6 Pa. Code § 15.26 - Screening and referral of reports received
(a)
Screening. A person
meeting the qualifications in §
15.121(c)(3)
(relating to protective services staff qualifications) who receives a report
shall screen the report during and immediately following receipt of the report
to assign it to one of the following referral categories:
(1) Emergency.
(2) Priority.
(3) Nonpriority.
(4) Another planning and service
area.
(5) No need for protective
services.
(b)
Referral categories and actions.
(1)
Emergency. A report
placed in this category requires immediate attention because specific details
in the report indicate the possibility that the older adult reported to need
protective services is at imminent risk of death or serious physical harm. The
person receiving an emergency report shall immediately contact a protective
services caseworker designated under §
15.23(b) (relating
to receiving reports; general agency responsibility) and provide that
caseworker with the information contained in the report.
(2)
Priority. A report
placed in this category contains details which clearly suggest that the need
for protective services is serious enough to require early intervention. The
person receiving a priority report shall immediately contact a protective
services caseworker designated under §
15.23(b) and
provide that caseworker with the information in the report.
(3)
Nonpriority. A report
shall be placed in this category when it does not appropriately fall within the
emergency or priority categories and, therefore, does not require immediate
attention by the agency. A report in this category shall be referred to a
protective services caseworker of the agency within the normal business hours
of the agency's current or next day of business under the agency's established
procedures for referring these reports.
(4)
Another planning and service
area. A report which is covered under §
15.23(d) shall be
placed in this category. It shall be referred to the agency which has the
designated responsibility for protective services in the planning and service
area in which the older adult reported to need protective services is located
at the time of the report. A report in this category will also meet the
criteria for placement in one of the other categories in this subsection. The
provisions for referral for the other category shall apply to a referral to
another planning and service area.
(5)
No need for protective
services.
(i) A report shall be
placed in this category when the person reported to be in need of protective
services meets one or more of the following criteria:
(A) Is under 60 years of age.
(B) Has the capacity to perform or obtain,
without help, services necessary to maintain physical or mental
health.
(C) Has a responsible
caretaker at the time of the report.
(D) Is not at imminent risk of danger to his
person or property.
(ii)
A report in this category shall be referred to a protective services caseworker
of the agency within the normal business hours of the agency's current or next
day of business. The protective services caseworker shall review the details of
the report and take whatever steps necessary to confirm or reject the
categorization of no need for protective services. If the caseworker confirms
the screening categorization, appropriate referrals shall be made to the area
agency on aging care management system or, if concerning an adult under 60
years of age, to another community agency. If the caseworker rejects the
categorization, the report shall be placed in the appropriate category and be
handled accordingly.
(iii) A report
may not be placed in this category if the older adult is temporarily relocated
to a safe environment and will return to the original abusive situation or to a
new location which has not been determined to be safe.
Notes
This section cited in 6 Pa. Code § 15.23 (relating to receiving reports; general agency responsibility); 6 Pa. Code § 15.27 (relating to handling of completed reports); 6 Pa. Code § 15.41 (relating to reports required to be investigated); 55 Pa. Code §2600.15 (relating to abuse reporting covered by law); and 55 Pa. Code §2800.15 (relating to abuse reporting covered by law).
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