235B.16  Information, education, and training requirements.

1.  The department of elder affairs, in cooperation with the department, shall conduct a public information and education program. The elements and goals of the program include but are not limited to:

a.  Informing the public regarding the laws governing dependent adult abuse and the reporting requirements for dependent adult abuse.

b.  Providing caretakers with information regarding services to alleviate the emotional, psychological, physical, or financial stress associated with the caretaker and dependent adult relationship.

c.  Affecting public attitudes regarding the role of a dependent adult in society.

2.  The department, in cooperation with the department of elder affairs and the department of inspections and appeals, shall institute a program of education and training for persons, including members of provider groups and family members, who may come in contact with dependent adult abuse. The program shall include but is not limited to instruction regarding recognition of dependent adult abuse and the procedure for the reporting of suspected abuse.

3.  The content of the continuing education required pursuant to chapter 272C for a licensed professional providing care or service to a dependent adult shall include, but is not limited to, the responsibilities, obligations, powers, and duties of a person regarding the reporting of suspected dependent adult abuse, and training to aid the professional in identifying instances of dependent adult abuse.

4.  The department of inspections and appeals shall provide training to investigators regarding the collection and preservation of evidence in the case of suspected dependent adult abuse.

5.  A person required to report cases of dependent adult abuse pursuant to section 235B.3, other than a physician whose professional practice does not regularly involve providing primary health care to adults, shall complete two hours of training relating to the identification and reporting of dependent adult abuse within six months of initial employment or self-employment which involves the examination, attending, counseling, or treatment of adults on a regular basis. Within one month of initial employment or self-employment, the person shall obtain a statement of the abuse reporting requirements from the person's employer or, if self-employed, from the department. The person shall complete at least two hours of additional dependent adult abuse identification and reporting training every five years.

If the person is an employee of a hospital or similar public or private facility, the employer shall be responsible for providing the training. To the extent that the employer provides approved training on the employer's premises, the hours of training completed by employees shall be included in the calculation of nursing or service hours required to be provided to a patient or resident per day. If the person is self-employed, the person shall be responsible for obtaining the training.

The person may complete the initial or additional training as a part of a continuing education program required under chapter 272C or may complete the training as a part of a training program offered by the department of human services, the department of elder affairs, the department of inspections and appeals, the Iowa law enforcement academy, or a similar public agency.

A person required to complete both child abuse and dependent adult abuse mandatory reporter training may complete the training through a program which combines child abuse and dependent adult abuse curricula and thereby meet the training requirements of both this subsection and section 232.69 simultaneously. A person who is a mandatory reporter for both child abuse and dependent adult abuse may satisfy the combined training requirements of this subsection through completion of a two-hour training program, if the training program curriculum and content are approved by the department of human services.

6.  The department shall require an educational program for employees of the registry on the proper use and control of dependent adult abuse information.

Section History: Recent form

  91 Acts, ch 231, § 14; 92 Acts, ch 1143, § 10; 92 Acts, ch 1163, § 51


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