Bill Text: VA HB1069 | 2010 | Regular Session | Prefiled
Bill Title: Adult abuse; mandatory reporting by person employed in emergency department of any hospital.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-01-28 - House: Continued to 2011 in Health, Welfare and Institutions by voice vote [HB1069 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2010-HB1069-Prefiled.html
10102512D Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia: 1. That § 63.2-1606 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows: §63.2-1606. Protection of aged or incapacitated adults; mandated and voluntary reporting. A. Matters giving reason to suspect the abuse, neglect or exploitation of adults shall be reported immediately upon the reporting person's determination that there is such reason to suspect. Medical facilities inspectors of the Department of Health are exempt from reporting suspected abuse immediately while conducting federal inspection surveys in accordance with § 1864 of Title XVIII and Title XIX of the Social Security Act, as amended, of certified nursing facilities as defined in §32.1-123. Reports shall be made to the local department or the adult protective services hotline in accordance with requirements of this section by the following persons acting in their professional capacity: 1. Any person licensed, certified, or registered by health regulatory boards listed in §54.1-2503, with the exception of persons licensed by the Board of Veterinary Medicine; 2. Any mental health services provider as defined in § 54.1-2400.1; 3. Any emergency medical services personnel certified by the Board of Health pursuant to §32.1-111.5, unless such personnel immediately reports the suspected abuse, neglect or exploitation directly to the attending physician at the hospital to which the adult is transported, who shall make such report forthwith; 4. Any guardian or conservator of an adult; 5. Any person employed by or contracted with a public or private agency or facility and working with adults in an administrative, supportive or direct care capacity; 6. Any person providing full, intermittent or occasional care to an adult for compensation, including but not limited to, companion, chore, homemaker, and personal care workers; and 7. Any law-enforcement officer. B. Any person employed in the emergency department of any private or state-operated hospital who treats an adult who has suffered serious bodily injury and is unable to explain the cause of such injuries due to physical or mental incapacity shall immediately report the case to Adult Protective Services, unless such person immediately reports the case directly to the attending physician, who shall make the required report. C. The report shall be made in accordance with subsection A or B to the local department of the county or city wherein the adult resides or wherein the adult abuse, neglect or exploitation is believed to have occurred or to the adult protective services hotline. Nothing in this section shall be construed to eliminate or supersede any other obligation to report as required by law. If a person required to report under this section receives information regarding abuse, neglect or exploitation while providing professional services in a hospital, nursing facility or similar institution, then he may, in lieu of reporting, notify the person in charge of the institution or his designee, who shall report such information, in accordance with the institution's policies and procedures for reporting such matters, immediately upon his determination that there is reason to suspect abuse, neglect or exploitation. Any person required to make the report or notification required by this subsection shall do so either orally or in writing and shall disclose all information that is the basis for the suspicion of adult abuse, neglect or exploitation. Upon request, any person required to make the report shall make available to the adult protective services worker and the local department investigating the reported case of adult abuse, neglect or exploitation any information, records or reports which document the basis for the report. All persons required to report suspected adult abuse, neglect or exploitation shall cooperate with the investigating adult protective services worker of a local department and shall make information, records and reports which are relevant to the investigation available to such worker to the extent permitted by state and federal law. Criminal investigative reports received from law-enforcement agencies shall not be further disseminated by the investigating agency nor shall they be subject to public disclosure; such reports may, however, be disclosed to the Adult Fatality Review Team as provided in § 32.1-283.5 and, if reviewed by the Team, shall be subject to all of the Team's confidentiality requirements.
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