In addition to the Attorney General, our police, and Adult Protective Services, there are a few other agencies and groups that assist in prosecuting elder abuse. In California, there are specifically three groups that focus on and help with nursing home abuse cases. While they may work with other cases in addition to elder abuse, these organizations, often officially titled as Units, are crucial to seeing justice served. We’d like to highlight those organizations/units.
Criminal Law Unit
Responsible for appeals, writs and trials, eCrime, and special prosecutions, the Criminal Law Unit in California is a vital part of the criminal justice system. When it comes to nursing homes, the Criminal Law Unit investigates and prosecutes financial abuse, physical abuse, homicide, sexual assault, false imprisonment, and assault and battery.
Civil Law Unit
Generally, the Civil Law Unit is responsible for a wide variety of cases and prosecutions. Notably, they hand licensing, tort and condemnation, health, education, and welfare, and health quality enforcement. As it relates to nursing homes, the Civil Law Unit’s responsibilities cover Medi-Cal and medicare fraud and abuse. Specifically, they typically investigate and prosecute fraud committed by Medi-Cal providers.
The Facilities Enforcement Team
Of the three mentioned, the Facilities Enforcement Team is the only group exclusively working with nursing home cases. Their scope of responsibility includes investigating and prosecuting the owners and operators of skilled nursing homes, hospitals, and residential care facilities.
More specifically:
“These prosecutions frequently include the prosecution of corporate entities whose facilities engage in institutional neglect or substandard care.”
All three of these legal departments are vital to our criminal justice system, playing a huge role in bringing those responsible for elder abuse and neglect to justice.
If you or a loved one have been the victim of abuse or neglect, call Gharibian Law (877) 460-1187) today for a FREE consultation and the best legal representation.
