Critical case review committee: A systems approach to reducing abuse neglect and exploitation of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities

The prevention of abuse neglect and exploitation is fundamental to overall health and well-being. Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) experience greater degrees of abuse, neglect, and exploitation than the wider population over longer periods of time, and from a greater number of abusers which has a detrimental effect on overall health and well-being. The purpose of this qualitative program evaluation was to examine the extent to which a risk assessment tool and corresponding peer review committee lead to improved staff member and organizational response to factors commonly associated with abuse neglect and exploitation of individuals with IDD receiving support coordination services, and a decrease in incidents of abuse or neglect characterized as avoidable. Using root cause analysis (RCA) and the social- ecological model for abuse prevention our analysis focused on program participants identified as at risk or high risk of abuse neglect or exploitation based on statewide reportable incident criterion. After one year of implementation the evaluation results demonstrated increased awareness among support coordinators of risk factors, increased multilevel organizational response to high risk and at risk participants, a decrease in avoidable incidents, an increase in reportable incidents and the development of a risk assessment and prevention manual. As an innovative program in the state of Pennsylvania the critical case review committee has implications for social change on local, state, and federal level disabilities, aging, and health promotion service systems.