Oklahoma 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

• CMS requires intermediate care facilities for individuals with intellectual disabilities (ICF/IIDs) that participate in Medicaid 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.
• Oklahoma conducts surveys of ICF/IIDs to determine whether they comply 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 426 deficiencies related to life safety, emergency preparedness, and infection control at the 42 ICF/IIDs operated in Oklahoma that we reviewed. These deficiencies put residents, staff, and visitors at an increased risk of injury or death during a fire or other emergency.

What OIG Recommends

We recommend that Oklahoma:

1. follow up with the 42 ICF/IIDs to verify that they have taken corrective actions on the life safety, emergency preparedness, and infection control deficiencies identified during the audit;
2. conduct surveys at ICF/IIDs at least every 15 months as required by CMS; and
3. work with CMS to develop standardized life safety training for ICF/IID staff.

Oklahoma did not indicate concurrence or nonconcurrence with our recommendations but detailed steps it has taken and plans to take in response to our recommendations.