4006 Critical Incident Reporting | PUBLIC-GUARDIANSHIP-5800-MANUAL
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Georgia Division of Aging Services |
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Chapter: |
4000 Safety of the Person Under Guardianship |
Effective Date: |
08/01/2022 |
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Section Title: |
Critical Incident Reporting |
Reviewed or Updated in: |
MT 2023-01 |
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Section Number: |
4006 |
Previous Update: |
MT 2022-02 |
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Summary Statement
The Department of Human Services (DHS) representatives will follow Department and Division of Aging Services’ (DAS) policy and procedures to report serious and critical incidents.
Basic Considerations
Reports to DAS State Office shall be made using the Public Guardianship Office (PGO) Critical Incident and Death Reporting Form or its subsequently approved form in accordance with Division policy.
Reports must be made in the DAS data system no later than five business days of the date of the incident. The supervisor must be notified of the incident within 24 hours of case manager notification. In instances of death, the case manager must notify the supervisor immediately after case manager is notified.
Additionally, the Division shall follow all Department policy on Reporting of Urgent Incidents, Employee Misconduct, and Suspected Criminal Activities concerning serious injury or death of consumers or its subsequently approved Department policy.
DAS follows DHS Office of Human Resources and Office of the Inspector General policies to report instances involving DHS employees.
As mandated reporters, DHS representatives will report indications or allegations of abuse, neglect or exploitation as mandated by law.
Definitions
Serious and critical incident definitions specific to public guardianship case management include the following:
Critical Incident
Critical incidents include the following:
- Non-Violent Staff Criminal Acts
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Alleged criminal acts (e.g. theft of property) by non-DHS staff or providers of service against a guardianship client. Alleged criminal acts which are reported to the police by a person (the guardianship client) who receives services.
- Missing Guardianship Client
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A guardianship client is missing (e.g. elopement) without authority or permission and without others knowledge of whereabouts.
- Client Fund Misuse by Non-DHS Staff
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Financial exploitation or mismanagement of client funds by non-DHS staff that provide service to DHS guardianship clients.
- Guardianship Client in Auto Accident
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Automobile accidents where a guardianship client is in the vehicle, including a vehicle operated by a DHS employee.
- Property Damage by Guardianship Client
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The intentional or willful damage to property by a guardianship client that would severely impact operational activities or the health and safety of the guardianship client or others.
- Threats/assaults
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Guardianship client threatens/assaults a staff person on duty, other resident, volunteer, visitor or any other persons; engages in behavior so bizarre or disruptive that it places others in a reasonable risk of harm, or in fact causes harm.
Threats/assaults against a guardianship client by a staff person, other resident or any other person; engages in behaviors so bizarre or disruptive that it places the guardianship client at reasonable risk for harm, or in fact causes harm. May include inappropriate sexual overture or attempted sexual contact by a non-DHS staff person whether on or off duty.
- Medication Errors
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Inappropriate medication is provided to the guardianship client. This can include wrong medications provider, over or under dosing of medication, etc.
- Neglect
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Failure to seek medical attention (e.g. fractures, sprains, pressure ulcers) on behalf of the guardianship client; failure to report the incident to the DHS representative.
Injury
Injuries are categorized as follows:
- Serious Injury
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Bodily injury that involves a substantial risk of death, unconsciousness, extreme physical pain, sexual assault, violence, protracted and obvious disfigurement or impairment. Serious injuries include burns, closed head injuries, fractures, malnourishment/dehydration, pressure ulcers that result in in-patient hospitalization and other type injuries that pose serious risk to guardianship clients.
- Minor Injury
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Bruises, scrapes, dislocations, lacerations, sprains or other injuries that may be treated on site and/or require short term medical interventions.
- No Injury
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Incidents where the guardianship client was involved in a fall, assault, motor vehicle accident or any other incident where the guardianship client did not suffer an injury identified at the time of the incident.
Death
- Natural death
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Includes death due to known medical conditions or advanced age.
- Accident
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Includes choking/aspiration, falls, medication related (for example, under/over medicated, wrong medications, medication abuse, etc.), motor vehicle accidents and other types of accidents.
- Unexpected Death
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A death that occurs as a result of homicide, suicide, or suddenly when in apparent good health. This includes death as a result from natural disasters and medical conditions that usually do not lead to death.