Incident Management

Incident Management is a basic component of the DIDD Protection from Harm system. DIDD has established provider requirements, forms, and a database, all to ensure effective responses to incidents involving harm or risk of harm to DIDD persons supported.

Minimum requirements for contracted providers in responding to specific incidents, reporting to DIDD, determining trends, identifying risk issues for individual persons supported, and developing management-level prevention plans, are all designed to achieve long-term prevention of harm.

DIDD has established a clear set of definitions for incidents that are reported to DIDD, which includes abuse, neglect, exploitation, and serious injuries, as well as other injuries and medical and behavioral incidents that require outside intervention (hospital emergency room, police, restraint use, etc.).

Contracted provider agencies respond to each incident, but they also report them on a standard form that is faxed to DIDD Central Office, and via a phone call directly to a DIDD Investigator if abuse, neglect or exploitation is involved. These incidents are entered into the DIDD database, and the agency also reviews all incidents at the management level weekly.

Using its own incident information, as well as quarterly reports provided by DIDD, each provider identifies individual persons supported at significant risk of harm and general agency trends and patterns. The provider uses this information toward reducing individual risk through the ISP process and toward reducing general risk through the provider prevention plan process. DIDD also identifies general trends and patterns and, as needed, develops programs intended to prevent future harm. Currently, DIDD is involved in training and other consultation with providers aimed at preventing falls and injuries from falls.