Our mission is to protect adults ages 18 to 59 with disabilities from abuse or neglect through investigation, oversight, public awareness and prevention.
Overview
Learn more about the DPPC.
DPPC History
DPPC was created through legislation in 1987 as an independent state agency responsible for the investigation and remediation of abuse against persons with a disability. The mission of the DPPC is to protect adults with a disability from the abusive acts and omissions of their caregivers through investigation, oversight, public awareness, and abuse prevention. Pursuant to its enabling statute, M.G.L. c. 19C, the jurisdiction of the DPPC extends to adults with a disability between the ages of 18 and 59 who suffer serious physical and/or serious emotional injury, or abuse per se through an act and/or omission by their caregiver. Abuse per se includes sexual acts, the improper withholding of adaptive aids, and inappropriate physical contact. DPPC can investigate abuse in private homes, state operated programs, transportation services and correctional facilities. The only place DPPC cannot investigate is a long-term care facility, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Department of Public Health.
Although DPPC is an independent agency, it was designed to closely coordinate its work with several agencies with complementary missions, including the Executive Office of Aging and Independence (AGE), Department of Children and Families, Department of Developmental Services, Department of Mental Health, MassAbility, and the local and state police. Similar to the Department of Children and Families for children and the Executive Office of Aging and Independence (AGE) for older adults, DPPC acts to protect adults with a disability who are dependent on others to meet a daily living need. DPPC fills the gap between the child protection and elder protection systems.
The DPPC is comprised of several units including Intake, Oversight, Investigation, Legal, Quality Assurance, Information Technology, Learning and Development, Human Resources and Finance. It also includes a dedicated State Police Detective Unit (SPDU) housed at the DPPC and a Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance (MOVA) grant funded Sexual Assault Response (SAR) Team.
DPPC Abuser Registry
DPPC ABUSER REGISTRY
The DPPC Abuser Registry (Registry) became effective July 31, 2021, and is intended to protect individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities (I/DD) by barring care providers who have a substantiated finding of registrable abuse from working with persons with I/DD. A substantiated finding of registrable abuse is a finding by the DPPC, after investigation and opportunity to appeal, that a care provider abused a person with I/DD. A care provider is a person who is employed by, contracts with, or is funded by the Department of Developmental Services (DDS) or an Employer who provides services or supports to persons with I/DD. Care providers include all current and prospective care providers in any program licensed, contracted, or funded by DDS to provide services and support to persons with I/DD. Care providers can include volunteers, interns, work-study participants, or any other similar unpaid positions.
DDS and agencies defined by the law as Employers must check the Registry prior to employing a care provider. For purposes of the DPPC Abuser Registry, an Employer is any agency that provides services or treatment to people with I/DD pursuant to a contract or agreement with DDS; funding administered by DDS; or a license issued by DDS. The DPPC Abuser Registry is not a public registry and can be accessed only by DDS or Employers who are funded by, contracted with, or are licensed by DDS. Employers are required to create verified accounts to check whether prospective care providers are on the DPPC Abuser Registry.
Legal Unit
Legal Unit
The DPPC Legal Unit provides legal advice and guidance on a variety of matters pertaining to the core functions of DPPC. This includes providing guidance to all investigators conducting DPPC investigations on behalf of DPPC.
DPPC attorneys work in coordination with legal counsel from DDS, DMH, MassAbility and other agencies, including District Attorneys’ (DA) Offices, the Office of the Attorney General (AGO), Executive Office of Aging & Independence (AGE), Department of Children and Families (DCF), Department of Public Health (DPH), Bureau of Health Professions Licensure (BHPL), Department of Corrections (DOC), and the Medical Examiner’s (ME) Office. The DPPC Legal Unit also provides information to the public about DPPC’s functions and mandate and handles record requests and court interventions when necessary.
In addition, the Legal Unit performs the following specific functions within DPPC:
- Obtains judicial protective orders when an alleged victim of abuse is at immediate risk of harm and is not able to consent to the provision of protective services due to a mental or physical impairment;
- Secures access warrants when law enforcement and/or APS investigators are unreasonably denied access to an alleged victim of abuse;
- Conducts reviews of the findings of DPPC Investigation Reports pursuant to 118 CMR 14.00;
- Represents DPPC in substantiated cases of registrable abuse that appealed to the Division of Administrative Law Appeals (DALA).
- Acts as the DPPC’s Keeper of Records and ensures that DPPC responses to requests for DPPC records are compliant with all statutory requirements.
