Effective: September 29, 2017
Latest Legislation: House Bill 49 - 132nd General Assembly
(A)(1) No person identified in division (P)(1) to (12), (14), or (15) of section 3721.21 of the Revised Code who knows or suspects that a resident has been abused, neglected, or exploited, or that a resident's property has been misappropriated, by any individual used by a long-term care facility or residential care facility to provide services to residents, shall fail to report that knowledge or suspicion to the facility.
(2) No nursing home administrator licensed or temporarily licensed under Chapter 4751. of the Revised Code, and no administrator of a residential care facility, who knows or suspects that a resident has been abused, neglected, or exploited, or that a resident's property has been misappropriated, by any individual used by a long-term care facility or residential care facility to provide services to residents, shall fail to report that knowledge or suspicion to the director of health.
(B) Any person, including a resident, who knows or suspects that a resident has been abused, neglected, or exploited, or that a resident's property has been misappropriated, by any individual used by a long-term care facility or residential care facility to provide services to residents, may report that knowledge or suspicion to the director of health.
(C) Any person who in good faith reports suspected abuse, neglect, exploitation, or misappropriation to a facility or the director of health, provides information during an investigation of suspected abuse, neglect, exploitation, or misappropriation conducted by the director, or participates in a hearing conducted under section 3721.23 of the Revised Code is not subject to criminal prosecution, liable in damages in a tort or other civil action, or subject to professional disciplinary action because of injury or loss to person or property allegedly arising from the making of the report, provision of information, or participation in the hearing.
(D) If the director has reason to believe that a violation of division (A) of this section has occurred, the director may report the suspected violation to the appropriate professional licensing authority and to the attorney general, county prosecutor, or other appropriate law enforcement official.
(E) No person shall knowingly make a false allegation of abuse, neglect, or exploitation of a resident or misappropriation of a resident's property, or knowingly swear or affirm the truth of a false allegation, when the allegation is made for the purpose of incriminating another.