(a) The Protection of People with Special Needs Act (the act) established the Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs (the Justice Center). The act charges the Justice Center with establishing consistent safeguards for vulnerable persons to protect against abuse, neglect and other conduct that may jeopardize their health, safety and welfare.

(b) To accomplish this goal, the act requires the Justice Center to establish procedures for the timely response to, and effective investigation of, allegations of reportable incidents against individuals who receive services. During the course of an investigation of abuse and neglect it is often necessary for individuals who receive services to be interviewed. This regulation outlines the procedures developed by the Justice Center to ensure that interviews of individuals who receive services during the course of an investigation of alleged abuse and neglect are conducted in a safe and appropriately sensitive manner.