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Maltreatment Investigations

• New Alert 5/12

• General

• Statutory requirements

Reporting Child Maltreatment

• Maltreatment of Minors Resource Guide

• Maltreatment of Minors Mandated Reporter Training

• Alerts

Reporting Maltreatment of Vulnerable Adults

• Online Mandated Reporter Training

• Serious or recurring maltreatment

• Alerts

• Updates and legislative changes

• Frequently asked questions

Report t o the L egislature

• Fiscal Year 2011 and 2012

• Fiscal Year 2010

General

To help protect health, safety and well-being of the individuals receiving services from licensed facilities, investigators from either the local county or the Licensing Division investigate reports of alleged maltreatment.

• County social service agencies investigate allegations in child foster care and family child care settings.

• The Licensing Division investigates allegations in the programs and facilities that are directly licensed by the DHS and in adult foster care homes that are licensed by county social service agencies in partnership with DHS.

For vulnerable adults, reports of suspected maltreatment in licensed facilities are accepted by each county’s Common Entry Point.

For children, reports of suspected maltreatment in DHS licensed facilities are submitted to the Licensing Division on the DHS Licensing Division Maltreatment/Licensing Report Form.

Statutory requirements

Maltreatment investigations are guided by the procedures and definitions contained in these statutes:

• Minnesota Statutes, section 626.556 (Reporting of Maltreatment of Minors Act)

• Minnesota Statutes, section 626.557 (Reporting of Maltreatment of Vulnerable Adults Act)

• Minnesota Statutes, section 626.5572 (Vulnerable Adults Act Definitions)

Most investigations include a visit to the program, numerous interviews and the collection of pertinent documents. A summary of the information obtained during the investigation is documented in a public report called an Investigation Memorandum and the privacy of information obtained during an investigation is explained in the Division’s Privacy Notice. The results and determinations of these investigations are subject to appeal. Each investigation must answer several questions:

• What actually happened?

• Did the event meet a statutory definition of maltreatment?

• If maltreatment occurred, was an individual or the facility responsible?

• Was any determined maltreatment recurring or serious?

• Is action necessary to reduce the chance that maltreatment will recur?

Serious or recurring maltreatment

An individual responsible for maltreatment that is serious or recurring is disqualified from positions allowing direct contact with, or access to, people receiving services from facilities licensed by the Department of Human Services and the Minnesota Department of Health, from facilities serving children or youth licensed by the Department of Corrections, and from unlicensed Personal Care Provider Organizations.

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