Protection from Harm
Investigations
The Protection from Harm Investigations Unit conducts internal administrative investigations into allegations of abuse, neglect, exploitation, unexplained serious injuries and questionable or suspicious deaths for people who receive services through the Division of Mental Retardation Services (DMRS). The Investigations unit does not conduct criminal investigations. If the alleged abuse, neglect, or exploitation is a criminal act, the investigations unit will report the allegation to law enforcement.
The DMRS defines abuse, neglect, and exploitation as:
• Abuse – the knowing infliction of injury, unreasonable confinement, intimidation or punishment with resulting physical harm, pain, or mental anguish
• Neglect – failure to provide goods or services necessary to avoid physical harm, mental anguish or mental illness, which results in injury or probable risk of serious harm
• Exploitation – the deliberate misplacement, misappropriation or wrongful, temporary, or permanent use of belongings or money with or without consent.
If persons receiving services, families, staff, community citizens, etc., know about or suspect abuse, neglect, or exploitation involving a person receiving services, they may report directly to the Investigations Unit 24 hours a day. Staff persons for Providers contracted with DMRS are required to report within 4 hours of observation or discovery of abuse, neglect, exploitation, unexplained serious injury, or questionable or suspicious death.
The number to call depends on where in the State a person receiving services lives. There are three regions: East, Middle and West. The phone calls are free. The numbers are:
Central Office
Carol Wilkin, Director
615-253-2896
615-532-9940 (Fax)
Carol.Wilkin@state.tn.us
West Tennessee
888-632-4490
Middle Tennessee
888-633-1313
East Tennessee
800-579-0023
Investigators
East Tennessee Investigators
Middle Tennessee
Investigators
West Tennessee Investigators
