Abusive Caregiver Names Go On Registry

A registry that names adult caregivers with substantiated abuse claims has been quietly building since it was created last year.

There have been 51 people with proven histories of abuse and neglect of adults in professional care who have been placed on the caregiver misconduct registry since it was created after Governor Steve Beshear signed Senate Bill 98 in April 2014.

The registry includes the names of paid employees and volunteers at adult care facilities such as nursing homes who have had complaints of abuse or neglect substantiated against them by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services.

The caregiver misconduct registry isn’t open to the public and can only be reviewed by agencies such as nursing homes who want to check on prospective or current employees.

Teresa James, commissioner for the Department of Community Based Services, which is part of the Cabinet for Families and Children, said the purpose of the registry is to make sure people working in adult care facilities have undergone background checks and have been property trained.

To be placed on the registry, a complaint has to have been investigated and confirmed as true, and the person must have exhausted all of his or her appeals.
Source: AP