Governor Charlie Baker, signed an Act To Protect Persons with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities from Abuse, also known as “Nicky’s Law.” The Disabled Persons Protection Commission would create a registry of care providers against whom the commission has made a "substantiated finding of registrable abuse." It also requires the department and employers contracting with care providers to determine whether an individual is listed on the registry before hiring them. If the applicant is listed, their hiring would be prohibited.
“Protecting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities is vitally important, and I want to thank the family members, advocates and our legislative colleagues for their work to pass this bill,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “The new registry established in Nicky’s Law will provide an additional safeguard against abuse and further improve the safety and quality of services provided to some of the Commonwealth’s most vulnerable residents.”
Currently, candidates who apply to DDS or one of its licensed providers must undergo a Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) and National Background Check screening before they can be hired. The creation of this Registry will now provide an additional resource against which DDS and its providers must conduct comprehensive background checks on candidates interested in working with those served by the Department.
(Photo Credit: Joshua Qualls- Governor's Press Office)