The investigation of allegations of elder and dependent adult abuse pursuant to this chapter, and the case management of elder and dependent adult abuse cases shall be performed by county merit systems civil service employees. A county adult protective service agency may utilize a contracted private or nonprofit telephone answering service after normal working hours and on weekends and holidays. Such a contracted telephone service shall immediately forward to a county merit systems civil service employee any report of abuse or neglect of an elder or dependent adult, unless the caller is: (a) requesting routine information only; (b) reporting an incident of abuse which occurred prior to the date of the call, which does not at the time of the call put the victim at risk; or (c) requesting information not related to the adult protective service program, and the person answering the telephone meets the standards established by the department.

(Added by Stats. 1999, Ch. 147, Sec. 36. Effective July 22, 1999.)