ELARC’s goal is to ensure that all the necessary steps are taken to decrease the risk of harm, injury or health concerns by offering risk management, assessment, and planning during all IPP and IFSP meetings and as needed throughout the year.

There are eight basic principles in regards to Risk Management and Mitigation that ELARC follows: 

1. Priority is preventing serious incidents
2. Individuals have the right to a quality of life that is free from abuse, neglect, and exploitation.
3. Accurate reporting, continuous communication, consistent analysis of information and development of sound person-centered strategies are essential to prevent serious incidents to consumers.
4. Safe and accessible environments are everyone’s responsibility.
5.  Individuals receiving services should be aware of and have written information available to them on incident reporting processes.
6. Anyone who, without false intent, reports an incident or makes an allegation of abuse, neglect, or exploitation should be free of any form of retaliation.
7. A vendor’s risk management system must emphasize staff involvement as integral to providing safe environments for the individuals they serve. 
8. Quality of life starts with those who work most closely with persons receiving services.

- Knowing your risk factors

- Assessing their impact on your life

- Developing plans to lower the risk to assist with your safety

ELARC asks for everyone’s assistance in making sure that all individuals live a safe and meaningful life.  In order to lower risk and assist individuals with meeting their goals, it is essential that all risk factors are openly discussed with your services coordinator and all of the individuals that support you.       

Emergency preparation: http://www.elarc.org/resources-publications/emergency-preparedness 

DDS Wellness Toolkit  https://www.dds.ca.gov/consumers/wellness-toolkit/

Resources and Publication: http://www.elarc.org/resources-publications/links

Mandated Reporting

California WIC sections 15600-15675, known as the Elder Abuse and Dependent Adult Civil Protection Act (adult reporting law) and California Penal Code sections 11164 – 11174.3., known as the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act (child reporting law) provides that any person who has assumed responsibility for the care or custody of an adult consumer or provides that various categories of persons who interact with a consumer under the age of 18 are mandated reporter, shall report the abuse to the applicable government authorities (subject to certain limited exceptions described in the adult and child reporting law). 

• Has observed or has knowledge of an incident that reasonably appears to be physical abuse, abandonment, abduction, isolation, financial abuse, or neglect of a consumer. 
• Is told by a consumer that he or she has experienced abuse. 
• Reasonably suspects the existence of abuse.

It is important to note that the list of mandated reporters who are obligated to report child abuse is different than the list of mandated reporters obligated to report adult abuse.

Special Incident Reporting

All vendors and long-term health care facilities are required to report special incidents to regional center when the incident falls into the following categories

1. Injury requiring treatment beyond first aid
2. Suspected Abuse/Exploitation
3. Suspected Neglect
4. Unauthorized Absence/Missing person
5. Unplanned Hospitalizations
6. Victim of a crime
7. Death

Family members and individuals with disabilities are not required to report special incidents; however ELARC requests that you report these incidents to your regional center service coordinator.  By reporting special incidents you are assisting ELARC with ensuring you or your loved ones health and safety to the best of our ability, as well as assisting you with being connected to the necessary supports and services.