RFSPC Provides Testimony at Senate Health, Human Services, and Senior Citizens Committee Hearing on Legislative Package to Enhance Safety and Accountability in Developmental Disability Services
On December 19, 2024, Dotty Blakeslee, Statewide Chair of the Regional Family Support Planning Councils (RFSPC), testified before the Senate Health, Human Services, and Senior Citizens Committee regarding the Legislative Package (S3750-S3756) aimed at enhancing the health and safety of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and improving accountability among service providers.
While supporting a robust approach to increase provider accountability and enhance safeguards to protect individuals with I/DD, the RFSPC highlighted the following areas need further consideration:
- Family involvement and communication: Ensure immediate notification and ongoing communication with families and guardians, establish their rights to access medical records, and increase their representation in advisory committees to enhance involvement and transparency.
- Proactive prevention: Implement proactive measures and specialized training for Direct Support Professionals to provide wraparound support and prevent abuse and neglect before they occur.
- Investigation processes: Expand the definition of abuse and neglect, shorten investigation timeframes, establish clear evidence protocols, and protect whistleblowers to enhance transparency and accountability.
- Enforcement mechanisms: Establish clear guidelines for assessing the Department of Human Services’ new authorities, include an appeal process for agencies, and focus on addressing “bad actors” without penalizing well-performing agencies.