DHS Department of Human Services Employee Discipline Harm To Vulnerable Persons

Behavioral health - department of human services - personnel in facilities providing care to vulnerable people - disciplinary action. For employees who are employed by the department of human services at a facility that provides direct care to vulnerable people, in considering a disciplinary action against such an employee for engaging in mistreatment, abuse, neglect, or exploitation, against a vulnerable person, the appointing authority is required give weight to the safety of vulnerable persons over the interests of any other person. If the appointing authority finds that the employee has engaged in mistreatment, abuse, neglect, or exploitation against a vulnerable person, the appointing authority may take such disciplinary action as the appointing authority deems appropriate, up to and including termination, taking into consideration the harm or risk of harm to vulnerable persons created by the employee's actions.
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)