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Notification sought for sex offenders entering developmental disabilities homes
TIFFANY L. PARKS
Special to the Legal News
Published: November 10, 2014
Rep. Anthony DeVitis has introduced a bill into the Ohio General Assembly that would outline protocol regarding the admission of sex offenders to residential facilities owned by county boards of developmental disabilities.
“Before an individual is admitted as a resident to a residential facility owned by a county board of developmental disabilities, the residential facility will have to research the Internet database to identify if the individual is a sex offender,” said DeVitis, R-Uniontown.
“If the individual is identified as a sex offender, the local law enforcement agencies and the leaders of the community will be notified of their possible admission.”
House Bill 621 states that officials from the residential facility would contact community leaders who they have “reason to believe would help disseminate to other members of the community the information about the individual’s possible admission.”
HB 621 states that each residential facility shall develop a protocol for establishing and implementing all of the following plans when the facility admits as a resident an individual who is identified as a sex offender: a resident supervision plan that provides for the residential facility to identify and provide the proper amount of supervision the individual needs at the residential facility; a medical emergency plan for the individual and other residents of the facility; and a community engagement plan that includes methods for members of the community being able to express concerns about the residential facility’s operation and for the residential facility to address any concerns.
Subject to the redaction of all medical information, the measure also calls for a residential facility to provide copies of the proposed plans to local law enforcement agencies and community leaders who have been provided notice about the sex offender.
“This legislation will better serve the individual and the community to determine the supervision level for the individual’s treatment or progress,” DeVitis said.
HB 621 is co-sponsored by Reps. Peter Beck and John Becker. The bill is awaiting a committee assignment.
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