Library: Policy
340:5-3-2. Abuse and Neglect Hotline (Hotline)
Revised 9-15-21
Oklahoma Human Services maintains a statewide, toll-free Hotline to report abuse, neglect, or exploitation of children and adults. The Hotline, 1-800-522-3511, operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, and is staffed by personnel who are trained in Adult Protective Services procedures. • 1
INSTRUCTIONS TO STAFF 340:5-3-2
Revised 9-15-23
(a) Abuse and Neglect Hotline (Hotline) reporting. The Hotline 1-800-522-3511 staff accepts all information and records it in the Adult Protective Services (APS) Computer System Intake Section including the name of the reporter, when possible. Anonymous calls are handled in the same manner as those made by a person who identifies himself or herself.
(b) All calls, including calls from law enforcement, are referrals and are entered into the APS Computer System Intake Section by Hotline staff.
(c) Hotline staff directs reporters to 911 for emergency situations requiring immediate medical attention or law enforcement intervention.
(d) Urgent referral guidelines. A referral meets urgent guidelines, when the alleged victim (AV) is in imminent danger of serious physical harm, sexual abuse, death, or substantial loss of finances or resources. Imminent danger includes but is not limited to when:
(1) sexual abuse has occurred within the last 72 hours;
(2) the AV needs total care and is left without a caregiver;
(3) the AV is punished or confined, such as locked in a closet or tied to a bed; or
(4) serious financial or resource loss occurs which would interfere with life-sustaining care or services.
(e) Referral procedures. Hotline and APS staff follow procedures in (1) through (5) of this subsection.
(1) When Hotline staff receives an emergency report, Hotline staff:
(A) asks the reporter if 911 was called. When emergency services were not called and immediate help is needed, Hotline staff tells the reporter to immediately call 911; and
(B) refers to the latest contact list provided by the APS State Office and immediately calls the appropriate APS specialist IV or designee when the call is received after normal business hours and on holidays. Hotline staff tells the APS specialist IV or designee that the reporter called, or was told to call 911. Hotline staff:
(i) calls the APS specialist IV first unless contact list indicates otherwise;
(ii) always leaves a voicemail message when the person does not immediately answer the call; and
(iii) allows time for the person to call back before calling the next person on the contact list.
(2) Hotline staff receiving APS calls after hours always calls the APS specialist IV or designee when:
(A) the allegations meet urgent guidelines in (d) of this Instruction;
(B) the situation does not fall within the urgent guidelines, but information given by the reporter indicates an immediate, urgent response may be necessary; or
(C) Hotline staff is unable to decide if the situation falls within the urgent guidelines.
(3) Hotline staff electronically submits the referral through the APS Computer System to the Oklahoma Human Services (OKDHS) office for the county where the AV resides. When waiting on additional information from the reporter, Hotline staff submits the referral prior to the end of his or her shift. When additional information is received after the referral was submitted, Hotline staff emails the information to the appropriate county Hotline address, such as *OKLA(C).APS.HOTLINE or *BRYAN.APS.Hotline, when the referral has been assigned to an APS specialist. If the referral is still in screening, Hotline staff emails the information to the Review, Evaluate, and Decide (RED) Unit at APS.RedTeam.Hotline@okdhs.org
(4) When Hotline staff reports to the incorrect OKDHS county office, the RED Unit specialist or designee assigns the referral to the appropriate OKDHS county office through the APS Computer System.
(5) Investigative bodies other than local APS are notified as indicated in (A) through (G) of this paragraph, when:
(A) the AV is a resident of the Robert M. Greer Center or is known to be a Hissom or Balance Class member, the RED Unit specialist or designee sends the report to the Office of Client Advocacy (OCA) at *oca.intake@OKDHS.org;
(B) the report alleges the alleged perpetrator (AP) is a community services provider employee or a community services worker, or a paid Medicaid personal care assistant, per Section 1025.1 of Title 56 of the Oklahoma Statutes, the RED Unit specialist or designee screens the referral as an Information and Referral (I & R) and sends the referral to OCA at *oca.intake@OKDHS.org;
(C) the AV is a resident of a licensed nursing facility and the AP is a facility employee, the RED Unit specialist or designee screens the referral as an Investigation and assigns it to APS, Long-Term Care Investigations;
(D) Hotline staff determines the AV is deceased, the RED Unit specialist or designee refers the caller to the local district attorney's or the medical examiner's office;
(E) the AV is presently incarcerated in a city or county jail and the AP is a jail employee, the RED Unit specialist or designee screens the referral as an I & R and sends the referral to Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH), Detention Program, at jails@health.ok.gov. If the AV is presently incarcerated in a state or federal prison, the RED Unit specialist or designee screens the referral as an I & R and refers the caller to the internal advocates for the agency that regulates the facility.
(F) the report alleges AV maltreatment by medical hospital, rehabilitation facility, or private psychiatric hospital staff, while the AV is receiving services, the RED Unit specialist or designee screens the referral as an I & R and sends the referral to the OSDH, Protective Health Services, Medical Facilities Service at medicalfacilities@health.ok.gov; or
(G) the report alleges AV maltreatment by public or private community mental health agency staff, the RED Unit specialist or designee screens the referral as an I & R and sends the referral to the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services Inspector General at inspectorgeneral@odmhsas.org.
