H.B. 267

             1     

AGING AND ADULT SERVICES AMENDMENTS

             2     
2014 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Chief Sponsor: Rebecca Chavez-Houck

             5     
Senate Sponsor: Brian E. Shiozawa

             6     
             7      LONG TITLE
             8      General Description:
             9          This bill amends Title 62A, Chapter 3, Part 3, Abuse, Neglect, or Exploitation of a
             10      Vulnerable Adult.
             11      Highlighted Provisions:
             12          This bill:
             13          .    defines "limited capacity";
             14          .    clarifies the powers and duties of Adult Protective Services;
             15          .    gives Adult Protective Services access to a vulnerable adult's records if, for a
             16      vulnerable adult who lacks or has limited capacity to consent, Adult Protective
             17      Services issues an administrative subpoena; and
             18          .    makes the vulnerable adult database and the adult protection case file available to
             19      city attorneys.
             20      Money Appropriated in this Bill:
             21          None
             22      Other Special Clauses:
             23          None
             24      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             25      AMENDS:
             26           62A-3-301 , as last amended by Laws of Utah 2012, Chapter 149
             27           62A-3-303 , as last amended by Laws of Utah 2008, Chapter 91


             28           62A-3-312 , as last amended by Laws of Utah 2008, Chapters 91 and 382
             29     
             30      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             31          Section 1. Section 62A-3-301 is amended to read:
             32           62A-3-301. Definitions.
             33          As used in this part:
             34          (1) "Abandonment" means any knowing or intentional action or failure to act,
             35      including desertion, by a person or entity acting as a caretaker for a vulnerable adult that leaves
             36      the vulnerable adult without the means or ability to obtain necessary food, clothing, shelter, or
             37      medical or other health care.
             38          (2) "Abuse" means:
             39          (a) knowingly or intentionally:
             40          (i) attempting to cause harm;
             41          (ii) causing harm; or
             42          (iii) placing another in fear of harm;
             43          (b) unreasonable or inappropriate use of physical restraint, medication, or isolation that
             44      causes or is likely to cause harm to a vulnerable adult;
             45          (c) emotional or psychological abuse;
             46          (d) a sexual offense as described in Title 76, Chapter 5, Offenses Against the Person;
             47      or
             48          (e) deprivation of life sustaining treatment, or medical or mental health treatment,
             49      except:
             50          (i) as provided in Title 75, Chapter 2a, Advance Health Care Directive Act; or
             51          (ii) when informed consent, as defined in Section 76-5-111 , has been obtained.
             52          (3) "Adult" means a person who is 18 years of age or older.
             53          (4) "Adult protection case file" means a record, stored in any format, contained in a
             54      case file maintained by Adult Protective Services.
             55          (5) "Adult Protective Services" means the unit within the division responsible to
             56      investigate abuse, neglect, and exploitation of vulnerable adults and provide appropriate
             57      protective services.
             58          (6) "Capacity to consent" means the ability of a person to understand and communicate


             59      regarding the nature and consequences of decisions relating to the person, and relating to the
             60      person's property and lifestyle, including a decision to accept or refuse services.
             61          (7) "Caretaker" means each person, entity, corporation, or public institution that
             62      assumes the responsibility to provide a vulnerable adult with care, food, shelter, clothing,
             63      supervision, medical or other health care, resource management, or other necessities.
             64          (8) "Counsel" means an attorney licensed to practice law in this state.
             65          (9) "Database" means the statewide database maintained by the division under Section
             66      62A-3-311.1 .
             67          (10) "Elder abuse" means abuse, neglect, or exploitation of an elder adult.
             68          (11) "Elder adult" means a person 65 years of age or older.
             69          (12) "Emergency" means a circumstance in which a vulnerable adult is at an immediate
             70      risk of death, serious physical injury, or serious physical, emotional, or financial harm.
             71          (13) (a) "Emotional or psychological abuse" means knowing or intentional verbal or
             72      nonverbal conduct directed at a vulnerable adult that results in the vulnerable adult suffering
             73      mental anguish, emotional distress, fear, humiliation, degradation, agitation, or confusion.
             74          (b) "Emotional or psychological abuse" includes intimidating, threatening, isolating,
             75      coercing, or harassing.
             76          (c) "Emotional or psychological abuse" does not include verbal or non-verbal conduct
             77      by a vulnerable adult who lacks the capacity to intentionally or knowingly:
             78          (i) engage in the conduct; or
             79          (ii) cause mental anguish, emotional distress, fear, humiliation, degradation, agitation,
             80      or confusion.
             81          (14) "Exploitation" means an offense described in Subsection 76-5-111 (4) or Section
             82      76-5b-202 .
             83          (15) "Harm" means pain, mental anguish, emotional distress, hurt, physical or
             84      psychological damage, physical injury, serious physical injury, suffering, or distress inflicted
             85      knowingly or intentionally.
             86          (16) "Inconclusive" means a finding by the division that there is not a reasonable basis
             87      to conclude that abuse, neglect, or exploitation occurred.
             88          (17) "Intimidation" means communication through verbal or nonverbal conduct which
             89      threatens deprivation of money, food, clothing, medicine, shelter, social interaction,


