Sec. 17b-408. (Formerly Sec. 17a-413). Review of report or complaint. Investigation. Report of findings. Referral of report, complaint or information for further action.
Sec. 17b-408. (Formerly Sec. 17a-413). Review of report or complaint. Investigation. Report of findings. Referral of report, complaint or information for further
action. Upon receipt of a report or complaint as provided in section 17b-407, the commissioner 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 shall investigate such report or complaint not later than ten working days thereafter. The commissioner 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 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 shall refer the report or complaint, together
with a report of the commissioner's investigation, to the Commissioner of Public Health
for appropriate action. If no violation of the Public Health Code is indicated, the commissioner shall take whatever action the 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 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.)
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.