(1) Upon receipt of a report that alleges that an employee or agent of the department, the Agency for Persons with Disabilities, or the Department of Elderly Affairs, acting in an official capacity, has committed an act of abuse, neglect, or exploitation, the department shall notify the state attorney in whose circuit the abuse, neglect, or exploitation occurred. This notification may be oral or written.

(2) If at any time during a protective investigation the department has reasonable cause to believe that a vulnerable adult has been abused, neglected, or exploited by another person, the state attorney having jurisdiction in the county in which the abuse, neglect, or exploitation occurred shall be notified immediately, either orally or in writing.

(3) If at any time during a protective investigation the department has reasonable cause to believe that a vulnerable adult has been abused, neglected, or exploited by another person, the appropriate law enforcement agency shall be immediately notified. Such agency may begin a criminal investigation concurrent with or independent of the protective investigation of the department. This notification may be oral or written.

(4) If at any time during a protective investigation the department has reasonable cause to believe that abuse, neglect, or exploitation of a vulnerable adult has occurred within a facility that receives Medicaid funds, the department shall notify the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit within the Department of Legal Affairs, Office of the Attorney General, in order that it may begin an investigation concurrent with the protective investigation of the department. This notification may be oral or written.

(5) If at any time during a protective investigation the department has reasonable cause to believe that an employee of a facility, as defined in s. 415.102, is the alleged perpetrator of abuse, neglect, or exploitation of a vulnerable adult, the department shall notify the Agency for Health Care Administration, Division of Health Quality Assurance, in writing.

(6) If at any time during a protective investigation the department has reasonable cause to believe that professional licensure violations have occurred, the department shall notify the Division of Medical Quality Assurance within the Department of Health. This notification must be in writing.

(7) The department shall notify the state attorney having jurisdiction in the county in which the abuse, neglect, or exploitation occurred if evidence indicates that further criminal investigation is warranted. This notification must be in writing.

(8) At the conclusion of a protective investigation at a facility, the department shall notify either the Florida local advocacy council or the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program or the long-term care ombudsman council of the results of the investigation. This notification must be in writing.

(9) When a report involving a guardian of the person or property, or both, is received, the department shall notify the probate court having jurisdiction over the guardianship, in writing.

(10) When a report has been received and the department has reason to believe that a vulnerable adult resident of a facility licensed by the Agency for Health Care Administration or the Agency for Persons with Disabilities has been the victim of abuse, neglect, or exploitation, the department shall provide a copy of its investigation to the appropriate agency. If the investigation determines that a health professional licensed or certified under the Department of Health may have abused, neglected, or exploited a vulnerable adult, the department shall also provide a copy to the Department of Health.

History.—s. 103, ch. 95-418; s. 12, ch. 97-98; s. 30, ch. 98-166; s. 4, ch. 98-182; s. 69, ch. 2000-153; s. 23, ch. 2000-263; s. 36, ch. 2000-349; s. 59, ch. 2006-227; s. 31, ch. 2015-31.