The Kansas Department on Aging (KDOA) Licensure, Certification and Evaluation Commission is responsible for investigating allegations of abuse, neglect, exploitation and failure to provide adequate care and services to residents in adult care homes licensed by KDOA. Investigations are done to determine compliance with federal and state regulations regarding the health, safety, and welfare of any resident of any licensed adult care home.
The Commission operates a toll free complaint hotline for the purpose of providing free phone access to the complaint program for receiving reports of allegations of abuse, neglect, exploitation, violations of state and federal regulations and failure to provide adequate care of individuals residing in adult care homes. Information on how to contact the hotline is listed below:
1-800-842-0078
296-0133 (Topeka)
8:00 am to 5:00 pm
Monday through Friday, excluding holidays
(785) 296-0256
The FAX must be addressed to both:
Carolyn Anderson, Mary Jane Kennedy and Ernie Beery
Callers are directed to contact local law enforcement for complaints of abuse, neglect or exploitation during non-operational hours.
Anyone with knowledge or concerns about an adult care home can file a complaint. Complaints may be filed anonymously.
Once it has been determined that the complaint allegation(s) fall within the scope of the agency's authority, the complaint will be triaged to determine the severity and urgency of the allegations so that appropriate and timely actions can be pursued.
All complaint surveys are unannounced and conducted by qualified Health Facility Surveyors. Survey protocol is followed during the investigation which may include interviews, record reviews and surveyor observations.
Complainants may request an outcome letter to be sent to them at the end of the investigation. The outcome letter will inform the complainant whether or not the allegations were substantiated as well as whether or not the facility was found to be in compliance with the adult care home regulations. If a violation of federal nursing home regulations is cited, the facility will be required to submit a plan of correction to assure the deficient practice is corrected. State or federal remedies may be imposed on facilities related to cited deficient practices.
Investigators may not be able to cite a deficient practice if the facility has corrected the problem prior to the investigation, if the facility has been recently cited for the same or a similar deficient practice during another annual or complaint survey, if the deficient practice occurred a long time ago and is no longer apparent at the time of the investigation, or if there is no violation of state or federal regulations.