FY09 Priority: Abuse & Neglect
Goal A To eliminate abuse (including the use of seclusion and restraint), neglect, and exploitation of individuals with disabilities.
Individuals with disabilities have a right to be free from abuse and neglect.
Objectives:
A.1. To ensure that, through investigations, all federal, state, and local agencies charged with the responsibility of investigating complaints of abuse and neglect of individuals with disabilities conduct their investigations in a timely, thorough and objective manner;
A.2. To investigate reports of abuse and neglect of individuals with disabilities when the responsible state/federal/local agency fails, after appropriate notice, to respond to the complaint in a timely manner;
A.3. To establish and maintain contact with patients of adult and child psychiatric facilities, and in Division of Juvenile Justice facilities, through facility visits;
A.4. To report each year to the Alaska Mental Health Board and the Governor’s Council on Disabilities and Special Education about any inappropriate use of restraint, seclusion, excessive force and other punitive methods of controlling individuals with disabilities at state and private facilities;
A.5. To conduct trainings statewide on abuse and neglect prevention/detection and general disability rights.
Complaints alleging the following abuse will be prioritized: suspicious death, seclusion & restraint, eminent threat of harm, sexual misconduct.
Complaints originating in facilities with repeated complaints of abuse and neglect will be prioritized.
If a complaint of abuse or neglect is being investigated by the state Office of Children Services or the local/state police, DLC will delay its own investigation pending the outcome of that investigation.
Trainings on mental health rights will include information on advance directives.