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CDA 24-03
STATE OF CALIFORNIA - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY GAVIN NEWSOM Governor
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF AGING
Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman
2880 Gateway Oaks Drive, Suite 200
Sacramento, CA 95833
www.aging.ca.gov
TEL 916-419-7500
FAX 916-928-2267
TTY1-800-735-2929
PROGRAM MEMO
TO: Long-Term Care Ombudsman EXPIRES: Until superseded
Program Coordinators, representative
staff, and volunteers
NO: 24-03 PROGRAMS AFFECTED: Long-Term
Care Ombudsman
DATE ISSUED: February 28, 2024 SUPERSEDES: N/A
SUBJECT: Updates to Mandated Reporting of Elder and Dependent Adult Abuse
and Neglect in Long-Term Care Facilities
Purpose
This Program Memo informs local Long-Term Care Ombudsman programs of updates to the
process for mandated reporting of known or suspected instances of abuse and neglect of
elder and dependent adults in Long-Term Care Facilities.
Background
AB 1417 (Chapter 580, Statutes of 2023) amended the CA Welfare and Institutions Code
relating to mandated reporting of elder and dependent adult abuse in long-term care facilities.
The bill clarified the required conditions and standardized the process for mandated reporting
of known, suspected or alleged abuse committed by residents diagnosed with dementia
occurring in long-term care facilities.
Revised Statute
The revised process outlines the requirements for reporting incidents of abuse pursuant to
Title 42 of the Code of Federal Regulations section 483.12 (c)(1). Physical abuse is defined
in Welfare and Institutions Code section 15610.63. Abuse or suspected abuse also includes
abandonment, abduction, isolation, financial abuse, or neglect. The process was revised in
the following manner:
• If the abuse that occurred in a long-term care facility was allegedly caused by another
resident of the facility with diagnosed dementia and there was no serious bodily injury,
the reporter is required to submit a written report within 24 hours to the long-term care
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CDA 24-03
Ombudsman and the local law enforcement agency.
• For incidents resulting in physical harm, the reporter is required to submit a verbal
report to the local law enforcement agency immediately, or as soon as practically
possible, but no longer than 2 hours after the incident occurred, and to submit a written
report within 24 hours to the long-term care Ombudsman, local law enforcement and
the corresponding state licensing agency.
A flow chart has been developed (AB 1417 Mandated Reporting System for Elder &
Dependent Adult Abuse & Neglect in LTC Facilities) which provides key definitions and details
the process that mandated reporters must follow to report elder abuse and neglect. The flow
chart is included, in English and Spanish, as Appendices A - E of this Program Memo. These
documents are available on the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program webpage.
(https://aging.ca.gov/Providers_and_Partners/LongTerm_Care_Ombudsman/Program_Mem
os/)
For any questions regarding this PM, please contact the State Ombudsman at
Stateo[email protected]a.gov.
Blanca E. Castro
Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman