Bremerton, WA asked in Elder Law, Gov & Administrative Law, Health Care Law and Medical Malpractice for Washington

Q: How do i approach an aps interview as a healthcare provider under investigation for neglect/abuse of vulnerable adult?

Im under investigation for unprofessional misconduct. APS requested an interview as i already submitted a statement to the DOH. how should i except the interview to go? whats APS's process/structure usually entail? What questions do i except from this interview & whatd be the most effective approach to answer the questions? Is the aps call/questions only there to incriminate me? how would i go about asking questions myself for gathering info & leaving it at that for prep for any potential future hearing; questions like starting with what's alleged & whats the evidence or would they just not answer; im planning on sticking to my statement's script is that best? or how should i approach the interview? Am i better off letting it go to see what they come up with or playing along with their interview process? what's the best way i can approach this interview at this juncture to minimize damages & make sure im not placed on the registry or anything far worse eg; criminal charges etc.?

1 Lawyer Answer

A: I'm so sorry to hear about your difficult situation. You have asked at least a dozen questions, and this question and answer format is designed more for one question/one answer.

If I were in your shoes, I'd be most concerned about the possibility of criminal charges. For that reason, even though I'm an attorney myself, I would hire a criminal defense attorney who is also well-versed in APS matters, and pay him or her to come with me to the meeting and represent me. If you have been charged with a crime, you are entitled to a free criminal defense attorney if you're unable to pay for a defense attorney.

I'm sorry I can't answer all your many questions. I'm also sorry that you submitted a statement to APS without running it by an attorney first.

Best wishes to you.

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