Elder and dependent adult abuse: reporting.

The Elder Abuse and Dependent Adult Civil Protection Act establishes various procedures for the reporting, investigation, and prosecution of elder and dependent adult abuse. The act requires certain persons, called mandated reporters, to report known or suspected instances of elder or dependent adult abuse. The act requires a mandated reporter, and authorizes any person who is not a mandated reporter, to report the abuse to the local ombudsman or the local law enforcement agency if the abuse occurs in a long-term care facility. Failure to report physical abuse and financial abuse of an elder or dependent adult under the act is a misdemeanor. This bill would require that, if the suspected abuse results in serious bodily injury, as defined, a mandated reporter make a telephone report to report suspected or alleged physical abuse, as defined, that occurs in a long-term care facility, to the local law enforcement agency, immediately, and no later than within 2 hours of the reporter observing, obtaining knowledge of, or suspecting the physical abuse. The bill would require that a written report be made to the local ombudsman, the corresponding licensing agency, and the local law enforcement agency within 2 hours of the reporter observing, obtaining knowledge of, or suspecting the physical abuse. The bill would require that, if the suspected abuse does not result in serious bodily injury, a mandated reporter make a report by telephone and in writing within 24 hours of the reporter observing, obtaining knowledge of, or suspecting the physical abuse, as specified. Existing law authorizes a mandated reporter who has knowledge, or reasonably suspects, that types of elder or dependent adult abuse for which reports are not mandated occurred in a state mental hospital or a state developmental center to report to the designated investigator of the State Department of State Hospitals or the State Department of Developmental Services or to a local law enforcement agency or to the local ombudsman. This bill would delete the local ombudsman from the list of persons to whom the mandated reporter may report under these circumstances. This bill would authorize a person who is not a mandated reporter to report suspected or alleged abuse that occurred in a long-term care facility to both a long-term care ombudsman program or local law enforcement agency. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 15630 of the Welfare and Institutions Code proposed by SB 1051, to be operative only if SB 1051 and this bill are both enacted, both bills become effective on or before January 1, 2013, and this bill is enacted last. By changing the scope of an existing crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. By increasing the duties of local officials, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that with regard to certain mandates no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. With regard to any other mandates, this bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs so mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.