The Oregon House is scheduled to give final approval this morning to legislation expanding the list of people who must report incidents of elder abuse to authorities. House Bill 2205 adds lawmakers, attorneys, dentists, optometrists and chiropractors to the list of mandatory reporters. The duty would apply around the clock, and not just when the person is working in his or her professional capacity. Lawyers and clergy would not have to report abuse if the information was learned through privileged communications.
Source:
Reporting Elder Abuse, Smoking With Kids in Cars, Family Leave: Oregon Legislature Today
See Also:
Read About HB2205
I don't understand - mandatory reporter is mandatory reporting and whether a person is in the clergy or a lawyer shouldn't neglate his/her obligation.
ReplyDeleteThis looks like good news bad news. Bad news is when the mandatory reporter reports to APS about suspected abuse, this opens the door to high probability of a guardianship situation by a 3rd party, leaving the family outside of decision making.
ReplyDeleteIn many states, self neglect and having too many items in the residence etc qualifies that person to be protected.
I think this is age discrimination because if a younger person lived in the identical situation, that would not be a guardianship moment.
This is entering the caution zone due to the need to feed the guardian and conservatorship team who DEPENDS on their ward's estates for their billing purposes. Eyes wide open here folks where there is motive for PROFIT and / or job security, the government is watching you.
You think the Associated Press and IRS stories are big news? Sure it's news but the protection industry is much bigger with government on their side.
And the good news is IF a person is truly in need of help, they will be protected although the person will find losing all of their rights might not put them in a better place.
Optometrists, Chiropractors, Dentists????? It's going a bit too far for my taste.
ReplyDeleteSuch legislation is ineffective for many reasons. Law Professor Carolyn Dessin pointed out one in her 2005 law review article “Should Attorneys Have a Duty to Report Financial Abuse of the Elderly?”, Carolyn Dessin, Akron Law Review, Vol. 38, p. 707, 2005 (http://works.bepress.com/carolyn_dessin/1). Legislation which I advocate addresses other reasons, including the failure of laws to define when a mandatory reporter should have sufficient cause to report. To learn more about the proposed legislation, write tvfields@oh.rr.com
ReplyDeleteI have gone through this for 12 years, where reposts from to law enforcememt were made since 2000 - and never investigated. Upon several other people's report to the Clackamas County, Oregon, District attorney, it was suggested, I seek medical help for my "Obsession" attempting to secure my assets taken by fraud and fraud on the courts.
ReplyDelete