STATE OF WASHINGTON

DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES

Aging and Long-Term Support Administration

Home and Community Services Division

PO Box 45600, Olympia, WA 98504-5600

H17- 019 - Policy and Procedure

March 20, 2017

TO: / Home and Community Services (HCS) Division Regional Administrators
Area Agency on Aging (AAA) Directors
FROM: / Bea Rector, Director, Home and Community Services Division
SUBJECT: / Adult Protective Services (APS) After Event Reviews (AER)
Purpose: / Provides updated APS requirements and processes in conducting After Event Reviews of client fatalities, near-fatalities, or major incidents.
Background: / In 2008 RCW 74.34.300 was passed giving the department the ability to conduct fatality reviews of vulnerable adults when there was reason to believe the death may be related to mistreatment.
What’s new, changed, or
Clarified: / In 2016 RCW 74.34.300 changed from the department “may” to the department “shall” conduct a fatality review in the event of a death of a vulnerable adult when the department has reason to believe that the death of the vulnerable adult may be related to the abuse, abandonment, financial exploitation, or neglect of the vulnerable adult, or may be related to the vulnerable adult self-neglect, and the vulnerable adult was:
§  Receiving home and community-based services in his or her own home or licensed or certified settings, described under chapters 74.39, 74.39A, 18.20, 70.128, and 71A.12 RCW, within sixty days preceding his or her death; or
§  Living in his or her own home or licensed or certified settings described under chapters 74.39, 74.39A, 18.20, 70.128, and 71A.12 RCW, and was the subject of a report under this chapter received by the department within twelve months preceding his or her death.
In addition, APS is required to conduct near-fatality reviews of vulnerable adults when a physician has informed the department that the vulnerable adult is/was in serious or critical condition and their condition is suspected to be related to one of the factors identified in the After Event Review Policy attached.
The department has implemented a process to fold fatality reviews, near-fatality reviews, and other major incidents under the umbrella title After Event Reviews. Field staff are no longer required to complete After Event Reviews as they will be conducted at APS Headquarters.
When information is received by APS, HCS or AAA staff regarding a fatality, near-fatality, or major incident involving a vulnerable adult, staff are required to immediately report such an incident through their chain of command.
APS and HCS staff will:
·  Complete the After Event Review Referral Form (attached) and forward the form up through their local chain of command
·  Email form to the HQ APS Fatality Review Program Managers at
AAA staff will:
·  Continue to follow instructions in AAA Policy and Procedures Manual, Chapter 1, Section 11 – Major Incident Reporting
·  Forward to HQ AAA Specialist through local chain of command process
·  HQ AAA Specialist will complete the After Event Review Referral Form (attached) and email the form to the HQ APS Fatality Review Program Managers at
This policy does not change the current requirements for how major incidents are reported.
APS, HCS, and AAA staff may be requested to provide additional information to the APS Fatality Review Program Manager(s) regarding the After Event Review being processed.
ACTION: / Immediately implement the new After Event Review policy

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RELATED REFERERENCES OR ATTACHMENT(S): / RCW 74.34.300

CONTACT(S): / Shawn N. Matthews
APS Fatality Review Program Manager
(360) 725-2504

Vicky Gawlik
APS Unit Manager
(360) 725-2615

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