Preventing Abuse:
What To Do When You Reach Your Limit

• Respect the people entrusted to your care. Your job is to serve and support them.
• Some people cannot control their behavior or help the way that they act. Your job is to serve and support them, also.
• Ask a supervisor or co-workers to help you handle stress. Don't take it personally when someone yells at you.
• If a person you serve cannot control his or her temper, get help from co-workers. Don't try to do everything yourself. Protect yourself and others by getting help before you need it.
• Try not to lose your temper. Walk away for a minute.
• Talk with your supervisor if you feel stresses or if you are losing patience. Tell your supervisor if you think a co-worker is stressed or needs help.
• Your agency has chosen a special staff person you can talk with about preventing and reporting abuse.

What is Abuse?

State law says abuse is hurting or harming a person who is receiving services. Even if the abuse does not leave and injury or a mark, if you meant to hurt someone, you are guilty of abuse. If you help someone commit abuse or cover for someone who has committed abuse, you are also guilty of abuse.

Abuse is Against the Law

Any employee abusing a person who is receiving services will be fired. You are guilty of abuse if you do any of these things.

Physical Abuse

• Hitting, striking, slapping, kicking, biting, throwing objects, pulling hair;
• Using physical punishment (spanking, paddling, slapping);
• Asking someone else to abuse a person.
• Verbal Abuse
• Using degrading or racial terms.
• Neglect
• Endangering a person's life by improper care or supervision.

Emotional Abuse

• Treating a person in a way that has a negative, long-term effect (making fun of someone, intimidating, harassing, or locking up a person).
• Threatening Abuse
• Telling a person you will hurt or abuse him or her.
• Exploitation
• Using a person to get money or gifts.
• Sexual Abuse
• Having sex with a person, or encouraging or assisting him or her to have sex with someone else.
• Harmful Substances
• Giving drugs or other illegal or harmful substances to someone.

Reporting Abuse

It is against the law to abuse a person receiving services or supports.

The law requires you to report, if you see abuse or think that a person receiving services has been abused.

You must tell someone as soon as possible that you think something is wrong - DO NOT WAIT until the next shift or work day.

Who to Tell

• Your supervisor; or
• The program director; or
• The executive director; or
• The facility director.

In addition to the people listed above, you can also talk to a special staff person at your agency.

What Happens When You Report Abuse

• Your agency will report abuse to the appropriate office.
• Cases of abuse will be reported to the State Ombudsman, Department of Social Services or law enforcement.
• Abuse occurring in a residential program will be reported to the State Ombudsman.
• Abuse occurring in other settings will be reported to the Department of Social Services.
• You may make a report directly to these agencies, as well. You must make a direct report if you see a child being abused.

Investigating Abuse

All reports of Abuse will be investigated. If abuse is substantiated, the employee will be fired and the case will be referred for prosecution. You can also be prosecuted if you see abuse and do not report it.