Are you currently paid to provide supports to an adult receiving brokerage services? If so, you are a Mandatory Abuse Reporter and have certain legal responsibilities. If you have reasonable cause to believe an adult with developmental disabilities has been abused, or that any person with whom you come in contact in your job has abused an adult, you must immediately report the abuse.

Abuse includes but is not limited to: abandonment, financial exploitation, involuntary seclusion, neglect, physical abuse, restraint (not approved in a behavior support plan or by doctor’s order,) sexual abuse or verbal abuse.

If you believe any of these things or another concerning/suspicious event has taken place, you must:

  1. Report the situation to the Community Developmental Disabilities Program in Washington, Clackamas or Multnomah counties. This is required by law.
  2. In addition, you must immediately file a report with local law enforcement if you believe a crime has been committed. This is required by law.
  3. Write an incident report and submit it to the individual’s Personal Agent at Independence Northwest.  This is required per your signed service agreement with the INW customer(s) you serve.

Please note: Mandatory Abuse Reporters are not limited to reporting only potential abuse and crimes against people with developmental disabilities. Reporters must also call in any issues involving, children, seniors (people 65 and older,) people with mental health issues and people with physical disabilities. You do not need direct evidence and it is not your responsibility or role to investigate the claim, but you have a legal obligation to pick up the phone and make a report as soon as possible.

Incident Reporting
Additionally, you have a responsibility to report in writing/via phone to Independence Northwest when you have seen, heard or been told about the death of a brokerage customer; when there has been police, ambulance or fire department response; with regard to criminal referrals, medical hospitalizations, emergency room visits, psychiatric hospitalizations or any other incidents that are unusual for the individual/are of concern. You must do so within 24 hours of hearing of/witnessing the event.

When in doubt, report!

Washington County:
Business Hours: 503.846.3150
After Hours: 503.291.9111

Clackamas County:
All Hours: Report directly to Bryan Pollard: 503.557.2874

Multnomah County:
Business Hours: 503.988.3658 (Ask for Adult DD Protective Services Screener)24 Hour Crisis Line: 503.988.4888

Department of Human Services:
If you are unsure who to report adult abuse to, please call the state at1-800-232-3020

Child Abuse Reporting:
Multnomah: 800-509-5439
Washington: 800-275-8952
Clackamas: 971-673-7112

Click here to read a brochure on Mandatory Abuse Reporting in Oregon.