             90      supervision, health care, or companionship, or which threatens isolation or abuse.
             91          (18) (a) "Isolation" means knowingly or intentionally preventing a vulnerable adult
             92      from having contact with another person by:
             93          (i) preventing the vulnerable adult from receiving visitors, mail, or telephone calls,
             94      contrary to the expressed wishes of the vulnerable adult, including communicating to a visitor
             95      that the vulnerable adult is not present or does not want to meet with or talk to the visitor,
             96      knowing that communication to be false;
             97          (ii) physically restraining the vulnerable adult in order to prevent the vulnerable adult
             98      from meeting with a visitor; or
             99          (iii) making false or misleading statements to the vulnerable adult in order to induce
             100      the vulnerable adult to refuse to receive communication from visitors or other family members.
             101          (b) The term "isolation" does not include an act intended to protect the physical or
             102      mental welfare of the vulnerable adult or an act performed pursuant to the treatment plan or
             103      instructions of a physician or other professional advisor of the vulnerable adult.
             104          (19) "Lacks capacity to consent" is as defined in Section 76-5-111 .
             105          (20) "Limited capacity to consent" means that an adult's ability to understand,
             106      communicate, or make decisions regarding the nature and consequences of the adult's life or
             107      property due to a mental illness, developmental disability, organic brain disorder, physical
             108      illness or disability, chronic use of drugs, chronic intoxication, short-term memory loss, or
             109      other cause is limited in one or more, but not all, functional areas, consistently or during
             110      identified times of day.
             111          [(20)] (21) (a) "Neglect" means:
             112          (i) (A) failure of a caretaker to provide necessary care, including nutrition, clothing,
             113      shelter, supervision, personal care, or dental, medical, or other health care for a vulnerable
             114      adult, unless the vulnerable adult is able to provide or obtain the necessary care without
             115      assistance; or
             116          (B) failure of a caretaker to provide protection from health and safety hazards or
             117      maltreatment;
             118          (ii) failure of a caretaker to provide care to a vulnerable adult in a timely manner and
             119      with the degree of care that a reasonable person in a like position would exercise;
             120          (iii) a pattern of conduct by a caretaker, without the vulnerable adult's informed


             121      consent, resulting in deprivation of food, water, medication, health care, shelter, cooling,
             122      heating, or other services necessary to maintain the vulnerable adult's well being;
             123          (iv) knowing or intentional failure by a caretaker to carry out a prescribed treatment
             124      plan that causes or is likely to cause harm to the vulnerable adult;
             125          (v) self-neglect by the vulnerable adult; or
             126          (vi) abandonment by a caretaker.
             127          (b) "Neglect" does not include conduct, or failure to take action, that is permitted or
             128      excused under Title 75, Chapter 2a, Advance Health Care Directive Act.
             129          [(21) ] (22) "Physical injury" includes the damage and conditions described in Section
             130      76-5-111 .
             131          [(22) ] (23) "Protected person" means a vulnerable adult for whom the court has
             132      ordered protective services.
             133          [(23) ] (24) "Protective services" means services to protect a vulnerable adult from
             134      abuse, neglect, or exploitation.
             135          [(24) ] (25) "Self-neglect" means the failure of a vulnerable adult to provide or obtain
             136      food, water, medication, health care, shelter, cooling, heating, safety, or other services
             137      necessary to maintain the vulnerable adult's well being when that failure is the result of the
             138      adult's mental or physical impairment. Choice of lifestyle or living arrangements may not, by
             139      themselves, be evidence of self-neglect.
             140          [(25) ] (26) "Serious physical injury" is as defined in Section 76-5-111 .
             141          [(26) ] (27) "Supported" means a finding by the division that there is a reasonable basis
             142      to conclude that abuse, neglect, or exploitation occurred.
             143          [(27) ] (28) "Undue influence" occurs when a person uses the person's role, relationship,
             144      or power to exploit, or knowingly assist or cause another to exploit, the trust, dependency, or
             145      fear of a vulnerable adult, or uses the person's role, relationship, or power to gain control
             146      deceptively over the decision making of the vulnerable adult.
             147          [(28) ] (29) "Vulnerable adult" means an elder adult, or an adult who has a mental or
             148      physical impairment which substantially affects that person's ability to:
             149          (a) provide personal protection;
             150          (b) provide necessities such as food, shelter, clothing, or mental or other health care;
             151          (c) obtain services necessary for health, safety, or welfare;