Intake Unit
Intake Unit
The DPPC’s Intake Unit receives reports of abuse against persons with a disability from a 24-hour Hotline and for non-emergencies, through an online portal. A determination is made by Intake staff whether the report is an emergency or non-emergency, and whether the situation meets the agency’s jurisdictional criteria for an investigation. Reports not within the jurisdiction of the Commission are forwarded to the appropriate state agency for review/action.
For DPPC to investigate reported abuse committed against persons with disabilities, the enabling statute, M.G.L. c. 19C, requires that the alleged victim:
- be 18 to 59 years old;
- be a person with a disability due to mental illness, intellectual/developmental disability, or physical impairment;
- because of the disability require the assistance of a caregiver to accomplish daily living needs.
Additionally, for DPPC to investigate the alleged act or omission, it must be by a caretaker and result in a serious physical or serious emotional injury, or abuse per se.
Investigation Unit
Investigation Unit
Reports of alleged abuse determined to be within the jurisdiction of the DPPC are assigned to an Adult Protective Services (APS) Investigator and a DPPC Oversight Officer. The APS Investigator may be one of DPPC’s Investigators or an Investigator from the Department of Developmental Services (DDS), Department of Mental Health (DMH) or MassAbility.
Assigned investigators conduct abuse investigations under the authority of DPPC’s statute, M.G.L. c. 19C. APS investigators conduct civil, not criminal, investigations. They work in cooperation with DPPC’s oversight officers, outside service providers, law enforcement and others to ensure that victims of abuse are protected. Investigators collect all information necessary to develop an appropriate course of action and make findings about whether abuse has occurred. Findings and recommendations to resolve ongoing risk to the victim and other adults with disabilities are documented in an investigation report.
Oversight Unit
Oversight Unit
The DPPC Oversight Unit monitors all 19C investigations, whether investigated by DPPC, DDS, DMH or MassAbility to ensure that the victim is safe, the report is timely, and the investigation is thorough. When abuse by a caregiver is substantiated, protective services are offered and/or provided by the appropriate service-providing agency; DDS, DMH or MassAbility. DPPC Oversight Officers monitor cases until risk of harm to the victim is adequately reduced or eliminated.
Sexual Assault Response (SAR) Team
Sexual Assault Response (SAR) Team
In July 2017, a Sexual Assault Response (SAR) Team was created at the DPPC to increase access to trauma services for persons with disabilities to aid in their recovery of sexual abuse.
The SAR Team is grant funded through the Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance (MOVA), Office for Victims of Crime, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice Victims of Crime Act of 1984 (VOCA). SAR provides navigation, peer support and clinical matching services to sexual assault victims with disabilities. SAR works with individuals with disabilities, families, and support teams by providing information, resources, referrals and supports.
In addition to navigation, peer support and clinical matching, SAR also benefits from a robust and active volunteer Advisory Council. The volunteer Advisory Council advises the DPPC in its ongoing development of SAR. Advisory Council members share professional/experiential wisdom to guide and enhance SAR operations. Advisory Council members also serve as ambassadors for SAR within the members’ own spheres of influence by acting within their own organizations to prevent and effectively respond to sexual violence against persons with a disability. Further, the Advisory Council members assist with introductions to stakeholders in the fields of disability services and advocacy, sexual violence, law, mental health, criminal justice, law enforcement, medical health, education, research, and employment.
State Police Detective Unit
State Police Detective Unit
The State Police Detective Unit (SPDU), assigned to the DPPC, reviews 100% of the reports received by the DPPC to determine which of these reports suggest criminal activity against a person with a disability. Suspected criminal activity is reported by the SPDU to the appropriate District Attorney’s Office for their review and determination of whether a criminal investigation is warranted.
Learning and Development Unit
Learning and Development Unit
Everyone at DPPC shares in the responsibility for preventing abuse. DPPC continually strives to identify new and effective ways to educate direct care staff, law enforcement, and the public about the prevalence of abuse of persons with a disability.
The DPPC’s abuse prevention strategy is to decrease incidents of abuse by increasing awareness about the prevalence of abuse/neglect against persons with a disability; and to educate people about how they can help to prevent or stop this abuse.
DPPC’s Learning and Development Unit distributes informational materials and conducts training. Training is provided to a broad range of individuals including law enforcement, educators, medical professionals, service providers and persons with a disability. Topics include recognizing and reporting abuse, preservation of evidence, the DPPC investigation process, communicating with individuals from varied backgrounds or with differing communication needs as well as regulatory and statutory compliance.
For DPPC Training Contact:
DPPC Learning and Development Unit
300 Granite Street, Suite 404
Braintree, MA 02184
Email: DPPC.Learning@mass.gov
Phone: (617) 727-6465 | TTY: 711
Supporting Survivors
Our team connects survivors with resources and services to assist in the healing process.