In July 2015, Minnesota launched a statewide abuse reporting hotline for vulnerable adults in nursing homes, hospitals and other state-licensed facilities. Two-years later, MN DOH regulators cannot keep up. The St. Louis nursing home neglect attorneys at Hoffman & Gelfman want you to know some relevant facts, so you can protect your loved ones from harm.

Thousands of Incidents Go Uninvestigated
Despite maltreatment allegations rising sevenfold, from 500 to nearly 3,500 since 2010, only 10% of reported incidents at state-licensed facilities undergo on-site investigations, down from 73% in 2010. Running afoul of state and federal laws for prompt reviews, 85% of families wait 6-months on-average for investigations – 3-times the mandated deadline of the Minnesota Vulnerable Adults Act.

Problems Nothing New for the System
Problems existed even before the launch of the hotline, with a 2015 regulatory review by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) finding the MN DOH failed to meet minimum federal standards for conducting investigations of nursing home complaints.

In more than 24 cases, no on-site investigation was ever conducted – despite complaints by residents of serious mistreatment including physical and sexual abuse. Of a reviewed sample of 40 alleged maltreatment cases, 25 violated federal guidelines, leaving perpetrators unaccountable.

Don’t let your loved one slip through cracks in the system. Make your voices heard. Contact St. Louis nursing home neglect attorneys Hoffman & Gelfman today.