Bill > H0582

This bill modifies the definition of neglect for vulnerable adults, clarifying that it means a caregiver's failure to provide necessary goods or services for their health and safety, and specifies that actions taken according to the vulnerable adult's wishes, their representative's direction, or an advance directive (a document outlining a person's wishes for medical care or designating a healthcare agent) will not be considered neglect. It also expands the reporting requirements for neglect allegations, mandating that reports concerning neglect in a State-licensed facility or by a State-licensed individual must be made directly to the relevant licensing entity, such as the Office of Professional Regulation or the Board of Medical Practice, which will then report to Adult Protective Services if neglect is found. Furthermore, the bill extends the timeframe for the Human Services Board to hold a fair hearing for individuals accused of abuse, neglect, or exploitation, moving it from 30 to 90 days after the request, and similarly extends the time for a hearing officer to issue findings and recommendations from seven to 30 days after the hearing.

Health and Social Services

https://legislature.vermont.gov/bill/status/2026/H.582