Required Sexual Abuse Policy

HR Beginner

Our agency's insurance company is requiring us to create and submit to them a sexual abuse policy. Note that it is NOT a sexual harassment policy. They require a number of elements (i.e. what are we doing, like background checks, to prevent it in the workplace) to be addressed in this policy. I have searched the Internet (including HRHero) for ideas and/or samples, with no luck. I find lots of substance abuse and harassment policies, though. Does anyone out there have a Sexual Abuse policy already in place that I could review? I really don't want to reinvent the wheel if one exists. My fax is 928-453-2353 Thanks!

Whirlwind

Maybe this is obvious, but can you ask your insurance company how they differentiate between abuse and harassment? I work in a K-12 educational setting, and the term "sexual abuse" applies to students only (student on student or staff on student). Does your organization serve children in some way that would make your insurance co. require such a policy? If the answer to this does not lie in the difference between kids and adults, then I don't know what they're talking about. But I'm curious!

HR Beginner

We're a hospice agency, caring for terminally ill patients in their own homes. So I guess we're somewhat similar to a nursing home where, unfortunately, abuse sometimes takes place. This request for a special policy however, is very strange to me. When I do an Internet search, all I get is information related to Catholic priests! 8-|

Whirlwind

Okay, I believe your insurance company's requirement concerns sexual abuse of your clients (similar, in my case, to students), not employees. That's why you're not finding any material on this among your HR references. You probably have a state agency that regulates your type of service, and I'll bet they can provide a model policy on preventing/investigating/reporting client abuse, sexual and otherwise. (E.g., in my state it's the Department of Protective and Regulatory Services.) If not, try on internet search on client abuse.

sonny

I think whirlwind is on target. Professional Codes of Ethics are another source. In my former life as a rehabilitation Couselor, we had a code of ethics established by our national comission on certification..Do a search CRCC Code of Ethics. . Sec A.5 speaks to Sexual intimacies with Clients. You might find the next section helpful as well. I am sure Social Workers also have a similar code. This may not be exactly what you need, but should get you going and be fairly easy to adapt to a Hospice situation.

HR Beginner

I thank both of you very much. With your help, I was able to find some very good resources. I'm glad I asked! Thanks again.