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Virginia Health Care Association | Virginia Center for Assisted Living

DSS Issues Critical Alert on Restraints and Adaptive Equipment

DSS Issues Critical Alert on Restraints and Adaptive Equipment

The Virginia Department of Social Services issued a critical alert on June 28 to remind assisted living providers about what constitutes a restraint per the agency’s technical assistance (TA) document and provides information on the use of side rails.  Information in the alert should be shared with direct care staff.  Per the message from DSS Adult Division Director Tara Davis-Ragland, “licensing inspectors are continuing to find side rails and other adaptive devices used in conditions that place the health, safety and welfare at risk for individuals in care. Since the original release [in 2015], there have been a number of reported injuries and at least two catastrophic outcomes related to the use of devices that served to restrict the movement of the persons in care.”

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Posted in Assisted Living