DSHS ALTSA staff team up to keep vulnerable adults safe
The quick action of DSHS Aging and Long-Term Support Administration staff ensures vulnerable adults in Spokane Valley are removed from an unsafe situation in a matter of hours.
An Eastern Washington Adult Family Home provider recently left the country during the process of getting a divorce from his wife. The wife was not qualified or licensed to run this type of facility. As a result, the Department of Social and Health Services found another provider to operate the home while a permanent licensed provider was found.
On Friday, Feb. 21, local law enforcement came to the AFH with a court order granting the management of the AFH to the wife. With local law enforcement present, all qualified caregivers were immediately removed from the home, forcing them to abandon the five vulnerable adults living there.
Home and Community Services and Residential Care Services, two divisions within the DSHS Aging & Long-term Support Administration, learned of the situation at 1 p.m. on Friday. Staff immediately went to the AFH to make sure those adults were safe.
DSHS staff quickly began finding qualified providers for the five vulnerable adults in the home. Staff on-site collaborated with their colleagues and providers across the area to make sure everyone transitioned safely to new adult family homes by 4 p.m., just three hours after learning of the problem.
“Everyone involved immediately jumped into action, identified the piece they would coordinate to get the job done. We worked as a cohesive team, knowing each other’s strengths and specialties. The trust and camaraderie with the team expedited this process,” said Erica Perez, a DSHS supervisor who stayed until all clients were relocated.
This work highlights how quickly unsafe situations can happen and the value of effective team communication and coordination to protect vulnerable people. It supports the goals of DSHS Aging and Long-Term Support Administration to focus on the health and safety of vulnerable adults at home or in the community, while also providing the quality of support they receive.
