living services: Call the DSHS Complaint Resolution Unit toll-free Hotline 1-800-562-6078 OR submit anOnline Incident Report.
If the vulnerable adult lives in their own home or a facility: report by phone or submit an Online Incident Report.
Revised Code of Washington (RCW) 74.34.053 Failure to report — False reports — Penalties
Section (2) states thata person who intentionally, maliciously, or in bad faith makes a false report of alleged abandonment, abuse, financial exploitation, or neglect of a vulnerable adult is guilty of a misdemeanor.
The report will be triaged and prioritized for investigation when there is RCS jurisdiction. An RCS staff member may contact the reporter for more information. All reports are confidential (public disclosure or other state and federal regulations may apply).
As an expert in the field of long-term care facilities and regulatory oversight, I have a comprehensive understanding of the concepts and processes involved in incident reporting, particularly within the framework described in the provided article.
The article revolves around the obligation of mandated reporters, including owners, caregivers, social workers, nurses, physicians, and other employees of long-term care facilities, to report incidents of abandonment, abuse, financial exploitation, or neglect involving vulnerable adults. The regulatory body overseeing this process is RCS (Residential Care Services), which provides licensing, certification, and regulatory oversight to various types of long-term care facilities.
Key Concepts:
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Mandatory Reporting and Jurisdiction:
- Mandated reporters, as mentioned, are individuals associated with RCS licensed and/or certified facilities. They must report incidents if they have reasonable cause to believe that a vulnerable adult has experienced abandonment, abuse, financial exploitation, or neglect.
- Reporting can be done through the DSHS (Department of Social and Health Services) Complaint Resolution Unit, either by calling the toll-free hotline or submitting an Online Incident Report.
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Types of Incidents to Report:
- Abuse: Non-accidental actions that cause injury, intimidation, punishment, or unreasonable confinement of a vulnerable adult. It can be physical, mental, sexual, or coercive.
- Abandonment: Leaving a vulnerable adult without access to basic life necessities.
- Neglect: Failure to provide necessary goods or services, leading to physical or mental harm or endangerment of the vulnerable adult.
- Financial Exploitation: Illegal or improper use of a vulnerable adult's property, income, resources, or trust funds.
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Signs of Incidents:
- The article provides possible signs for each type of incident to help mandated reporters identify potential cases.
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When to Report:
- Mandated reporters must report incidents immediately when they have reasonable cause to believe that a vulnerable adult has experienced any of the specified incidents.
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False Reporting and Penalties:
- Making a false report intentionally, maliciously, or in bad faith is addressed by the Revised Code of Washington (RCW) 74.34.053, with potential misdemeanor penalties.
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After Making a Report:
- Reports are triaged and prioritized for investigation when there is RCS jurisdiction. RCS staff may contact the reporter for more information, and all reports are treated as confidential.
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Additional Resources:
- The article provides links to relevant websites, including Residential Care Services, Chapter 74.34 RCW on Abuse of Vulnerable Adults, Washington State Department of Health, Washington State Medical Examiner’s and Coroner’s Offices, and additional DSHS Mandated Reporter online resources.
In summary, this information serves as a comprehensive guide for mandated reporters in the long-term care sector, emphasizing the importance of prompt and accurate reporting to ensure the well-being of vulnerable adults.
