Upon receipt of a report or complaint as provided in section 17a-412, the Commissioner of Social Services shall determine immediately whether there are reasonable grounds for an investigation. If it is determined that reasonable grounds do not exist for an investigation, the complainant or the person making the report shall be notified of this determination not later than five working days after the receipt of such complaint or report. If such reasonable grounds are found, the Commissioner of Social Services shall investigate such report or complaint not later than ten working days thereafter. The Commissioner of Social Services shall complete an investigation and make a report of the findings not later than fifteen working days after the receipt of the complaint or report. If the investigation indicates that there is a possible violation of section 19a-533, 19a-535 or 19a-537, the Commissioner of Social Services shall refer the report or complaint together with a report of any investigation the commissioner has undertaken to the Department of Public Health for action as appropriate. If the investigation indicates that there is a possible violation of the provisions of the Public Health Code with respect to licensing requirements, the Commissioner of Social Services shall refer the report or complaint, together with a report of the investigation, to the Commissioner of Public Health for appropriate action. If no violation of the Public Health Code is indicated, the Commissioner of Social Services shall take whatever action said commissioner deems necessary, and shall notify the complainant or the person making the report, of the action taken not later than fifteen working days after receipt of the complaint or report. If the investigation indicates that a person has abused, neglected, exploited or abandoned a resident in a long-term care facility, the Commissioner of Social Services shall refer such information in writing to the Chief State's Attorney or the Chief State's Attorney's designee who shall conduct such further investigation, if any, as deemed necessary and shall determine whether criminal proceedings should be initiated against such person in accordance with applicable state law.

(P.A. 77-575, S. 8, 23; 77-614, S. 323, 587, 610; P.A. 78-303, S. 85, 136; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-2, S. 130, 165; P.A. 99-176, S. 9, 24; P.A. 03-267, S. 2; P.A. 14-116, S. 5.)

History: P.A. 77-614 and P.A. 78-303 replaced commissioner of health with commissioner of health services, effective January 1, 1979; Sec. 17-135i transferred to Sec. 17a-413 in 1991; P.A. 93-381 replaced commissioner of health services with commissioner of public health and addiction services, effective July 1, 1993; Sec. 17a-413 transferred to Sec. 17b-408 in 1995; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Public Health and Addiction Services with Commissioner and Department of Public Health, effective July 1, 1995; June 18 Sp. Sess. P.A. 97-2 added provision requiring the regional ombudsman to refer a report or complaint together with a report of any investigation undertaken to the Department of Social Services or Public Health, as appropriate, if such investigation indicates a possible violation of Secs. 19a-533, 19a-535 or 19a-537, and eliminated obsolete references, effective July 1, 1997; P.A. 99-176 substituted “commissioner” for “ombudsman” or “regional ombudsman” re various stages of investigations, findings and reporting, deleted “Department of Social Services” re who the completed report or complaint is referred to, and made provisions gender neutral, effective July 1, 1999; P.A. 03-267 added provision that if investigation indicates that a long-term facility resident has been abused, neglected, exploited or abandoned, the commissioner shall refer such information to the Chief State's Attorney for further investigation if necessary and a determination whether criminal proceedings should be initiated, replaced “within” with “not later than” where appearing and made a technical change; P.A. 14-116 changed “commissioner” to “Commissioner of Social Services” and made a technical change; Sec. 17b-408 transferred to Sec. 17a-413 in 2015.