New Mexico Statutes 27-7A-2. Definitions
As used in the Employee Abuse Registry Act: A. “abuse” means:
Terms Used In New Mexico Statutes 27-7A-2
- Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
- Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
(1) knowingly, intentionally or negligently and without justifiable cause inflicting physical pain, injury or mental anguish; or
(2) the intentional deprivation by a caretaker or other person of services necessary to maintain the mental and physical health of a person;
B. “department” means the department of health;
C. “direct care” means face-to-face services provided or routine and unsupervised physical or financial access to a recipient of services;
D. “employee” means a person employed by or on contract with a provider, either directly or through a third party arrangement to provide direct care. “Employee” does not include a New Mexico licensed health care professional practicing within the scope of the profession’s license or a certified nurse aide;
E. “exploitation” means an unjust or improper use of a person’s money or property for another person’s profit or advantage, pecuniary or otherwise;
F. “neglect” means, subject to a person’s right to refuse treatment and subject to a provider’s right to exercise sound medical discretion, the failure of an employee to provide basic needs such as clothing, food, shelter, supervision and care for the physical and mental health of a person or failure by a person that may cause physical or psychological harm;
G. “provider” means an intermediate care facility for individuals with developmental or intellectual disabilities; a rehabilitation facility; a home health agency; a homemaker agency; a home for the aged or disabled; a group home; an adult foster care home; a case management entity that provides services to elderly people or people with developmental disabilities; a corporate guardian; a private residence that provides personal care, adult residential care or natural and surrogate family services provided to persons with developmental disabilities; an adult daycare center; a boarding home; an adult residential care home; a residential service or habilitation service authorized to be reimbursed by medicaid; any licensed or medicaid-certified entity or any program funded by the aging and long-term services department that provides respite, companion or personal care services; programs funded by the children, youth and families department that provide homemaker or adult daycare services; and any other individual, agency or organization that provides respite care or delivers home- and community-based services to adults or children with developmental disabilities or physical disabilities or to the elderly, but excluding a managed care organization unless the employees of the managed care organization provide respite care or deliver home- and community-based services to adults or children with developmental disabilities or physical disabilities or to the elderly;
H. “registry” means an electronic database that provides information on substantiated employee abuse, neglect or exploitation; and
I. “secretary” means the secretary of health.