Connecticut Could Better Ensure That Intermediate Care Facilities for Individuals With Intellectual Disabilities Comply With Federal Requirements for Life Safety, Emergency Preparedness, and Infection Control

Why OIG Did This Audit

• Intermediate care facilities for individuals with intellectual disabilities (ICF/IIDs) that participate in Medicaid are required by CMS to comply with requirements intended to protect residents. This includes requirements related to fire safety and emergency preparedness plans. Facilities are also required to develop infection control programs.
• In Connecticut, the State’s Department of Public Health (State agency) conducts surveys of ICF/IIDs for compliance with Federal requirements.
• This audit is part of a series of audits that assesses compliance with CMS’s life safety, emergency preparedness, and infection control requirements for ICF/IIDs.

What OIG Found

We identified 80 deficiencies related to life safety, emergency preparedness, and infection control at the 15 ICF/IIDs that we reviewed in Connecticut.

These deficiencies put the health and safety of residents, staff, and visitors at an increased risk of injury or death during a fire or other emergency, or in the event of an infectious disease outbreak.

What OIG Recommends

We recommend that Connecticut:

1. Follow up with the 15 ICF/IIDs reviewed to verify that they have taken corrective actions on the life safety, emergency preparedness, and infection control deficiencies identified during the audit.
2. Work with CMS to develop standardized life safety training for ICF/IID staff.

Connecticut concurred with our first recommendation and stated that it has already followed up with the 15 ICF/IIDs reviewed. Connecticut did not indicate concurrence or nonconcurrence with our second recommendation.

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