Developmental Disabilities Abuse | Center for Human Development, Inc.

Who is a mandatory reporter?
You are a mandatory reporter 24/7 if you are a(an):
Physician, psychiatrist, naturopathic physician, osteopathic physician, chiropractor, podiatric physician, physician assistant, or surgeon including any intern or resident

Licensed practical nurse, registered nurse, nurse practitioner, nurse’s aide, home health aide, or employee of an in-home health service

Employee of DHS or Oregon Health Authority (OHA), county health department, community mental health program, developmental disabilities program or an Area Agency on Aging (AAA)

Employee of a nursing facility or an individual who contracts to provide services to a nursing facility

Peace officer

Member of the clergy

Psychologist, regulated social worker, licensed professional counselor or licensed marriage and family therapist

Physical therapist, speech therapist, occupational therapist, audiologist or speech language pathologist

Information and referral or outreach worker

Senior center employee

Firefighter or emergency medical services provider

Adult foster home licensee or an employee of the licensee

Member of the Oregon Legislature or their staff

Attorney

Dentist or optometrist

Homecare worker

Personal support worker; or

Referral agent

Abuse Types
Physical abuse
Physical abuse is any physical injury to an adult caused by other than accidental means that may result in bodily injury, physical pain, or impairment.

Neglect
Neglect is the failure of an individual who is responsible to make a reasonable effort to protect an adult from abuse or to provide the care, supervision, or services necessary to maintain the physical health and emotional well-being of an adult that creates a risk of serious harm or results in physical harm, significant emotional harm or unreasonable discomfort, or serious loss of personal dignity.

Abandonment
Abandonment is desertion or willfully leaving an adult alone by a caregiver that would place the adult in serious risk of harm. It is a specific form of neglect.

Financial exploitation
Wrongfully taking, by means including but not limited to deceit, trickery, subterfuge, coercion, harassment, duress, fraud, or undue influence, the assets, funds, property, or medications belonging to or intended for the use of an adult

Alarming an adult by conveying a threat to wrongfully take or appropriate money or property of the adult if the adult would reasonably believe that the threat conveyed would be carried out

Misappropriating or misusing any money from any account held jointly or singly by an adult

Failing to use income or assets of an adult for the benefit, support, and maintenance of the adult.

Sexual abuse
Sexual contact with a non-consenting adult or with an adult considered incapable of consenting to a sexual act. Failure to object does not mean an expression of consent.

Sexual harassment or sexual exploitation of an adult, exposing an adult to, or making an adult the subject of sexually explicit material or language.

Any sexual contact between an employee or volunteer of a facility or a caregiver and an adult served by the facility or caregiver, unless a pre-existing relationship existed. Sexual abuse does not include consensual sexual contact between an adult and a caregiver who is the spouse or domestic partner of the adult.

Involuntary seclusion
Confinement, isolation or restriction of an adult to his or her room or a specific area; or placing restrictions on an adult's ability to associate, interact, or communicate with other individuals.

Wrongful restraint
A wrongful use of a physical or chemical restraint includes situations where:

A licensed health professional has not conducted a thorough assessment prior to implementing a licensed physician's prescription for restraint;

Less restrictive alternatives have not been evaluated prior to the use of the restraint; or

The restraint is used for convenience or discipline

Where does adult abuse occur?
A person’s own home or a family or friend’s home

A nursing facility

A residential care facility

An assisted living facility

An adult foster home

In public (supermarkets, restaurants, malls, etc.)

Learn More