Allegations of abuse or maltreatment. Contractor will notify the Department within twenty-four (24) hours of promptly determining that reasonable cause exists to suspect that any of Contractor’s administrators or staff, including both paid and volunteer, has abused, maltreated, neglected, assaulted or endangered the welfare of any program participant. In addition, if such reasonable cause is found, Contractor shall take appropriate action to remove the person from the proximity of program participants while the matter is being investigated by Contractor. The term abuse shall mean the infliction of physical injury by other than accidental means which causes or creates a substantial risk of death, or serious or protracted disfigurement, or protracted impairment of physical or emotional health or protracted loss or impairment of the function of any bodily organ. The term maltreatment shall mean (i) treatment that results in serious physical injury other than by accidental means, or (ii) neglect or failure to exercise a minimum degree of care that impairs, or places in imminent danger of being impaired, the physical, mental or emotional condition of a program participant. Contractor shall provide telephone notice to the Department within twenty-four (24) hours of determining that reasonable cause exists, followed by a written report, to be delivered to the Department within three (3) business days. Compliance with this reporting requirement does not satisfy any other legally mandated reporting of abuse, such as to the New York State Central Registry (“SCR”).
