Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities

Monitoring Client Incidents Reported by Selected Voluntary Agencies

Most of the clients overseen by the Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (OMRDD) are cared for by not-for-profit (voluntary) agencies under contract to OMRDD. These voluntary agencies are required to investigate all incidents that endanger the well-being of clients and to report these incidents to the appropriate OMRDD regional office. According to OMRDD's records, during the year ended March 31, 1994, nearly 5,400 such incidents were reported by voluntary agencies. We examined the extent to which twelve voluntary agencies complied with these requirements and found no record of any investigation for several client incidents. We also found that several client incidents were not promptly reported to the regional offices. We noted that some of the staff at the voluntary agencies were not properly trained in matters relating to client incidents. As a result of these weaknesses, situations posing a threat to the well-being of clients were less likely to be corrected. We recommended that OMRDD strengthen its procedures relating to client incidents.

For a complete copy of 95-S-12 click here.
For a copy of the associated follow-up report click here.
For a copy of the 90-day response click here.