             152          (d) carry out the activities of daily living;
             153          (e) manage the adult's own financial resources; or
             154          (f) comprehend the nature and consequences of remaining in a situation of abuse,
             155      neglect, or exploitation.
             156          [(29) ] (30) "Without merit" means a finding that abuse, neglect, or exploitation did not
             157      occur.
             158          Section 2. Section 62A-3-303 is amended to read:
             159           62A-3-303. Powers and duties of Adult Protective Services.
             160          In addition to all other powers and duties that Adult Protective Services is given under
             161      this part, Adult Protective Services:
             162          (1) shall maintain an intake system for receiving and screening reports;
             163          (2) shall investigate [reports] referrals that meet the intake criteria;
             164          (3) shall conduct assessments of vulnerability and functional capacity as it relates to an
             165      allegation of abuse, neglect, or exploitation of an adult who is the subject of a report;
             166          [(3)] (4) shall perform assessments based on protective needs [assessments] and risks
             167      for a vulnerable adult who is the subject of a report;
             168          [(4)] (5) [may coordinate with, or make referrals to, community resources] may address
             169      any protective needs by making recommendations to and coordinating with the vulnerable adult
             170      or by making referrals to community resources;
             171          [(5)] (6) may provide short-term, limited services to a vulnerable adult[, on a
             172      temporary basis,] when family or community resources are not available to provide for the
             173      protective needs of the vulnerable adult;
             174          [(6)] (7) shall have access to facilities licensed by, or [contracting] contracted with, the
             175      department or the Department of Health for the purpose of conducting investigations;
             176          [(7)] (8) shall be given access to, or provided with, written statements, documents,
             177      exhibits, and other items related to an investigation, including private, controlled, or protected
             178      medical or financial records of a vulnerable adult who is the subject of an investigation if:
             179          (a) for a vulnerable adult who does not lack [the] capacity to consent, or who does not
             180      have limited capacity to consent, the vulnerable adult signs a release of information; or
             181          (b) for a vulnerable adult who lacks [the] capacity to consent, or has limited capacity to
             182      consent, an administrative subpoena is issued by Adult Protective Services;


             183          [(8)] (9) may [institute] initiate proceedings in a court of competent jurisdiction to seek
             184      relief necessary to carry out the provisions of this chapter;
             185          [(9)] (10) may require all persons, including family members of a vulnerable adult and
             186      any caretaker, to cooperate with Adult Protective Services in carrying out its duties under this
             187      chapter, including the provision of statements, documents, exhibits, and other items that assist
             188      Adult Protective Services in conducting investigations and providing protective services;
             189          [(10)] (11) may require all officials, agencies, departments, and political subdivisions
             190      of the state to assist and cooperate within their jurisdictional power with the court, the division,
             191      and Adult Protective Services in furthering the purposes of this chapter;
             192          [(11)] (12) may conduct studies and compile data regarding abuse, neglect, and
             193      exploitation; and
             194          [(12)] (13) may issue reports and recommendations.
             195          Section 3. Section 62A-3-312 is amended to read:
             196           62A-3-312. Access to information in database.
             197          The database and the adult protection case file:
             198          (1) shall be made available to law enforcement agencies, the attorney general's office,
             199      city attorneys, and county or district attorney's offices;
             200          (2) shall be released as required under Subsection 63G-2-202 (4)(c); and
             201          (3) may be made available, at the discretion of the division, to:
             202          (a) subjects of a report as follows:
             203          (i) a vulnerable adult named in a report as a victim of abuse, neglect, or exploitation, or
             204      that adult's attorney or legal guardian; and
             205          (ii) a person identified in a report as having abused, neglected, or exploited a
             206      vulnerable adult, or that person's attorney; and
             207          (b) persons involved in an evaluation or assessment of the vulnerable adult as follows:
             208          (i) an employee or contractor of the department who is responsible for the evaluation or
             209      assessment of an adult protection case file;
             210          (ii) a multidisciplinary team approved by the division to assist Adult Protective
             211      Services in the evaluation, assessment, and disposition of a vulnerable adult case;
             212          (iii) an authorized person or agency providing services to, or responsible for, the care,
             213      treatment, assessment, or supervision of a vulnerable adult named in the report as a victim,


             214      when in the opinion of the division, that information will assist in the protection of, or provide
             215      other benefits to, the victim;
             216          (iv) a licensing authority for a facility, program, or person providing care to a victim
             217      named in a report; and
             218          (v) legally authorized protection and advocacy agencies when they represent a victim
             219      or have been requested by the division to assist on a case, including:
             220          (A) the Office of Public Guardian, created in Section 62A-14-103 ; and
             221          (B) the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, created in Section 62A-3-203 .




Legislative Review Note
    as of 12-6-13 2:21 PM


Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel


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